Despite Power Surge, Mainers Drop One to Plymouth
June 26, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
Sanford - The Sanford Mainers broke out the power swing on Monday night at home but came up just short against the Plymouth Pilgrims at Goodall Park as they fell by a final of 6-5. With the win, Plymouth takes the season series against the Mainers as they won both games each time putting up six runs.
Sanford jumped on top in the bottom of the 1st as with two outs, Johnny Rizer (Cypress, TX/Texas Christian University) laced a double down the left field line and the next man up Tyler Solomon (Haymarket, Va./Vanderbilt) drove him home on the first pitch he saw to put the Moose up 1-0. Both Rizer and Solomon had big time nights at the top of the lineup for the Mainers as Rizer led the team with three hits and Solomon had two, each reaching base four times in the ballgame.
In the top of the 2nd, Plymouth would jump on top after Willy Homza hit a two-run home run, the second time he has done that in as many games against the Mainers this season which gave the Pilgrims the 2-1 lead.
After two scoreless innings from both sides, Plymouth would tack on two more in the top of the 5th with some good two-strike hitting as they took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the 5th, Sanford got a run back as Johnny Rizer led off the inning with a solo shot over the right center field fence, his fourth on the season, to cut the Mainer deficit to just two at 4-2.
After the Pilgrims picked up two runs over the next two innings, one in the 6th and one in the 7th, Tyler Solomon crushed a ball over the right center field wall to lead off the inning that chipped away at the Pilgrims lead and made the game 6-3.
Kyle Skidmore (Franklin, Mass./Hofstra) took the mound for the Mainers in the top of the 8th and put up the first one, two, three inning the Mainers staff was able to muster since back in the top of the 1st when Sanford's starter, Ryan Twitchell (Cumberland, Maine/Rhode Island), did the same.
The Mainers found success with the long ball again in the bottom of the 8th as Brad Czerniejewski (Lake Forest, Illinois/Texas Christian University) smoked a no-doubter over the left field fence with two outs, his first on the season, and cut the Pilgrims lead back to just two at 6-4.
Head coach Chris Morris went to the bullpen once again in the 9th bringing on Jake Dexter (Oakland, Maine/Southern Maine) who did his job and got Plymouth to go down in order once again as he struck out the first two hitters he faced and got the third to ground out.
This set the scene for another possible 9th inning comeback for the Mainers who made the Pilgrims closer Grant Donahue earn every out. Jake Alu (Hamilton, N.J./Boston College) got things started as he has done all year when he came on as a pinch hitter and knocked a single down the left field line. Coach Morris went right back to the bench as he brought on Brandon Lankford (Mocksville, N.C./UNC-Asheville) who followed suit and singled to left field to put a man on first and second with only one out. After a fielder's choice made it two outs and a runner on first and third, Jonathan White (Lawrenceville, Ga./Presbyterian) did his job in the nine-hole and brought around Alu to make it 6-5. With the tying and winning runs on, a passed ball moved them both into scoring position, but Donahue got the Mainers to pop out and end the game as the Pilgrims escaped with the win.
Although they ultimately fell, Sanford was able to put up a season high in hits with 12 on the game, nine of which came from the 5th inning on. The hit parade was a very welcome sight for a Mainers team who is coming off a week where they hit the ball hard but right at the opposing defense.
Sanford will now go on the road for three straight games, a double over night trip, that starts in Danbury on Tuesday to face the Westerners. You can catch all the action live on 102.3 FM "The Legends" or, as always, the NECBL Broadcast Network. Head on over to www.sanfordmainers.com to catch up on everything you have missed and to stay up to date with everything the Sanford Mainers have to offer.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 26, 2018
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- Mainers Split Season Series with Westerners After Tough Road Loss - Sanford Mainers
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- Despite Power Surge, Mainers Drop One to Plymouth - Sanford Mainers
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