Late Higgins Home Run Not Enough as Sanford Falls to Keene
July 6, 2021 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
SANFORD, Maine. - The Sanford Mainers took on the Keene SwampBats on Tuesday night at Goodall Park. Despite a strong bullpen effort to keep the Mainers in it late, the SwampBats pulled through for a 4-3 win.
Matt Aronson (UMass) made the start for Sanford, and despite allowing baserunners in all but one inning left the game with his team only down by two runs. In 4.2 innings, Aronson took the losing decision after he gave up five hits, four earned runs, two walks and collected two strikeouts.
Keene was able to take a lead in the second inning with a single and a groundout that brought in two runs. In the very next inning, Sanford responded with two runs of their own when Dom Freeberger (UNC-Asheville) got the first Mainers hit to drive in Shane Paradine (Stony Brook) who was making his debut. Later in the inning Jonny Barditch (Manhattan College) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game.
Blake Bennett (UMass) took over out of the bullpen and threw a scoreless 2.1 innings, only allowing two hits, one walk and striking out four. Bennett's relief work kept the Mainers in the game from the fifth inning through the seventh.
After a lightning delay that lasted twenty minutes in the eighth inning, the Mainers had their last chance at the plate in the ninth and did not go away lightly. With two outs in the final inning, Marty Higgins (St. John's) hit his second home run of the season over the right field wall to draw the deficit to one. However, Freeberger struck out to end the game and secure a 4-3 win for the SwampBats.
Sanford hits the road for two straight games on Wednesday and Thursday. The Mainers play the Vermont Mountaineers first, then follow it up with another game against the Keene SwampBats.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 6, 2021
- Late Higgins Home Run Not Enough as Sanford Falls to Keene - Sanford Mainers
- Viera, Tulio Claim Week 5 NECBL Honors - NECBL
- Chris Taylor First Alumni Named MLB All-Star - Newport Gulls
- Timely Offense and Stellar Pitching Leave Bristol Playing the Blues - Newport Gulls
- Sanford Wins First Game, Splits Doubleheader at Upper Valley - Sanford Mainers
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