Mainers Outlast Torrington in Slugfest 17-16
17 runs is one shy of all-time club mark

Torrington, CT – In one of the wildest games in club history, the Sanford Mainers outslugged the Torrington Twisters 17-16 Thursday night at Fuessenich Park. Entering the bottom of the ninth, Sanford saw a five-run lead evaporate down two one. However, with the tying run at third and two away, Ryan Cole struck out Brian Baudinet to end a game that saw 33 total runs on 38 combined hits.

With the score tied 10-10 in the top of the sixth, the Mainers offense would explode for five runs, as they batted around for the second time in the ballgame. Corey Hunt started the scoring with a RBI single, plating Steve Brooks. Hunt would then score on back-to-back pitches. Now, with the bases loaded and two away, Matt Nandin ripped a two-run single to score Anthony D’Alfonso and Brian Harris. The sixth-inning scoring was capped on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Will Greenberg on a late throw to second base, with Mike Murray coming to the plate to make it a 15-10 Sanford lead.

The Mainers would add two more in the top of the seventh on a run-scoring double by Branson Joseph and a wild pitch later in the inning scoring Joseph. The Twisters would get those two runs back in the bottom of the eighth on a Jaren Matthews RBI single and a run-scoring double by Josh Chasse.

With the score 17-12 heading to the bottom of the ninth, Torrington would make last one-ditch effort. Cole entered the game with two on after Kyle Davis had already allowed two runs in the inning. Chasse ripped a two-run double down the left field line and moved to third before Cole finished it off with the Baudinet strikeout to earn his fifth save of the season.

Torrington would start the scoring in the first on a Chase Austin two-run homer to left, and would get a solo tally in the second on a Cory Huffine RBI single. Sanford would get two of those runs back in the top of the third. Murray scored on a wild pitch and Hunt recorded an RBI groundout. The Twisters would make it a 4-2 score with a single run in the third.

Sanford would unload for eight runs in the fourth inning, tying a season high for runs in a frame. Joseph and Murray both delivered RBI doubles and D’Alfonso added a two-run double. That was responsible for half of the eight-run outburst. The other half all came on one swing by Will Greenberg, who hit a line-shot over the wall in right with the bags loaded for a grandslam to give the Mainers a 10-4 lead.

Mark Schmidt started for the Mainers and got a no-decision. He allowed nine runs in four and two-thirds innings of work. Ryan Lapointe earned the win despite giving up a home run in one-third of an inning. Tony Chisman fired two hitless frames while striking out four. Jeff DeCarlo gave up two runs in his inning of work. Kyle Davis allowed four runs in an inning and a third, and Ryan Cole retired the last two batters of the ballgame for the save. Josh Zeid gave up 12 runs, 11 earned, in five-plus innings in a losing effort.

***Box scores available at necbl.com


Notes…The 17 runs and 17 hits were both a season-high for Sanford, with the 17 runs one shy of a all-time club record… Sanford is now 8-1 in one-run games… The Mainers visit Newport for the only time of the year on Friday night. First pitch is slated for 6:35. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com