BALTIMORE – UMBC Baseball battled back from large deficits in both games of a doubleheader versus Maine, but the Black Bears prevailed in a 15-7, 8-7 sweep at Alumni Field.

UMBC (6-9, 0-3 America East) dropped two game of the three-game series by a single run to Maine (7-10, 3-0).

Game 1:

• Aided by two home runs, Maine took a 5-0 lead after two at-bats.
• With two outs, the Retrievers rallied and knotted the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the third. Sophomore 3B Matt Ryan doubled in a pair of runs with a double down the line in left and junioir Luke Trythall doubled Ryan home with a blast to center field. Then, junior second baseman Anthony Swenda hit his first Retriever home run to tie to the score at 5-5.
• But the Black Bears quickly took the lead for good, with a 3-run home run in the top of the fourth.
• With two outs and no men on base in the fifth, UMBC loaded the bases and Ryan, who had singled, scored as Michael Cilio was hit by a pitch. But the Retrievers stranded three and Maine scored four times in the sixth and three more in the seventh inning.
• Senior Christian Easley's sacrifice fly scored Trythall with the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Game 2:

• Maine jumped out on top again, scoring three unearned runs in a four-run first inning.
• Easley's single plated Ryan in the bottom of the second inning to cut the deficit to 4-1.
• The first six Black Bears reached base in the fourth and four came across the plate to increase their advantage to 8-1.
• But UMBC sophomore pitcher Joe Pucek retired the next 10 Maine batters and finished his day in the seventh by picking off a runner at second base.
• Ryan hit his third home run of the year, a two-run blast to center field in the sixth, to shave the margin to 8-3.
• After senior Connor Kelly came on to retire Maine in the eighth, UMBC mounted another rally. The Retrievers loaded the bases and two runs came in when Ryan and pinch hitter Luke Johnson were plunked by pitches. Swenda grounded a single to left field, scoring Derek Paris with UMBC's sixth run. After a strikeout of Cilio, Justin Taylor's bases-loaded walk plated Ryan to bring the hosts to within 8-7. But shortstop Dawson Baracani fanned to end the threat.
• Kelly retired the Black Bears in order in the ninth inning.
• After two Retrievers were set down in the bottom of the frame, Leewood Molessa walked and Ryan delivered his xth hit of the day to put the tying run in scoring position. But Johnson's fly ball to medium-deep right field was caught, ending the game.

Notes

• Ryan went 5-for-8, scored 5 runs and drove in 4 in the twin-bill.
• Swenda collected 3 hits in 6 at-bats and drove home three runs.

Up Next: UMBC makes the short trip to Coppin State for a Tuesday contest at 3:00 p.m.