Tensions Flare in Sanford, Mainers Defeat Newport

July 25, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Sanford Mainers News Release


The Mainers roster at the end of July looks completely different than it did at the beginning of the season. With injuries being a major problem throughout the year, the turnover has proved to be successful as they won their fifth straight game against the Newport Gulls for what turned out to be a wild 8-5 victory.

The Gulls had a 2-1 lead on the season series, but the Mainers looked to tie it up. They got on the board early in the bottom of the first starting with an infield single by Sam Balzano. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. After advancing on a Daniel Nevares ground out, he came in to score when Nic Wilson reached on a throwing error by Adrian English at third. Connor Castellano hit is first double of the season to right-center field putting both he and Wilson in scoring position. During the next at bat Anthony Papio hit an infield single to second scoring Wilson.

Two innings later, the Moose extended their lead to 4-0 when Nevares smacked a double to right-center field, but advanced to third when Cody Jones misplayed the ball in the outfield. Wilson came up with a big double to right plating Nevares. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Castellano and then scored when Anthony Papio hit a double of his own to right.

Both teams were shut out until the seventh inning besides a run scored in the fourth by the Gulls. It became a whole new ball game when Newport flocked for three more runs to tie it at four. Shea Donlin and Jones both hit infield singles with one out to start the inning. Trace Tam Sing collected his fourth hit of the game when he doubled to right scoring Donlin. The lead was cut in half, but after a pitching change, Ben Roberts smacked a double down the left field line scoring Jones. With the bases loaded, Steve Anderson grounded out to first allowing Tam Sing to score the tying run.

After seventh inning stretch at Goodall Park, the Mainers regained the lead when Matt Verrier doubled to deep right scoring Papio who drew a two out walk just prior to Verrier's at bat.

The Gulls scraped away in the eighth tying it once more, but not before tensions flared up. Ty Moore led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, but after showing some frustration with the bat, Nate LaPointe who came into the game at catcher caught part of it and was also hurt temporarily. Conor Krauss got Brett Winger on strikes, but put runners on at the corners after giving up a single to Donlin. He walked Jones to load the bases and that is where Steven Rice was brought into the game. Tam Sing hit a ground ball to third and when Nevares who had previously been moved to third base in the game, threw home, LaPointe tagged out Moore, but an altercation at the plate forced both benches and bullpens to clear.

The fight didn't last long as both teams were separated with the help of both coaching staffs and the umpiring crew. When play resumed, Rice threw a wild pitch that allowed Donlin to score to tie the game. The southpaw then got Roberts looking for strike three and the final out of the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Mainers proved that this was their game to win when they plated three runs. After Brett Lilek got Billy Bereszniewicz swinging for out number one, he walked both Troy Black and Balzano. Kyle Wilcox was brought into the game, but gave up a single to Nevares that scored Black to take the lead. After Balzano and Nevares advanced on a wild pitch, Robert Wayman who pinch hit earlier in the game, hit a single to right scoring Balzano. Nevares came into score the third run of the inning on a wild pitch from Wilcox.

Rice was able to finish off the ninth inning and hold on to the victory when he got Anderson swinging and Austin Barr looking for a pair of strike outs to start. But the tension between the two teams appeared again when Moore grounded out to the end the game and both teams had to be separated once more.

With the victory, the Mainers now sit only a half game behind the Mystic Schooners for the final playoff spot in the East Division. The Moose will travel to New Bedford tomorrow to face the Bay Sox looking for their sixth straight win. Scott Heath is expected to get the ball for the Mainers with game time being at 6:30pm.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 25, 2013


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