Mainers Comeback to Take Down Blue Sox 5-4
June 28, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
SANFORD - In a scene eerily reminiscent of the last matchup between the Valley Blue Sox (9-7) and the Sanford Mainers (8-9), Valley led late in the game 4-1, only to be undone and fall 5-4.
For the hometown Mainers, they would get the difference maker in the 8th. Entering the inning down 4-3, John Cresto (Santa Clara) reached on a lead-off single. Jordan Powell (Rhode Island) advanced Cresto on a sacrifice bunt, only to be singled in by Sam Stauble (Southern Maine) to knot the game a four.
Later in the frame, with two men away and Ako Thomas (Michigan) aboard, Zach Jancarski (Maryland) hit a blooper into shallow left field. Both Valley third baseman David Liederman (Hofstra) and shortstop Kyle Mottice (Cincinnati) chased, but lost track of the ball as it landed on the left field foul line to score Stauble, the go-ahead run, to make it 5-4.
The Mainers comeback would not have been possible without the shutdown performance of their bullpen, particularly that of Ben Wessell (Rhode Island). Wessel went four innings in relief, allowing just one hit, no walks, and no runs, including four strikeouts. He retired the last 10 men he faced.
Overall the bullpen combined for six innings of two-hit baseball, allowing three walks in addition to seven strikeouts. Dalton Curtis (Lipscomb) and Troy Miller (Michigan) both appeared as well, as Miller earned the save, and Curtis the win in their late-inning relief appearances.
The Mainers also scored twice in the 5th inning to close the gap. With Thomas at third base and Jancarski at first, Jancarski broke for second base and was caught in a rundown. Blue Sox pitcher Mark Washington (Belmont) charged Jancarski, but instead chose to throw the ball to plate as Thomas ran down the line. The resulting throw went over the catchers head, allowing Thomas to score. Later in the frame, Todd Czinege (Villanova) doubled, scoring Jancarski and effectively putting Sanford back in the game it what was a 4-3 game.
The Mainers are on the road tomorrow, June 29, as they begin a home-and-home series with the Newport Gulls. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM with pregame action beginning at 6:20 on the NECBL Broadcast Network and The Legends in Sanford, 1220 AM and 102.3 FM.
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