Box Score ORONO, Maine – Maine scored seven times in the first four innings and held on to defeat the Bryant baseball team, 11-5, on Friday night at Mahaney Diamond.
 
The Bulldogs fall to 17-11 overall and 5-3 in the America East. Bryant and Maine will play the rubber match on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
 
Bryant scored first on Friday but Maine scored twice in the second, four times in the third and once in the fourth to pull ahead 7-1. The Black Bears collected 16 hits in the contest.
 
Casey Wensley (2-5, 3B, 2R) and Carlos Irizarry (2-4, 2B) each collected two hits and Charlie Saul hit his fourth home of the year for Bryant.
 
Game Information
Maine 11, Bryant 5
Records: Bryant 17-11, 5-3 | Maine 6-22, 4-4
Location: Mahaney Diamond (Orono, Maine)
W|L|S: Gambardella | Birchard | Holt
 
Key Moment

• St. Denis helped Maine put up a crooked number with a two-run double as part of a decisive four-run third.

How it Happened

• Bryant grabbed the lead just two batters into the game as Wensley tripled to open the game and scored on a sac fly from Ellis Garcia.
• Maine would take the lead with seven runs over its next three at-bats. A walk, HBP and a bunt single loaded the bases in the second and Brody Rasmussen's hard ground ball up the middle was knocked down but there was no play, tying the game. A sac fly to center made it 2-1.
• In the third, a walk and a single chased starter Owen Birchard. Bryant then miscommunicated on a bunt to load the bases and Hunter St. Denis doubled to right center to make it 4-1. A sac fly and a single through the left side capped the four-run inning.
• Maine would make it 7-1 in the fourth as an error put a runner in scoring position and Juju Stevens scored the run with a safety squeeze.
• Bryant would find its footing in the late innings, scoring once in the sixth and three times in the seventh to pull within two. Saul hit an opposite field home run in the sixth to give Bryant some momentum.
• The Black and Gold then finally chased starter Gianni Gambardella in the seventh. Hackett walked to start the inning, stole second and scored on a Papetti single through the right side. Wensley followed with a single and Maine called on Sebastian Holt. After a strikeout, Kinglsey singled past the third baseman to plate a run (7-4) and then a double steal turned into a run as the Maine catcher threw the ball wide of third. Bryant's rally ended however as Holt sniffed out a 1^st-and-3^rd play and threw home to get Kingsley by a hair.
• Maine answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the seventh and three in the eighth. Chris Bear doubled with two outs and scored on a two-out single to center in the seventh. In the eighth, Stevens' drive to right center alluded two outfielders and he scampered home as the relay throw got away. The final runs scored as Bear's fly ball to deep right center fell for a two-run double.

Inside the Box Score

• Maine outhit Bryant, 16-8.
• Birchard started and allowed four runs on three hits over 2.0 innings. He walked three and struck out three.
• Aidan Vining worked 3.0 innings of relief, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.
• Thomas Galusha worked two innings, allowing one run on four hits. He struck out two.
• Tommy Flaherty and Bradley Lewis combined for three outs in the eighth.
• Wensley posted two hits, including a triple, and scored twice.
• Saul went 1-for-4 with a home run.
• Irizarry finished with a pair of hits, including a double.

Game Notes

• Bryant is now 11-7 all-time against Maine. The loss snapped Bryant's four-game winning streak in the series.
• Bryant stole four bases and now has 82 in 28 games.
• Irizarry collected multiple hits for the second-straight game, for the 8^th time this year and the 46^th time in his collegiate career.
• Saul's home run was his fourth of the season and the 10^th of his career.
• Wensley now has five triples on the season, the second-most in Division I.
• Wensley posted his 16^th multi-hit game of the season and the 48^th of his career.

Up Next
Bryant and Maine wrap up their series with the rubber game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.