BRUNSWICK, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington baseball team dropped a pair of seven-inning contests at the hands of Bowdoin College on the opening day of the 2024 season for both teams. The Polar Bears jumped out early in game one and cruised to a 13-0 victory, then topped the Beavers 5-1 in game two.

Game One

The Polar Bears' offense got rolling early and stayed hot to pick up their first victory of the season. Ben McKenzie opened up the game with a single up the middle, and Stephen Simoes followed with a bunt single to give the Polar Bears 1st and 2nd with no one out. After Beavers starter Aaron Goschke (Gorham, Maine) got Kevin Murray to strike out looking, CJ Brito-Trinidad hit an RBI triple to the right-center field gap to open up a 2-0 lead. Will Bordes followed with a walk, and the next batter, Luke Chessie, ripped a three-run home run to straightaway left field to take a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning.

A sacrifice fly from Brito-Trinidad and an RBI single from Bordes in the 2nd inning off Goschke extended the Polar Bears' lead to 7-0.
The Beavers stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the top of the 3rd as Polar Bears starting pitcher Luca McKerely Coronado got Sam Parsell (Newington, Conn.) to strike out swinging to end the threat.

Sam Wrigley (Farmington, Maine) took over for Goschke in the bottom of the 3rd inning, surrendering four runs, with the big blow being a two-run home run off the bat of Murray.

The Polar Bears tacked on single runs in the 4th and 5th innings en route to their 13-0 victory.

The Beavers scattered four hits, all singles, in the defeat. First-year Matt Marquis (Monmouth, Maine) picked up his first collegiate hit, a liner to left in the top of the 4th inning. Jameson Bloch (Attleboro, Mass.), Jonny Pruett (Waterford, Maine), and Sam Peterson (Berwick, Maine) also recorded hits for the Beavers.

McKenzie went 2-3 and scored three runs as a catalyst at the top of the Polar Bears' lineup. Chessie and Murray each went 1-3 with home runs, while Brito-Trinidad went 1-2 with three RBIs for Bowdoin. Coronado went four innings, striking out five to pick up the victory on the mound.

Game Two

Junior starting pitcher Will Harriman (Biddeford, Maine) worked in and out of trouble through the opening four innings, surrendering five runs, scattering nine hits, and issuing three walks as the Polar Bears went on to win 5-1 in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.

Chris Dirks delivered the first run of the game, singling up the middle with two outs to drive in Simoes, who had walked earlier in the inning.

Harriman got into trouble in the bottom of the 2nd inning, giving up a lead-off single to Aidan Carey, followed by a walk to Mike Moynihan. Harriman got back-to-back flyouts, but Murray, similar to game one, delivered a clutch hit. This time, a two-run two-out double to left extended the Polar Bear lead to 3-0.

In the 4th inning, McKenzie doubled down the left-field line to drive in Moynihan, who led off the inning with a bunt single. After moving over to 3rd base on a bunt single from Simoes, Murray picked up his 3rd RBI of the game, hitting a sac fly to right field.

The Beavers scored their first run of the season in the top of the 7th inning. Parsell led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and was replaced on the base paths by Lucas Tuttle (Framingham, Mass.), who advanced on a passed ball and came in to score on an RBI single from Marquis.

The Beavers once again scattered four singles, with Jayden Meader (Farmington, Maine) picking up his first collegiate hit while Nate Coombs (Thomaston, Maine), Marquis, and Pruett each added hits. Harriman picked up the loss on the hill. TJ Dorn (Westbrook, Maine) worked two hitless innings out of the bullpen for Farmington.

Liam Foley and Carey each had a pair of hits for the Polar Bears. Murray carried Bowdoin with three RBIs. Rudy Gately picked up the win on the mound, working six scoreless innings, striking out four.

UP NEXT

The Beavers return to action tomorrow afternoon on the road against Colby. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 PM.