KEMP SETS NECBL RECORD, DEMKO THROWS THREE-HITTER; MAINERS DOWN SWAMP BATS 5-3

SANFORD – Brian Kemp’s fourth-inning infield single was his third of the game and 61st of the season, setting a new New England Collegiate Baseball League record. Kemp finished the evening 4-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base as the Sanford Mainer defeated the Keene Swamp Bats 5-3 in NECBL play at Goodall Park on Tuesday night. Luke Demko pitched a complete-game three-hitter and worked around four errors behind him on the mound for Sanford (14-22). Mike Freeman had an RBI single in the defeat for Keene (21-16).

The Mainers got the scoring started with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Brian Kemp (St. John’s/East Rockaway, N.Y.) led off with a double down the left-field line and moved to third base on Noah Lankford’s (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) bunt single up the third-base line. Kemp came in to score the first run of the game when Tyler Stovall (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) picked up an RBI by bouncing into a fielder’s choice. However, no out was recorded on the play, as Lankford was safe at second on an error by Keene shortstop Tyler Cannon. After a sacrifice bunt by Bubba Ruddy (Cypress CC/Orange, Calif.) and a walk to Max Most (Marist/Port Washington, N.Y.), Lankford would come in to score an unearned run to make it 2-0 when Scott Guillerault (Wheaton/South Portland, Maine) was hit by a pitch.

The Swamp Bats took the lead with three unearned runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, A.J. Wirnsburger reached on a fielding error by Tim Keene (Massachusetts Lowell/Berlin, N.H.) at first base. After a single to centerfield by Justin Robichaux, Jared Humphreys laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third base with two outs. Cannon then reached second base on a throwing error by third baseman Guillerault which allowed both runners to score to tie the game 2-2. After a walk to Matt den Dekker, Mike Freeman hit a single up the middle to drive home Cannon and give Keene a 3-2 lead.

The lead was short-lived, as the Mainers tied things up at 3-3 with a run in the bottom half of the second inning. With one out, Kemp singled to center field and then stole second base, his league-leading 30th steal of the season. After Lankford was hit by a pitch, a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, and then Ruddy was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Jeff Grantham (St. John’s/Randolf, N.J.) then reached on an infield single deep in the hole at shortstop to drive in Kemp with the tying run.

From there, Sanford starter Luke Demko (Rhode Island/Gilford, N.H.) allowed the Swamp Bats offense to get next-to-nothing going. Demko did not allow a hit after Robichaux’s third-inning single, and allowed only one runner to reach base on a Stovall error in right field over the final 20 Keene hitters he faced.

The Mainers got Demko the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two-outs Kemp picked up his fourth hit of the ballgame, an infield single to the shortstop behind second base. Kemp moved to second base on Lankford’s single through the left side and then came in to score on Stovall’s single through the right side. For Stovall, it was his second run batted in of the game, as well as his team-leading 20th run batted in of the season.

Sanford picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Guillerault led off with a single through the left side and moved to second base on Tim Kalczynski’s (Michigan/Farmington Hills, Mich.). Guillerault then moved to third base on a groundout to first base by pinch-hitter Jeff Helps (Central Michigan/Wyoming, Ontario). After an intentional walk to Kemp, Keene reliever Ryan Cole threw a wild pitch to allow Guillerault to score from third to create the final 5-3 score.

Demko started on the mound and went the distance to earn the victory (2-3) for the Mainers. He scattered three hits and two walks over nine innings, gave up three unearned runs and struck out eight.

Alan Morrison started on the hill and took the loss (2-4) for Keene. Over six innings of work, he gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits, walked one, hit three batters, threw a wild pitch and struck out two.

The Mainers return to action on Wednesday, July 25 when they visit the Vermont Mountaineers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Montpelier Recreation Field in Montpelier, Vt. Matt Janik and Paul Roper 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.