Sanford Mainers Furious Comeback Comes up Just Short in Keene
July 7, 2019 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
KEENE - The Mainers strung together an improbable ninth-inning comeback at Alumni Field, but their efforts were not enough to overcome a 16-12 defeat to the Keene Swamp Bats.
Throughout the game's first third, the Moose were in complete control. Powered by a two-run home run off the bat of Shane Marshall (Webster, N.Y./Binghamton) in the first inning and a Sterling Hayes (San Diego, Calif./Vanderbilt) RBI single in the second.
Their three-run outburst was supplemented by a dominant performance from Jake Noviello (Franklin, Mass./Fairfield). In his first time facing the Swamp Bats order, he pitched lights-out, not allowing a single hit while striking out three.
However, things started to turn in the host's favor in the fourth inning. In their next three turns at bat, the Swamp Bats erupted for 13 runs, scoring at least three in every frame. It wasn't until Kyle Skidmore (Franklin, Mass./Hofstra) threw a perfect seventh that the opposition offense slowed down.
The Swamp Bats tacked on three more runs in the eighth inning, all coming on a home run, to achieve their final total of 16.
Though only three outs separated them from a blowout defeat, the Mainers refused to go down easily. After the leadoff man was retired, consecutive walks to Drew DeMartino (Pittsfield, Mass./Hartford), Marshall, and Nick Howie (Oakville, Ontario, Canada/Eastern Kentucky) loaded the bases for Erik Stock (Virginia Beach, Va./UConn). A wild pitch brought DeMartino across home plated and advanced the other two runners by 90 feet for Stock to take a fastball off his left shoulder to re-load the bases.
Though the Swamp Bats made a pitching change, the Moose Bats remained active. Connor Tate (Bishop, Ga./Georgia) a 1-0 fastball to left field to plate two, cutting the deficit to 16-6. Orlando Adams (Atlanta, Ga./Kentucky) followed up with another walk, filling the bases once again for Jack Van Remortel (Carmel, Ind./Michigan) to look at another four balls and bring another run in.
Still, the Moose rally was far from over. Following the inning's second out, Hayes roped a single to left-center field, tallying another pair and placing runners on the corners. One batter later, DeMartino belted a long home run to left-center field, capping off a nine-run rally and bringing the Mainers to within four runs at 16-12.
Unfortunately, the Mainer magic ran out moments later. A long flyout ended the game in a tough loss.
The Mainers are back at it again tomorrow when they return to Goodall Park to host the Valley Blue Sox. If you can't attend the game, you can catch the call on the Patriot Subaru Mainers Radio Network powered by the NECBL Broadcast Network at 4:30 PM. Until then, stay updated on all things Mainers by visiting sanfordmainers.com and following the team on social media.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 7, 2019
- Mountaineers Upset Mystic Schooners in Final Moments, 6-5 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Sanford Mainers Furious Comeback Comes up Just Short in Keene - Sanford Mainers
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