HINKLE DAZZLES AS QUARRY DOGS DOWN MAINERS

CONCORD, N.H. – Starting pitcher Austin Hinkle was magnificent, pitching a complete game on the mound as the Concord Quarry Dogs defeated the Sanford Mainers 7-1 in NECBL play at Doane Diamond on Wednesday evening. Hinkle stifled the Mainers (7-14) over nine innings, surrendering just one run on five hits and two walks while striking out eight. Andy Meyers led the way for the Concord (12-8) offense, going 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored.

The Quarry Dogs opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Josh Logan led off with a walk and then stole second base, his third steal of the season. After moving to third on a groundout to second base by Dan Lopez, Logan came into score on Andy Meyers’ single to right-center field. Dylan Libadisos followed and worked a walk to put runners at first and second with still only one out. A Martin Baker single to right field then scored Meyers from second to make it 2-0. After an infield single by William Long loaded the bases, Phil St. Amant hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Libadisos and increase the lead to 3-0.

Concord extended the lead to 5-0 with two unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Dan Betteridge led off and reached second base on a throwing error by second baseman Kyle Meyer (Marist/Renssalaer, N.Y.). Betteridge would come in to score when Lopez reached second base on a throwing error by shortstop Jeff Grantham (St. John’s/Randolph, N.J.). Lopez would score from second when Meyers picked up his second RBI of the ballgame on a single to left field.

The Quarry Dogs would once again tack onto the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Logan once again led off an inning by working a walk off of Sanford reliever Kurt Heaton (Suffolk County CC/Selden, N.Y). After a Lopez sacrifice bunt moved him to second, Logan stole third base, his second steal of the game. Logan would come in to score on a groundout to first base by Meyers. For Meyers, it was his third RBI of the game, his league-leading 28th RBI of the season, as well as his 11th RBI on the year in four games against the Mainers.

Concord put the game even further out of reach with another run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out, Logan once again served as the catalyst with a single back up the middle. Lopez and Meyers followed with singles to put runners at first and third with two outs after Lopez was thrown out when he rounded second base on Meyers’ single. Logan came in to score and make it 7-1 when Libadisos reached on a fielding error by third baseman Noah Lankford (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio).

The Mainers broke up Austin Hinkle’s shutout bid with a run in the top of the ninth inning. Cody Allen (Central Michigan/Coleman, Mich.) hit a one-out triple to the gap in right-center field and then came in to score on a Grantham groundout to second base to cut the final deficit to 7-1.

Kevin Landry (William & Mary/Vienna, Va.) started on the mound and took the loss (1-2) for Sanford. In four innings, Landry gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits, walked three and struck out four.

Hinkle started and went the distance on the mound to earn the victory (2-2) for Concord. In nine innings, he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks while striking out eight.

The Mainers return to action on Thursday, July 5 when they return home to host the Lowell All-Americans. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Goodall Park in Sanford. Matt Janik and Matt Haley 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.