<div>ORONO - This weekend, Maine baseball plays their final home games of 2024 with still a lot on the line.Win two of three against Albany, beginning Thursday afternoon, and Maine clinches the final spot in the America East playoffs."Every game at this point is playoff baseball," said fifth year senior Connor Goodman. "We're just going one game at a time, obviously we know the situation.""I've got faith in the guys, I know we can do it," says junior first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins. "Our mindset doesn't really change- just playing good baseball, timely hitting, good offense, and out there having fun. I think if we do that, we'll be good."Regardless of result, Jenkins and Goodman are two of several Black Bears who could be suiting up in Orono for the final time of their careers. "I try not to think about it," Jenkins says. "I probably have a pretty good idea of what the future is looking like, but as of right now, it's still Maine. I'm still wearing a Maine uniform, so just worrying about the playoffs and this weekend coming up.""I really try not to think about it much just because when you think about the end, you kind of take away from what's in front of you," Goodman says. "And being here every day, I've wanted to be president in the moment. "For Goodman, he's spent five year here in Orono and won two regular season titles and one conference championship. While his impact has certainly been felt on the field- it's perhaps meant even more off of it."He brought something here that really we were missing," head coach Nick Derba says. "Off the field excellence with on the field excellence- and now we have it and we have a lot of guys doing it. He's shown what it's like to be a real Black Bear.""I was just a kid from Miami who didn't know if I even had a career in college baseball," Goodman says. "And Coach Derba took a chance on me and it's been the greatest honor to be here."For Jenkins, while only a junior, signs point to him hearing his name called in this year's MLB draft."Knowing this is probably my last year here, I've just got to take everything in stride," Jenkins says. "I am happy to be here, it's exciting. And if it is my last year, I want to go out with a win."It's well deserved, too. Jenkins made history this season as the only player in America East baseball with consecutive seasons with 20 home runs."Aside from him being the best player that the America East has seen, possibly ever? I don't know if that's a crazy statement to make, but he's just a really good person," Derba says. "He's willing to talk to the fans, he's willing to spend time with the kids that are here. For me, that's the mark of really what we're about."And while the end may be near, Goodman and Jenkins don't have that at the forefront of their minds. They're focused on one thing only- going out as winners."I never want to say it's over," Goodman says. "So hopefully we keep going, and we keep winning, and we'll see you in the tournament."</div>

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Black Bear upperclassmen focused on task at hand as end of season nears

ORONO - This weekend, Maine baseball plays their final home games of 2024 with still a lot on the line. Win two of three against Albany, beginning Thursday afternoon, and Maine clinches the final spot in the America East playoffs. \"Every game at this point is playoff baseball,\" said fifth...

ORONO - This weekend, Maine baseball plays their final home games of 2024 with still a lot on the line. Win two of three against Albany, beginning Thursday afternoon, and Maine clinches the final spot in the America East playoffs. "Every game at this point is playoff baseball," said fifth...

Black Bear upperclassmen focused on task at hand as end of season nears

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