Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, NY) turned in a solid performance for the Black Bears last week, helping the team pick up two victories. In 19 plate appearances Lugbauer racked up eight RBI's on seven hits, including three doubles, a triple and a homerun.

ORONO, Maine -- Myckie Lugbauer (Mahopac, N.Y.) went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI, while Joe Mercurio (Brewster, N.Y.) was 4-for-5 with a run scored and four RBI to lead the University of Maine baseball team to a 13-4 victory over Thomas College on Tuesday afternoon at Mahaney Diamond in Orono, Maine. The Black Bears improve to 15-18-1 on the season with the victory.

Maine jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Danny Menendez (Miami, Fla.) doubled to right field and Curt Smith (Willemstad, Curacao) walked. Myckie Lugbauer followed with a three-run home run. For Lugbauer, it was his fourth home run of the season.

Thomas got on the board in the top of the third inning when Thomas Desjardins drew a bases loaded walk scoring Joshua Nickerson.

Maine countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Menendez walked and Smith followed with a single to left field. Lugbauer also drew a base on balls to load the bases. Tony Patane (New Milford, Conn.) hit a sacrifice fly scoring Menendez. Jarrett Lukas (Old Town, Maine) followed with a sacrifice fly and Smith scored. Kevin McAvoy (Brewer, Maine) followed and drew a walk before Mercurio belted his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field.

Thomas scored a run in the top of the fourth inning when Samuelson Shain singled and scored when Scott Geel singled to right field. The Black Bears were able to get the run back in the bottom of the frame when Smith hit his ninth home run of the season to center field.

Michael Chamard answered with a home run for the Terriers in the top of the fifth inning. Maine plated a run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Menendez walked and scored when Lugbauer doubled to right field.

Thomas scored its final run in the top of the seventh inning when Chamard walked and scored when Shain grounded out.

The Black Bears added three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it a 13-4 final. Lugbauer led off the inning with a triple to right center field and scored when Tony Patane grounded out. Lukas followed with a single to center field and Joey Martin (Portland, Maine) then doubled to right field. Lukas scored when Mercurio singled and Martin scored when Matt Howard (Weston, Mass.) reached on a fielder's choice.

Lugbauer finished the day a single shy of the cycle, while Mercurio was a triple shy.

Nolan Boike (Arlington, Mass.) went three innings for Maine and allowed one run without allowing a hit. He struck out four batters. Kyle Benoit (Brampton, Ontario) pitched the next two innings and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, on five hits. He picks up the win and improves to 3-1 on the season. Jimmy Cox (Bangor, Maine) pitched a scoreless inning where he stuck out the side. Jonathan Balentina (Willemstad, Curacao) pitched the seventh inning and allowed one run. Justin Latta (Lubbock, Texas) pitched the final two innings and allowed just one hit while striking out five batters.

Payton Austin pitched six innings for Thomas. He allowed 10 runs on eight hits while walking seven. Kyle McPherson pitched the final two innings for the Terriers and allowed three runs on seven hits.

The Black Bears return to action on Friday, April 25 when they host Stony Brook at 4 p.m. at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.

Kristen Calvetti (Milford, New Hampshire) played a huge role in helping the Black Bears pick up three America East victories last week. Calvetti notched six RBIs in four games and belted two homeruns, which included a game-winner and a grand slam.

HARTFORD, Conn. - The University of Maine softball team took the series finale from Hartford on Sunday by a count of 12-1 in six innings. The Black Bears improved to 11-36 overall, but more importantly ran their record to 10-8 in America East. Maine's win, coupled with UMBC's (20-26, 9-9 AE) setback on Sunday at Vermont, gives the Black Bears a one-game lead over the Retrievers in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference tournament which will begin on May 8. Both teams will square off in a three-game series next weekend in Orono, including a doubleheader on Saturday (12 p.m.) and a single game on Sunday (11 a.m.). The three-game set will be the regular-season finale for both teams.

Alexis Souhlaris, Ashley Waters and Kristen Calvetti each blasted home runs in the win for Maine. It was Waters' 10th of the season, as she is the only player in the league this season to smack double-digit home runs. It was Souhlaris' second homer in as many days, as she now has eight on the season, which is tied for second most on the team with Terren Hall. Calvetti blasted her third home run of the campaign. Overall, Maine has now blasted 36 home runs this season which shatters the single season school record of 32 set by the 2000 edition of the Black Bears. Both the 2000 and 2008 squads featured a hitter who smacked double-digit home runs, including Sara Jewett (15) in 2000, and Waters (10) this season.

Maine pitcher Jenna Balent made the start in the pitching circle, which meant she started all three games in the series versus the Hawks. Just as she did on Saturday, Balent turned in another strong performance as she went five innings giving up only one run on four hits with a strikeout. She earned the win and went 2-1 on the weekend after yielding a combined three runs on 17 hits. The victory raised her record to 7-13 on the season and lowered her earned run average to 3.79 in the process.

The Black Bears exploded in the third inning with three runs to open up a 3-0 advantage. The highlights of the inning were an RBI double by Whitney Spangler and a two-run homer by Waters.

Maine kept the scoring up with four runs in the fifth to take a commanding 7-0 lead. All four runs came on one swing of the bat by Calvetti as she ripped a grand slam, which brought home Spangler, Waters and Hall on the play. Spangler and Waters led off the inning with a single and double, respectively, while Hall drew a walk to load the bases and set the table for Calvetti.

Hartford scratched out a run in the bottom of the frame to pull within 7-1, but Maine set the eight-run rule into effect in the top half of the sixth with five runs to end the game with a 12-1 victory. The Black Bears got their runs on a solo shot by Souhlaris, a Hall RBI single, a Kali Burnham RBI double, an Erin Iandoli RBI bases loaded walk, and a Souhlaris RBI single in her second at-bat of the inning. Maine sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning to seal the win.