Strong Bullpen Effort and Home Runs Not Enough in Loss to Winnipesaukee
June 13, 2021 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release
LACONIA, N.H. - The Sanford Mainers traveled to Laconia to take on the Winnipesaukee Muskrats on Sunday afternoon. After battling in a tie game for a majority of the contest, errors and a three-run eighth inning for the Muskrats was the difference in a 6-4 loss for the Mainers.
Jacob Edwards (UNC-Asheville) made his second start of the season for Sanford in the game. Edwards had three innings of work and allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, gave up three hits, three walks and had three strikeouts.
The Mainers struck first in the game's third inning, when Cal Hewett (Vanderbilt) sent a ball over the left-field wall for the first Sanford home run of the season, driving in Jonny Barditch (Manhattan College) for a 2-0 lead. The Muskrats responded in the bottom of the same inning when an error and an RBI base hit scored two to tie the game.
The Sanford bullpen took over in the fourth as Winnipesaukee scored on another error in the bottom of the inning. The Mainers then re-tied the game at three in the top of the fifth after Hewett lead of the frame with a triple into deep center field, and Dom Freeberger (UNC-Asheville) brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
Kyle McKernan (Virginia Tech) turned in an outstanding performance in relief to keep Sanford in the game. In 3.1 innings of work, McKernan struck out eight Winnipesaukee batters. However, McKernan was hurt in his final inning by a runner reaching on an error which came around to score the first of three runs in the eighth inning, which gave the Muskrats a 6-3 lead.
Sanford did not go lightly in the top of the last inning, as Dayne Leonard (Virginia Tech) smacked a pitch over the right-center field scoreboard for a solo home run. A single by Barditch following the homer became stranded as Winnipesaukee closed the game out for a 6-4 win.
Sanford hits the road again for its first of two straight games against the North Shore Navigators, the first on Tuesday and the return home game at Goodall Park on Wednesday.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 13, 2021
- Strong Bullpen Effort and Home Runs Not Enough in Loss to Winnipesaukee - Sanford Mainers
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