Late-Inning Push Propels Blue Sox Past Mainers
July 8, 2019 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
SANFORD - The Mainers were on their way to an impressive victory over their Northern Division rival Valley Blue Sox, but a seven-run eighth inning turnaround gave the visitors a 9-4 win.
From the outset, the two teams looked ready to engage in a pitcher's duel. Brandon Backman (Danbury, Conn./St. John's) made his second start for the Mainers, his first at Goodall Park, and dazzled in front of the home crowd. He went five innings and allowed just one run on two hits, walking two and striking out eight, including one in every inning.
His teammates picked him up throughout his time on the mound by plating three early runs. They got things going in the second inning, loading the bases with an Erik Stock (Virginia Beach, Va./UConn) single, Robbie Armitage (Falmouth, Maine/Marist College) walk, and a Casey Buckley (Long Beach, Calif./Michigan) hit by pitch. Drew DeMartino (Pittsfield, Mass./Hartford) cashed in with a two-run single, putting the Mainers up 2-0.
The lone Blue Sox run off Backman came in the third inning. Shortstop Matthew Richardson drew a one-out walk, getting on base in front of Joe Lomuscio who one-hopped the center field wall, tripling to cut the Moose lead in half.
DeMartino put the Mainers back up by two in the fifth inning. His fifth home run in 2019, an opposite-field shot to right field, gave his team an insurance run to increase their lead to 3-1.
The Blue Sox got one back in the sixth inning when a walk and two infield singles brought the score to 3-2 and put runners on the corners with one out. Though the lead was in jeopardy, Nick Laster (Atlanta, Ga./Eastern Kentucky) stood tall. He coaxed a foul pop out and strikeout to keep the visitors at bay.
The Moose found themselves in trouble yet again an inning later. A hit batsman, error, and single loaded the bases and put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position again with one out. This time, Matthew Pushard (Brewer, Maine/Maine) got a chance to play the hero, racking up two consecutive strikeouts, one swinging and one looking, to foil the Blue Sox's attempt to take the lead.
Unfortunately, the opposition's plans to flip the script came to fruition in the eighth. Aided by six hits, the Blue Sox plated seven runs to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 9-3 advantage.
The Mainers would tally one more run in their next turn at bat after Sterling Hayes (San Diego, Calif./Vanderbilt) roped a double down the left-field line to score Elliott Curtis (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada/Kentucky) who reached on a hit by pitch.
Despite their recent comeback antics, the Moose could not replicate their late-game success against the back end of the Blue Sox bullpen. They went down quietly in the ninth, bringing the contest to a close with a tough loss.
The Mainers are off tomorrow but return to Goodall Park on Tuesday to host the Upper Valley Nighthawks at 6:30 PM. For those unable to attend the game, you can catch all the action on the Patriot Subaru Mainers Radio Network powered by the NECBL Broadcast Network. Until then, stay connected to all things Mainers by visiting sanfordmainers.com and following the team on social media.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 8, 2019
- Ryan Markey, Paul Gozzo Spark Late Rally as Bay Sox Top Westerners 5-3 - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Mountaineers Tripped Up by Muskrats, 8-1 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Cochrane, Robino Earn Week 5 Distinction - NECBL
- Gulls to Honor Mark Weed at July 12 Home Game - Newport Gulls
- Late-Inning Push Propels Blue Sox Past Mainers - Sanford Mainers
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