Mainers Capture Nail Biter Against Gulls
Published on July 21, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
As the Newport Gulls walked into Goodall Park, the Sanford Mainers have yet had the opportunity to beat them in the first four meetings of the season. With the Gulls scoring double digit runs in three of the four games, the Mainers pitching had a lot of making up to do.
Jerry Ferris heard that call and answered it with ease as he helped push the Mainers to a 2-1 victory. Ferris lasted six innings, allowing only four hits and the lone run scored by the Gulls. He walked two and struck out four.
In those six innings Ferris retired the Gulls in order three times. The first two coming in innings one and two, and the third coming in the fourth. However, the Gulls did strike the board first on a controversial call at the plate. In the fifth inning, Matt Pare started things off by drawing the first of Ferris' two walks. The next two Gulls were retired putting two outs on the inning. On a 1-1 count to Charlie White, the next pitched was sent into left field for a single and Pare advanced to second. Kasey Coffman came to bat with two outs and two on. He then lined a single to center field. Pare was waved around third, but on the throw from Will Cooper at the plate, Nate LaPointe dove at the runner and applied the tag, but Pare was called safe.
Mainers Manager Aaron Izaryk immediately contested the call as did LaPointe initially, but it was Izaryk who continued to try and prove his point, and was ejected from the game by the home plate umpire.
With the Gulls leading 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth and John Hochstatter still on the mound, the Mainers grabbed their first opportunity as well as their last. Cooper grounded out to start the inning, but Ino Patron gathered his second hit of the game hitting a single up the middle into center field. Jordan Hagel walked during the next at bat and the Mainers soon had two men on with only one out. Patron advanced to third when he tagged up on a foul pop out by Jordan Betts that forced Gulls' first baseman Steve Anderson to the ground after making the catch. Anthony Hajjar grabbed himself a single to center scoring Patron to tie the game, but as Hagel headed for third, White made a throw that got past third base sending the ball all the way to the left side of the back stop allowing Hagel to come in to score the go ahead run.
In Hochstatter's outing, he went seven innings, allowing all five Mainers hits, two runs (only one earned), walked two, and struck out eight.
Steven Rice came into the seventh to relieve Ferris and he was lights out through the rest of the game. In the three innings that he pitched, Rice didn't allow a hit nor a run, didn't walk anybody, and struck out five. Both Ferris and Rice combined for nine strike outs on the night.
The Mainers defeated the Gulls for the first time this season and improve to 11-18 on the season. The NECBL All-Star Game will take place tomorrow night at Montpelier Recreation Field, home of the Vermont Mountaineers. The Mainers will send six to the show as well as a back-up/alternate. Jordan Hagel is a starting outfield for the East Division, as well as substitutes Nate LaPointe, Jordan Betts, Anthony Hajjar, and Will Cooper. Rohn Pierce will also make an appearance out of the East bullpen. Jose Torralba serves as the alternate.
The Mainers will be back in action to face the Mystic Schooners twice on Monday. An original scheduled day off will now serve as a double header at Goodall Park in Sanford. The first game will begin at 4pm with the second game starting at an estimated 6:30pm. EJ Ashworth takes the ball and the hill for first pitch of the first game. Catch all the action on the NECBL Broadcast Network.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 21, 2012
- Westerners take it to the Swamp Bats 13-9 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Mountaineers Win Fifth Straight, 10-4, Over Holyoke - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mainers Capture Nail Biter Against Gulls - Sanford Mainers
- Black's Three-Run Homer Propels Bay Sox to 6-1 Win - North Adams SteepleCats
- Blue Sox Miller Night to Benefit Holyoke Public Library - Valley Blue Sox
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