Mainers drop a close one, 1-0 to snap 8 game win streak
July 11, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
Sanford, ME - Goodall Park was packed on a beautiful Friday night for baseball, 535 Moose faithful passionately supported their team on Mainers Camp kids night at the ball park. Keene (12-12) brought a solid pitching staff to the table, led by Alex Robinson (Maryland) who delivered 5 innings, allowing 4 hits 1 earned run, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. The Mainers (16-9) fought right back with outstanding starting pitching led by Ben Wessel (URI, 0-2) completing 5 innings allowing just 2 runs neither of which were earned, walking 1 and fanning 5 Swamp Bats batters.
In the top of the first the Swamp Bats got on the board, Jared Mederos singled to lead off the game, Mederos stole second and Alex Liquori earns a walk. Dominic Severino grounds out to third moving Mederos and Liquori to third and second. Bret Dennis comes up with two-outs and ground a chopper to short that skips under the glove of Mainers shortstop Cory Raley (Texas Tech) allowing Mederos and Liquori to score making it 2-to-0.
Robinson would go on to blank the Mainers into the bottom of the 5th, Dan Hetzel would line a double into center field, Matt Pagano (Marist) finds himself on base via the walk and Hetzel would score of a wild pitch from Robinson, that would be the final inning of work for Alex Robinson as Matt Clancy would be called on for the Swamp Bats. Clancy sailed through 3 innings allowing just one hit while recording 5 strikeouts and 1 base-on-balls.
The Moose would threaten in the bottom of the ninth, down 2-to-1 against Keene closer Ben Criscuolo (3 saves), Hetzel would be hit-by-pitch to start the inning on an 0-and-2 count, Caden Bailey (GSU) pinch hit for Walker Pennington (TCU), who finished 1-for-3, and ground back to the pitcher moving Hetzel to 2nd base. Matt Harris (St. Johns) takes the place of Kevin Stypulkowski (UMaine) with the bat and is plunked by Criscuolo as well leaving runners and 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Sam Balzano, who came in defensively in the 5th finished his night 0-for-2, advanced to 1st on a fielder's choice that retired Harris at 2nd base 6-to-4.
Two outs on the board with runners at the corners for the Mainers, Sam Dexter comes up and works the count full with the tying run 90 feet from scoring. Dexter would hit a slow roller to second base and dive head first into the bag just a second behind the throw from Taylor Perez ending the threat for the Mainers and the game 2-to-1. Manager Aaron Izaryk came storming out of the dugout with eyes on the umpire over a disputed non-balk call and was received with a prompt tossed out signal from home plate umpire Kevin Joyce. Izaryk will miss tomorrow's game due to the ejection his first of the season.
Sam Dexter (So. Maine) finished his day 1-for-4, Kendall Patrick (Michigan) went 1-for-3 with a double his fourth of the season, Dan Hetzel notched a 1-for-3 day with a run scored and a double his third of the season and Walker Pennington completed a 1-for-3 day as well. The Mainers left 9 runners on base compared to just 4 for Keene during the course of a 2 hour and 34 minute pitcher's duel.
The Mainers move to 16-9 on the season and still sit atop the Northern Division by a half-game over the Vermont Mountaineers (16-10). Tomorrow night (7/12) the Moose host the team with the best record in the NECBL, the Plymouth Pilgrims (19-6). Jeff Singer (Monmouth, 1-0, 2.45) gets the ball for his first start since June 29th. Singer came in relief against the Valley Blue Sox on July 8th working 1.1 innings allowing just 1 hit and earning 1 strikeout.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 11, 2014
- Mainers drop a close one, 1-0 to snap 8 game win streak - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls leave twelve men on base in fourth straight defeat - Newport Gulls
- Mountaineers defeat Valley Blue Sox, 5-3 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Pitching Dominates, Swamp Bats squeak by Mainers 2-1 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Mountaineers Win Wild Contest over Blue Sox, 5-3 - Valley Blue Sox
- Mainers Aaron Izaryk 2014 Northern Division All-Star Game Manager - Sanford Mainers
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