Playoff Run Swept Out From Under Mainers
August 6, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
It was a run that no one thought would have happened. Down 3.5 games at the beginning of the last week in July, the Mainers pulled off what seemed impossible and made their way into the playoffs. However, the Newport Gulls shut that opportunity out, taking game two 4-0 after winning game one the night before.
Things looked good at the start of the game for the Moose. Evan Hill took to the mound and retired the Gulls in order in the first with a fly out and a pair of strike outs. In the bottom half, Troy Black and Sam Balzano both singled to start, but Sean Hartnett retired the next three to end the threat.
The Gulls run production came in one inning, mimicking what they did the night before in the second. Ben Roberts led off with a line drive into right field and was followed by a walk issued to Timmy Robinson. Steven Anderson put the Gulls on the board first when he doubled down the left field line scoring Roberts. Brett Winger stepped up and sent a pitch into right field allowing Robinson and Anderson to score.
Over the course of the game, Hartnett and Gulls pitching kept the Mainers blanked leading to a total of nine runners left on base.
Newport grabbed one more run in the seventh which put them up 4-0, but that is all they needed. Kyle Wilcox came into the game in the ninth and despite giving up a leadoff single to Nic Wilson, retired the Mainers and their season.
Newport moves on to the East Division Championship and will take on the Mystic Schooners who also defeated the Ocean State Waves in two games.
Balzano led the Mainers in hitting for the regular season with a .310 batting average, with Black being close behind with a .293 average while leading the team in stolen bases with 13. Evan Hill was lights out on the mound, posting a 4-0 record and a 2.88 earned run average. The story of the Mainers bullpen was all about Steven Rice. In 14 games and 28.2 innings, Rice tallied 52 strike outs to only 10 walks. He posted a 5-2 record with 6 saves as a closer.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 6, 2013
- Keene Crusies In Game Three, Defeats Holyoke 16-1 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Blue Sox Eliminated from Playoffs - Valley Blue Sox
- Playoff Run Swept Out From Under Mainers - Sanford Mainers
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