Mainers Strike Late to Tame 'Cats, 8-3, in Friday Night Setback

June 14, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


SANFORD, Maine - After rallying from a two-run deficit with three runs in the top of the sixth, North Adams watched Sanford take the lead right back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh and that proved to be the difference, as the SteepleCats dropped their second straight contest, 8-3, in a Friday night cross-division NECBL tilt at Goodall Park.

The SteepleCats (3-2) snapped a 16-inning drought without a run on offense with a two-out, three-run rally in the top of the sixth, but the Mainers (1-3) responded in a big way two innings later, helping the home side take its first win of the year while the visitors dropped their second in a row.

Led by a four-hit night from Troy Black on offense and a pair of two-RBI performances from both Anthony Papio and Nate LaPointe, the Mainers finished the night with 11 hits to back Charlie Butler to a win in relief, while righty *Trevor Swaney (Wright State)* was charged with the loss out of the bullpen for North Adams.

Both starters took no decisions on the evening, as southpaw *Toby Schwartz (Lafayette)* made his North Adams debut and scattered two hits over 3 2/3 frames, striking out four and walking three. Sanford starter James Bourque, meanwhile, was in line for the win before surrendering what was - at the time - the go-ahead runs to North Adams, but was taken off the hook thanks to the Mainers' offensive output in the later frames.

Sanford was spotted an unearned run in the bottom of the first after using a leadoff single and a walk to put two on. Following a groundout, to move the runners to second and third, an errant throw from the catcher allowed the opening run of the night to cross, giving the Mainers a 1-0 lead after an inning of play.

With Bourque working comfortably on the mound for the home side, North Adams was kept quiet through the early portions of the game, setting up the bottom of the fifth for the Mainers. Following a leadoff single, Black stole second and took third on a wild pitch before Phil Mosey drove him in on an RBI double, doubling up Sanford's edge to 2-0 after five.

But then in the sixth, after 16 consecutive scoreless innings on offense, the SteepleCats finally snapped that skein with three runs in the top of the sixth. With two outs and runners at second and third, sophomore *Julian Loret de Mola (Nova Southeastern) *roped the game-tying double to center to draw even before junior *Cody Doyle (Cal State LA)*, in his SteepleCat debut, ripped a grounder off the glove of the shortstop to drive in the go-ahead run, pushing North Adams on top, 3-2, after six.

The Mainers, however, broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, taking advantage of two hit batsmen by Swaney and a leadoff single before getting to lefty *Joeanthony Rivera (Barry) *for an infield single to take the lead and a two-RBI double to add insurance, making it 6-3 in favor of the home side after seven frames.

North Adams would not get much going the rest of the way on offense, as the Mainers tacked on two more insurance runs in the eighth to account for the final margin of victory.

The SteepleCats stay on the road tomorrow, June 15, as they travel to Holyoke for the second of six showdowns against the Blue Sox this season. First pitch from MacKenzie Stadium is set for 6:35 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 14, 2013


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