Mainers sweep doubleheader at Valley
August 1, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
Holyoke, MA- The Sanford Mainers (23-17) realized where they stood in the playoff picture coming into today's doubleheader against the Valley Blue Sox (13-28). Solidly in second place in the NECBL Northern Division, with home field advantage through the first round of the playoffs that begin on Monday, August 3rd. The Valley Bluesox are on the outside looking in and in last place in the North with 5 losses in a row. The Moose used today's doubleheader to give one of the best pitching staffs in the NECBL a few more innings and rest some key performers before the postseason begins.
Ben Wessel (1-3) secured his first victory of the season pitching a complete 7 innings allowing 8 hits and 2 earned runs, 3 total runs with 3 strikeouts as the Mainers knocked around 11 hits and 4 runs, Matt Harris (St. John's) finished his day 2-for-3 with a run scored, Kendall Patrick (Michigan) drove in an RBI in the top of the 2nd and moved his batting average to .250 with a 2-for-4 day. Sam Stauble (Univ. Maine) plated his first RBI of the season on a double in the top of the 4th, 2-for-3 with a run scored. The Mainers hope the addition of Stauble will provide needed depth for a deep playoff run. Walker Pennington (TCU) went 1-fo-3 with an RBI on a double as well in a big top of the 3rd that kept the Mainers in front for good.
Mainers bats continued to score runs at Mackenzie Stadium a place where the Moose have scored 18 runs in 3 games. Matt Harris highlighted a 5 run top of the first with a grand slam to right field after an RBI single by Caden Bailey (Georgia State). Mainers bats added two more in the top of the second, Nick Lovullo (Holy Cross) worked a 2 out walk, Bailey was hit-by-pitch moving Lovullo to second and Mike Rescigno (Univ. of Maryland) slammed a two run double half way up the wall bringing in both Lovullo and Bailey to give the mainers a 7-to-0 lead. The Mainers when scoring 7 runs are undefeated at 6-0 on the season. John Nicklas (Boston College) made his first start of the season and improved his record to 3-0 with the victory, Ryan Johnson (Vanderbilt) worked the final 3 innings earned his 3rd save.
The game got interesting in the bottom of the 7th when the Blue Sox plated two runs to make it a 4 run deficit, but Johnson kept his composure and induced a line out to left fielder Walker Pennington (TCU). Drake Parker (Vanderbilt) went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored, Caden Bailey finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored, Mike Rescigno finished 1-for-2 with 2 RBI's, Sam Dexter went 1-for-4 and Matt Harris finished 1-for-4 with 4 RBI's, that's 7 RBI's for Harris inside Mackenzie Stadium this season with 12 total RBI's on the year.
Sanford finishes 5-1 against Valley on the season and the only season series lost inside the Northern Division was against the Vermont Mountaineers with 1 win in 6 tries.
The Mainers (24-17) have now won two in a row and look to finish the season on a 3 game win streak against the Keene Swamp Bats (20-21) inside Goodall Park. First pitch set for 6:30 as we honor our host families and our fans on fan appreciation day at the ballpark. Jake Marks (Univ. of Maine-Orono, 0-1) will get the ball for his first start of the season, Marks was the tough luck loser at Plymouth in a 14 inning marathon working 1.2 innings allowing 1 run with 0 hits and 4 walks.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 1, 2014
- Mountaineers drop game 13-5 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mainers sweep doubleheader at Valley - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls Snap Streak vs. Waves, Fall 11-4 - Newport Gulls
- Keene Handles Laconia, 9-1 - Keene Swamp Bats
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