Defensive Mishap Cause Mainers Loss in Holyoke

July 12, 2012 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release


The Sanford Mainers went into Holyoke to face the Blue Sox after winning four straight games. With the momentum in their favor as the Blue Sox had dropped three, they hoped to win their tenth game on the season and return back home tomorrow with a five game win streak.

However, with bad defense in the late innings in Holyoke, the Mainers fell to the Blue Sox 7-4.

Aaron Weisberg started the game for the Blue Sox, and after a rough first inning, he was lights out to finish his outing, as he went six innings, allowed six hits and four runs, walked three, and struck out seven.

The Mainers started off the game on fire, and showed signs of pulling away with the game immediately. Will Cooper lead off the game with a walk and was followed by a single by Ino Patron and a hit-by-pitch to Anthony Hajjar. With the bases loaded and no one out, Jordan Betts sent a single to right field scoring Cooper for the first run of the game. Paul Kronenfeld mimicked Betts by singling to right, but this time both Patron and Hajjar crossed the plate. Jose Torralba walked to load the bases for the second time in the inning.

As the Mainers continued their threat, Weisberg weakened the fire by striking out Gavin Stark and Nate LaPointe for the first two outs of the inning. However, Cam Young followed with a walk that forced another run in to make the score 4-0.

Tripp Davis who got the start for the Mainers entered into the bottom half of the first with a commanding lead and helped keep the lead through his entire outing. He went seven innings, gave up seven hits, three runs, walked one batter, and struck out three.

The Blue Sox put their first run on the board in the bottom of the second inning on back to back doubles off the bats of Max Pentecost and Adam Norton to start. With no one out and Norton in scoring position, Davis was able to get Danny Diekroeger to pop out, Connor McKay to strike out, and picked off Norton at second base with the help of short stop Cam Young.

They would strike again in the fourth inning when Paul McConkey lead off the inning with a double and was followed by an infield single by Pentecost. Norton had runners on the corners with no outs and sent a ground ball to first in which he would be retired, however, McConkey crossed the plate to reduce the Mainers lead to 4-2. During the next at bat, Diekroeger singled to right allowing Pentecost to score from second and bring the game within one.

It was lights out between both pitchers until the bottom of the eighth. The Mainers did have two more chances to score with runners on third base, but failed to plate the run causing them to cling to their 4-3 lead.

Steven Rice came into the game in the bottom of the eighth to relieve Davis. He started off the inning by serving up a double to Jordan Keur, but was able to get McConkey swinging for the first out. Pentecost grounded out to short, but Keur advanced to third. What looked to be a promising inning for the Mainers, was soon ended by the Blue Sox.

Norton walked with two outs on a wild pitch that went to the backstop allowing Keur to tie the game at four. DieKroeger then reached on an error on the short stop Young, that resulted in Norton to head to third. The Mainers still had a chance to get out of the inning without further damage, however, McKay then hit a no-doubter home run to left field to put the Blue Sox up 7-4.

The score would stay that way as Josh Mason came in to close the game. He gave up a lead off single to Cooper, however, on the next play, Patron lined out to the third basemen and Cooper was unable to get back in time and was doubled up at first. Anthony Hajjar struck out swinging to end the game.

The Mainers fall to 9-14 on the season and had their four game win streak snapped. Rice received the loss and fell to 1-2 on the season, while Kyle Rubbinaccio got the win for the Blue Sox and improved to 1-0, as well as Mason recording his first save.

The Mainers will be home tomorrow to face the Keene Swamp Bats for the first time this season. Jerry Ferris is set to make his first start and appearance for the Mainers. His first pitch slated for 6:30pm.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 12, 2012


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