Mainers Slug Three Homers and 16 Hits in 12-8 Win over North Shore
June 20, 2021 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
SANFORD, Maine - The Sanford Mainers took the field for a Father's Day matchup with the North Shore Navigators on Sunday afternoon. After jumping out to an early lead, losing it, and then coming back again, the Mainers won an offensive slugfest against the Navigators 12-8.
Kyle McKernan (Virginia Tech) earned the spot start for the Mainers in the game, and held the Navigators at bay with a chance for Sanford to win after five innings. McKernan was able to strand seven runners on base in five innings of work, giving up seven hits, three earned runs, three walks, and six strikeouts.
Through the opening four innings, the Mainers came out to a 6-0 early lead. The big inning came in the third, when Dayne Leonard (Virginia Tech) and Jonny Barditch (Manhattan College) drove in runs. In the fourth, Derek Smith (Bryant) doubled and eventually came in to score on a single from Cam Ridley (Eastern Kentucky).
The Mainers were led offensively by Ridley, Smith, and Freddy Rojas Jr. (UT-Rio Grande Valley) who had hits in big spots of the game. Ridley lead the team in hits with a 4-5 day, adding three RBI and stealing two bases. Smith was a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, as hit 3-5 game featured his first home run of the season along with another double and single. Rojas hit his first home run of the season with the Mainers trailing in the seventh inning, an inning that went on to score five runs and take the lead for good.
In the middle innings, North Shore climbed back in the game and eventually overtook Sanford in the top of the seventh on a double and single for back-to-back hitters to take an 8-7 lead. Joe Joe Rodriguez (St. John's) allowed his inherited runners to score in the inning, but eventually settled in to finish his 2.1 innings with three strikeouts and earning the winning decision.
The game was decided in the bottom of the seventh, and got off to a bang with a leadoff home run from Rojas that tied the game at eight. Smith and Pierce Gallo (Clemson) reached and both scored on another Ridley single, then on the next batter Cal Hewett (Vanderbilt) hit his second home run of the season to give the Mainers the four-run lead that they would not surrender in a 12-8 win.
The Sanford Mainers are back on the road on Monday for a game against the Winnipesaukee Muskrats, and return to Goodall Park on Tuesday for their first meeting with the Upper Valley Nighthawks.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 20, 2021
- Mainers Slug Three Homers and 16 Hits in 12-8 Win over North Shore - Sanford Mainers
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