The University of Maine baseball team’s 4-15 non-conference record and current seven-game losing streak could certainly be cause for concern entering Friday’s 3 p.m. America East opener against Binghamton in Vestal, New York. They will also play on Saturday at 2 and Sunday at 11 a.m.
UMaine eighth-year head coach Nick Derba said his team has “underachieved in many ways” so far but noted that his team has played in difficult weather conditions and is improving.
What he has been most pleased with is the return to health of three pitchers who have been All-America East selections and all three will start this weekend against the Bearcats.
Colin Fitzgerald, an All-America East first team and All-Rookie team selection in 2023, and lefty Caleb Leys, an All-Rookie pick in 2022, have had productive outings so far after missing all of last season due to injury.
Righty Gianni Gambardella, a freshman All-American and America East first team and All-Rookie team pick in 2023, missed five weeks due to tendonitis last season and appeared in only 10 games. He has also gotten some valuable work in.
“That has been a huge plus,” said Derba. “They have thrown the ball well and they compete at a high level.”
Consistent pitching will be key for the Black Bears, Derba emphasized.
“We are built on throwing strikes, playing clean defense and manufacturing runs. And it all stems from pitching,” said Derba, whose 2024 pitching staff had a dismal 8.88 earned-run average and walked an average of 7.77 hitters per game.
Only four of 295 Division I programs had more walks per game and just 12 had a higher ERA.
Fitzgerald, who will pitch during Friday’s 3 p.m. conference opener, is 2-2 with a 4.45 earned-run average. But he has a 2.70 ERA in his last four starts after giving up seven runs in his first start vs. Louisiana Tech.
Leys is 0-1 with a 5.50 ERA but has struck out 20 hitters in 18 innings and hasn’t given up a home run.
Gambardella is 1-0 with a 6.17 ERA and threw a season-high four innings in his last outing as Derba has brought him along slowly.
Fitzgerald and Leys are redshirt juniors and Gambardella is a true junior.
Derba has also been encouraged by five other pitchers who give him a staff of eight dependable arms.
Redshirt junior Sebastian Holt has been outstanding. He is 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA and two saves. Sophomore Owen Wheeler is 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA but has struck out 17 in 15 ⅓ innings. Freshman Tommy Martin has struck out five and allowed two hits and no runs in three innings of work. Junior Luc Lavigueur was 4-1 in conference games a year ago and, despite his 0-2 record and 6.27 ERA, has had three solid outings among his six so far.
Sophomore Jason Libby, a former Bangor Christian standout and Mr. Maine Baseball recipient, has also had three decent outings among his six. He is 0-3 with a 7.80 ERA.
Offensively, Derba said his team has gotten better every weekend.
Newcomers Brody Rasmussen (.272, 3 homers, 11 runs-batted in) and Drew Reynolds (.264-1-9) are the leading hitters among the regulars. Both were All-Americans at Lassen Community College in California last year.
Rasmussen leads off and plays center field and Reynolds hits second and is the first baseman.
Veterans Myles Sargent (.262-.2-7) at second base and Dean O’Neill (.261-3-9) at catcher are also off to solid starts. Northern Essex Community College (Mass.) All-American Chris Bear (.243-2-6) is the shortstop and Westminster College (Mo.) transfer Payton Whitehead (.200-3-8) has been the right fielder.
Three freshmen have also been starters. Quinn Murphy (.226-0-8) has started 16 games in the outfield while third baseman Evan Menzel (3-for-6) and designated hitter Aidan Bardi (5-for-13) have been recent additions to the starting lineup and will start on Friday.
Versatile sophomore Will Burns (.191-0-6) can play a number of different positions.
Derba said his newcomers are still adjusting to the different level of baseball and feels his team still has a lot of work to do, offensively.
“But we’re getting better and that’s what matters,” said Derba.
He also pointed out that this team is “much better” defensively, than last year’s.
After winning the conference title two years ago and playing in the NCAA Tournament, an injury-plagued Black Bear team missed the conference tourney a year ago which has resulted in an overhaul of the roster.
This year’s tournament will be held at Mahaney Diamond in Orono on May 20-24 and Derba expects his team to contend for the title.
“It’s attainable,” said Derba. “Typically, good pitching beats good hitting. If we can score five or six runs, we should be able to hold the opposing team under three or four. That’s what we’re built on. We have to go out and pitch the baseball, play defense and get timely hitting.”
