Bec's Big Day Highlights Baseball's Weekend Sweep of UAlbany

Recap, photo courtesy of UMaine

ORONO, Maine – Senior Christopher Bec drove in four runs and had five of the University of Maine baseball team's 18 hits in a 17-1 win over the University of Albany on Sunday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond. The win was Maine's fourth straight and gave the Black Bears the weekend sweep.

The hits tally was the most for the Black Bears since collecting 21 in an 18-10 win at Lafayette on April 30, 2015.
 
Bec had two home runs in the game and finished 5-for-6 at the plate, knocking in four RBIs and
scoring four. It marked the first time that a Maine player hit two home runs in a game since Kevin Stypulkowski did it in a game at Binghamton on May 21, 2016. Bec's five hits were the most for a Black Bear in a single game since Sam Balzano had five against UMBC on April 13, 2013.
 
Six Black Bears finished with multiple hits while five had multiple RBIs – including freshman Ben Terwilliger earning the first two of his career. Seven of Maine's runs on the day came with two outs.
 
Nick Silva was strong on the mound for Maine, pitching 6.0 innings to get the win. The junior allowed one run on four hits while striking out eight and walking two. Eddie Emerson pitched 1.0 innings in relief, giving up one hit while striking out five, before Cody Laweryson no-hit the Great Dance in the ninth, striking out two.
 
UAlbany (9-11, 1-4 AE) struck first, plating a run in their first at-bats, but Maine responded with four runs on four hits in the bottom half of the opening frame. After Danny Casals doubled down the right field line to score Jeremy Pena, a two-run double from Hernen Sardinas made it 3-0. Sardinas then scored during a Kevin Doody stolen base attempt later in the inning.
 
Bec's first home run of the day – a towering solo shot to centerfield – made it 5-0 for Maine in the bottom of the third. In the fifth, Pena scored on a Sardinas single and then Casals scored on a Colin Ridley single. Three batters later the bases were loaded and Terwilliger earned a walk to force in Sardinas from third for his first career RBI.
 
Maine's 8-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth grew to 12-1 by the end of the frame. For the second time in the game, Pena scored on a Casals' double. Maine drew two walks with the bases loaded – Ridley and Terwilliger earned the RBIs – while Jonathan Bennett single to right field and scored Bec.
 
After Pena singled home Bennett and Casals singled home Cody Pasic with two outs in the eighth, Bec's three-run long ball closed out the scoring for Maine.
 
Pena and Casals both finished with four runs scored and three hits.
 
Maine (8-19, 4-1 AE) will return to Mahaney Diamond next weekend to host Stony Brook in America East play.
 
-UMaine-