Mainers Can't Make SteepleCats Pay
Published on June 15, 2019 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
SANFORD - The Mainers had plenty of opportunities to put runs on the board against the first-place North Adams SteepleCats, but eight runners left on base sealed the team's fate as they fell to a 5-1 defeat.
The SteepleCats were playing with fire defensively by continually allowing traffic on the basepaths, but time after time, their pitchers bailed them out of trouble, keeping the Mainers off the scoreboard and out of the win column.
Darren Williams (Maysville, Ky./Eastern Kentucky) took the mound looking to replicate the success of his home-opening start, but two SteepleCats batters quickly prevented a repeat performance. Following an infield single by leadoff batter Joey Porricelli, Tanner Thomas drove a triple to left-center field, erasing any thought of a second shutout. A sac fly by Brian Picone one batter later put the Mainers in a quick 2-0 first inning hole.
Despite going behind early, the Moose set themselves up to respond in their first at-bats. Shane Marshall (Webster, N.Y./Binghamton) got things started with a base hit and advanced to third on an errant throw from Picone who tried to force him out at second. However, SteepleCats starter Gordon Graceffo bore down and delivered his ace stuff, inducing a weak groundout and getting two swinging strikeouts to maintain his team's lead.
Porricelli would once again give the Mainers fits by leading off the third with his second single. Picone atoned for his error by moving him up to third with a double, setting the stage for Sam Punzi to drive a double down the right-field line, doubling the SteepleCats advantage in the process.
Once again, the Mainers threatened offensively as it looked like consecutive one-out singles from Marshall and Drew DeMartino(Pittsfield, Mass./Hartford) set them up for a rally. Yet, just like before, Graceffo dug deep and got the final two outs on a strikeout and a groundout to strand two more Mainers on base.
It was the same story in the fourth as Reece Armitage (Falmouth, Maine/Marist College) and Jack Van Remortel (Carmel, Ind./Michigan) hit back-to-back singles with two outs to breathe life into the Moose offense. This time, the Mainers were foiled by bad luck. Elliott Curtis (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada/Kentucky) squared up a fastball that went right to Picone at second base, ending the inning on a hard groundout.
The bottom of the sixth inning finally saw the Mainers produce a run when Orlando Adams (Atlanta, Ga./Kentucky) took Graceffo's final pitch over the left field wall. Graceffo's day was done after just five innings, making him the latest SteepleCat starter to get pulled in the sixth.
The Moose put the pressure on once again in the seventh inning with Marshall on first base and two outs. DeMartino laced a double to right field past the outstretched glove of Tre Kirklin, putting the Mainers in prime position to put the tying run at the plate.
But with Marshall rounding third and trying to score, Kirklin's strong throw to home plate got him caught in the rundown, eventually getting tagged out while trying to score, ending the inning and the latest chance to cut into the deficit.
North Adams would tack on one more run in the ninth inning as Porricelli notched his third hit of the ballgame, sending a groundball between third and shortstop to score Andrew Pedone, putting the final touches on a 5-1 final score.
The loss drops the Mainers to 2-4 in the early stages of the season, good for sixth place in the competitive Northern Division. They currently sit three games out of first.
The Moose will be on the road tomorrow as they face the New Bedford Bay Sox at Paul Walsh Field at 6:30 PM. You can catch all the action on 104.3 FM/1220 AM "The Legends" or on the NECBL Broadcast Network. In the meantime, head over to sanfordmainers.com and follow the team on social media to stay in the loop about all things Mainers.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 15, 2019
- SteepleCats Stay Hot - North Adams SteepleCats
- Mountaineers Comeback Falls Short against North Adams in 7-5 Loss - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mike White, Zach Buck Shine as Bay Sox Earn First Victory 6-1 over Mainers - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Mainers Can't Make SteepleCats Pay - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls Edge Waves - Newport Gulls
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