THE BASICS:
 
RESULT:  Game 1 — Maine 1, Hartford 0; Game 2 — Maine 3, Hartford 2
LOCATION: Mahaney Diamond (Orono, Maine)
RECORDS:  Hartford (7-16, 1-4 America East), Maine (9-15, 3-2 America East)
GAME 1 — W: Cody Laweryson (2-1) L: John LaRossa (2-3)
GAME 2 — W: Johan Normandeau (1-3) L: Connor Lewis (2-2) S: Jeff Gelinas (4)
 

THE LEAD: 
The University of Hartford baseball team dropped a pair of one-run games as Maine took both ends of Saturday's doubleheader at Mahaney Diamond. The Hawks came up short, 1-0, in the opener, squandering an impressive outing from senior right-hander Brian Stepniak and fell 3-2 in game two. Hartford had its chances in the second game, leaving the potential game-tying runs on third base in the sixth and seventh innings.
 
First baseman David MacKinnon led the Hawks at the plate, finishing with three hits on the day. Maine also successfully took the bat out of the hands of Hartford catcher Erik Ostberg, who entered the day leading the nation with a .506 batting average. The Black Bears twice opted to intentionally walk Ostberg with runners in scoring position, and the Hawks were unable to capitalize on both occasions.
 
Stepniak and Connor Lewis, Hartford's starting pitchers, combined to allow three runs on eight hits in 12 innings of work.
 
GAME 1
The Hawks couldn't capitalize on a brilliant performance from Stepniak, who pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, striking out three and walking two. Senior reliever John LaRossa pitched a perfect eighth inning for Hartford, but gave up a walk and a hit to begin the ninth. Freshman lefty Drew Farkas then came out of the bullpen, giving up another single before surrendering the game-winning run on a walk-off wild pitch.
 
MacKinnon and junior right fielder Nick Campana had the only two hits for the Hawks, who couldn't get much going against Maine starter Justin Courtney. Courtney struck out five and walked two in eight scoreless innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1):

• Stepniak and Courtney went toe-to-toe for seven-plus innings, combining to allow just five hits.
• Hartford's biggest threat came in the top of the seventh inning when MacKinnon doubled and the Black Bears opted to walk Ostberg, who entered the game leading the nation with a .506 average. With two on and no outs, the heart of the Hawks' lineup couldn't advance the runners.
• Right fielder Tyler Schwanz drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Caleb Kerbs chased LaRossa with a single through the left side, and designated hitter Jonathan Bennett loaded the bases off Farkas with another single, setting the stage for the walk-off wild pitch.

 
 
GAME 2
The Hawks got off to a hot start in game two, scoring a pair of runs on four hits in the first inning, but Maine starter Jonah Normandeau (1-3) settled in after that, allowing just five hits over the next five innings. The Black Bears tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and scored the game-winning run in the third on a sacrifice fly.
 
MacKinnon, Ostberg and left fielder each had two hits for the Hawks, who fell to 1-4 in America East play. Lewis took the hard-luck loss after allowing three runs on five hits, with four strikeouts.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2):

• MacKinnon got things going with a one-out single to left and Ostberg, switching to designated hitter for the second game, smacked an RBI triple to right to make it 1-0. Ostberg eventually came home on a passed ball.
• Two walks and a single helped the Black Bears load the bases in the bottom of the first, allowing Kerbs to drive in a pair with a two-out single to left.
• Designated hitter Christopher Bec led off the third with a triple and put Maine in front, 3-2, when Bennett lofted a sac fly to right.

 
NEXT UP:
The Hawks and Black Bears will wrap up the series on Sunday, April 9, with a 1 p.m. game at Mahaney Diamond. Junior John Arel (0-0, 13.50 ERA) is slated to get the start for Maine, while Hartford has not announced a starter.
 
Arel, a Burlington, Conn., native, attended Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford, where he finished his career with a 21-8 record and a 2.42 ERA. He recorded a 3.94 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 75.1 innings for the Black Bears this past season.