The UMBC Baseball team (12-12, 4-2 America East) returns to conference play on Friday as they host Maine (7-13, 4-2 AE) at Alumni Field on April 1-3. Game times are 6:00 p.m.,,2:00 p.m., and noon respectively.  
 
A Glance at the Retrievers

• UMBC currently owns a four game winning streak, having recently swept Hartford convincingly in every game of a three game series and adding an impressive win against Navy this past Tuesday. 
• On Tuesday, UMBC got off to a fast start against the Midshipmen and never looked back, winning the game, 11-5. Senior OF Ian Diaz recorded three hits and two RBIs, grad student second baseman Myles Nicholson had two hits and one RBI, and sophomore Luke Johnson recorded two hits paired with two RBIs. One of Johnson's hits was a two-run home run, his second of the season. 
• The Retrievers currently lead the America East in hits (228) and runs (176). They are also ranked second in the conference in overall batting average (.284).
• Nicholson leads the America East by a wide margin in batting average with a percentage of .421. He is also first in the conference in runs (32), on-base percentage (.500), and hits (40).
• Johnson has had a dominant year so far on the mound. He ranks second in the America East in ERA (3.00), and is ranked third in opposing batting average (.216) as well as runs allowed (12). 
• Diaz and sophomore shortstop Drew Roberts each currently own lengthy hitting streaks, having gotten at least one hit in nine and seven consecutive games respectively. 

 
A Glance at the Black Bears

• Maine travels to Baltimore after going 1-2 in a series with Stony Brook this past weekend. The Black Bears have a record of 7-13 overall, but are 4-2 in America East Conference games.
• Senior Jeff Mejia leads Maine with a batting average of .324 and on-base percentage of .422. Quinn McDaniel leads the team in hits with 25, as well as slugging percentage (.556).
• Graduate student Brett Erwin and freshman Caleb Leys have seen the most time on the mound for the Black Bears. Erwin holds an ERA of 4.25, while Leys has an ERA of 3.90.

 
Inside the Series

• Maine has the advantage over UMBC in the all-time series between the two teams with a record of 46-17 dating back to 2002.
• Maine took two of three versus the Retrievers in Orono last March. Johnson pitched UMBC to a 7-1 win in the series finale, allowing only one earned run in 5.2 innings. Diaz had three hits and drove in a pair of runs in the victory.
• The Black Bears will make their first visit to Alumni Field since 2018.

 
Up Next

• The Retrievers will travel to UMass Lowell on Friday, April 8th for another America East series that lasts through Sunday, April 10th.