BORRELL TRIPLE POWERS NORTH ADAMS TO 7-6, 10-INNING VICTORY OVER MAINERS

SANFORD – Ozzie Borrell delivered a two-run triple to the base of the wall in straight-away center field in the top of the 10th inning to lead the North Adams SteepleCats to a 7-6 victory in 10 innings over the Sanford Mainers in NECBL play at Goodall Park on Monday night. Michael Moras also had a key two-RBI double in the victory for North Adams (6-7). Tyler Stovall highlighted the Sanford (6-9) offense with a bases-clearing, three-run double to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Mainers opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Brian Kemp (St. John’s/East Rockaway, N.Y.) hit a double that went over the left-center field fence on one hop for a ground-rule double. Cody Allen (Central Michigan/Coleman, Mich.) followed with a single to center field to move Kemp to third. Kemp would score on a sacrifice fly to center field by Jeff Grantham (St. John’s/Randolph, N.J.) to give Sanford a 1-0 lead.

North Adams would come back to take the lead in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs and Sean Conley on at first via a fielder’s choice, Max Pinto singled through the left side of the infield and then Ozzie Borrell worked a walk to load the bases for Michael Moras. Moras delivered a two-run double which dropped just inside the right-field foul line to give the SteepleCats a 2-1 lead. Borrell would later come in to score on a passed ball two extend the lead to two runs.

The SteepleCats would extend the lead again with two unearned runs in the top of the sixth inning. After Kevin Mort reached first base with one out on a fielder’s choice, Conley singled to left field and Pinto reached on a fielder’s choice to put runners at first and third with two outs. When Borrell hit a ground ball to third base that could have ended the inning, two runs came in to score on a wild play. The ground ball took one hop and ate up Tim Keene (Massachusetts Lowell/Berlin, N.H.) at first base to allow Borrell to reach and Mort to score. Pinto rounded third and headed for home as Jeff Helps (Central Michigan/Wyoming, Ontario) retrieved the ball. Helps’ errant throw to the plate was the second error of the play and allowed Pinto to score to make it 5-1 North Adams.

The Mainers would rally to tie the game in the home half of the seventh inning. Noah Lankford (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) led off the inning with a walk and moved to second when pinch-hitter Kyle Meyer (Marist/Renssalaer, N.Y.) worked a one-out walk. Kemp followed with an infield single to first base to load the bases. After Allen struck out, Grantham hit a chopper behind the bag at second base for an infield single and his second RBI of the game. Tyler Stovall (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) then came through with a bases-clearing, three-RBI double off the top of the wall in left-center field to tie the game 5-5.

After scoreless eighth and ninth innings, the SteepleCats took the lead for good in the top of the 10th inning. With one out, Mainers reliever Phil Negus (Wake Forest/Milford, Mass.) hit Mort with a pitch and then two batters later hit Pinto as well to put runners at first and second with two outs. Borrell followed with a two-RBI, stand-up triple off the base of the wall in straight-away center field to give North Adams a 7-5 lead.

Sanford answered with one run in the bottom of the 10th inning. With one out, Scott Guillerault (Wheaton/South Portland, Maine) worked a walk and moved to second on a two-out single to right field by Lankford. Michael Gedman (Le Moyne/Framingham, Mass.) followed with a single up the middle in his only plate appearance of the evening to score Guillerault and cut the lead to 7-6. However, the Mainers would leave the tying run stranded at third base as North Adams left with a 10-inning victory.

Drew Murray (Georgia Southern/LaGrange, Ga.) started and pitched five innings on the hill for the Mainers. Murray gave up three runs on four hits, walked six, struck out five and did not factor in the decision. Negus took the loss (1-1) in relief for Sanford. Over 2.2 innings, he gave up two runs on two hits, walked two and hit two batters.

Nick McCully started and did not factor in the decision for North Adams, pitching six innings. He gave up one run on six hits, walked one and struck out five. Greg Harmon earned the win (1-1) in relief for the SteepleCats. Pitching the games final three innings, he gave up one run on two hits, walked two and struck out four.

The Mainers return to action on Tuesday, June 26 when they visit the Concord Quarry Dogs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Doane Diamond in Concord, N.H. Matt Janik and Matt Corsetti will have all the action at http://www.sanfordmainers.com.

A complete box score of tonight’s game will be available via http://www.necbl.com.

Founded in 2002, the Sanford Mainers are a non-profit organization and the premier collegiate baseball team in the state of Maine, playing their home games at historic Goodall Park. A proud member of the NECBL, the Mainers annually aid in progressing the careers of the future stars of professional baseball, in addition to bringing top-notch collegiate baseball to the Sanford area. For more information visit http://www.sanfordmainers.com or call the Mainers front office at (207) 324-0010.