Sanford Falls Just Short in Comeback Attempt at New Bedford

June 22, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release


New Bedford, Mass. - The Sanford Mainers came up just short of completing a four-run comeback on the road Friday night as they fell to the New Bedford Bay Sox by a final of 6-4. After falling behind early by four the Mainers were able to plate a few in the late innings to make it interesting but, unfortunately, came up just short.

New Bedford got on the board first as with two outs in the bottom of the 3rd they were able to bring across two runs on back to back to back hits as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead through three. Despite the runs, Tyler Mortenson (Woodlands, Texas/Air Force Academy) turned in a great start in his final appearance of his NECBL season before heading back to the Air Force Academy to lead survival training. He put up a season high five strike outs while only surrendering a single walk.

Sanford was able to get one of those runs back immediately in the top of the 4th as Conner Shepherd (Upland, Calif./Texas Christian University) ripped a double, the Mainers first hit of the game, and was promptly brought around to score on an RBI double by Tyler Solomon (Haymarket, Va./Vanderbilt). Solomon had a great night at the plate as he reached base in all four of his at bats and was the only Mainer with a multi-hit ball game.

After New Bedford plated two more runs in the bottom of the 5th, the Mainers were able to chip away once again in the top of the 6th as Jonathan White (Lawrenceville, Ga./Presbyterian) led the inning off with a single up the middle and came around to score two batters later on a Nick Howie (Oakville, Ontario, Canada/Eastern Kentucky) ground out.

A bit of controversy clouded the bottom of the 7th as the Mainers looked to have gotten out of the inning with no runs surrendered, but the first base umpire said that Solomon pulled his foot off the first base bag on a routine play that would have gotten them out of the inning with no runs scored. But, as baseball goes, two runs would come around to score after the play and put the Bay Sox on top 6-2.

Just as they had in their previous two at bats, Sanford wouldn't go quietly as they picked up two runs in the top half of the 8th inning. After Jake Alu (Hamilton, N.J./Boston College) led off the inning with a double and Jonathan White reached on an error, Johnny Rizer (Cypress, Texas/Texas Christian University) poked a single into right field that scored Alu from second. The very next batter, Shane Marshall (Webster, N.Y./Binghamton), who came on for Nick Howie as a pinch hitter, hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored White and cut the Bay Sox lead to just 6-4.

Sean Fisher (Parsonsburg, Md./Maryland) came in for the bottom half of the 8th and got the Bay Sox to go quietly which sent the game to the 9th and gave the Mainers the chance to complete the comeback trailing by just two.

Brandon Lankford (Mocksville, N.C./UNC-Asheville) got things started for Sanford in the 9th after coming on as a pinch hitter as he laced a one out single through the right side for his first hit of his NECBL season. White walked two batters later to put the tying run on first but Bay Sox closer C.J. Dandeneau got the final out of the game on a strike out to kill the two-out rally.

The loss did not hurt the Mainers in the standings as Upper Valley fell to Valley tonight to keep Sanford firmly in second place atop the Northern Division. The Mainers are back home tomorrow night, Saturday June 23rd, to host the Vermont Mountaineers before having a much-deserved day off on Sunday. Make sure to come on out and support the Mainers or log on to the NECBL Broadcast Network to catch all the action live as Mike Glennon will have the call for you as always.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 22, 2018


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