KEMP, GUILLERAULT EACH DRIVE IN PAIR; MAINERS TOPPLE GIANTS, 9-2

SANFORD – Scott Guillerault’s two-run single and Brian Kemp’s two-run triple highlighted a five-run fourth inning for the Sanford Mainers as they went on to defeat the first-place Holyoke Giants in NECBL action at Goodall Park on Friday night. Eric Katzman scattered two runs and six hits over seven innings on the mound to earn the victory for Sanford (17-22). Justin Little went 3-for-4, scored both runs and was a home run short of the cycle for Holyoke (23-15) in the defeat.

The Concord Quarry Dogs and the Lowell All-Americans split a double-header on Friday night in Lowell. Combined with the Sanford win, the Mainers currently sit one game in back of Concord, who possesses the fourth and final playoff spot in the Northern Division. Sanford also holds a one-game lead over Lowell. The Mainers and the Quarry Dogs each have three games remaining, including a head-to-head showdown on Saturday night, while the All-Americans have five games remaining.

The Giants started the scoring early with a run in the top of the first inning. Justin Little led off the game with a triple that went just inside of third base and down the left-field line. After moving to third base on a groundout to shortstop by Kody Hightower, Little came in to score the first run of the game on a soft single to right-center field by Kyle Bellows.

Holyoke extended the lead to 2-0 with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out, Little was once again the catalyst, hitting a triple to the gap in right-center. Little then scored on a groundout to shortstop by Kevin Renaud.

From there on out, it was all Sanford and the Mainers took the lead with five runs as they sent nine men to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning. Tyler Stovall (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) led off with a walk and then moved to second base when Jeff Grantham (St. John’s/Randolf, N.J.) reached on a fielding error by Hightower at third base. After the runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Bubba Ruddy (Cypress CC/Orange, Calif.), they both scored on a single to left field by Scott Guillerault (Wheaton/South Portland, Maine), who picked up his ninth and 10th runs batted in of the season and tied the game 2-2. Guillerault took second on the play as the throw came into the plate. Tim Kalczynski (Michigan/Farmington Hills, N.J.) followed with a walk and then Jeff Helps (Central Michigan/Wyoming, Ontario) hit a groundball to shortstop that resulted in Guillerault being forced out at third. That brought things back to the top of the order for Brian Kemp (St. John’s/East Rockaway, N.Y.), who continued his torrid hitting with a triple into the gap in right-center field to score Kalczynski and Helps to give Sanford a 4-2 lead. Noah Lankford (Central Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio) followed with a line-drive single of the shin of Holyoke starting pitching Santo Maertz which allowed Kemp to score from third to make it 5-2.

Sanford would extend the lead to 8-2 with three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Once again Stovall led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt by Holyoke reliever Heath Wasylow. Grantham reached on a bunt single, but Stovall stayed at second on the unusual play. Grantham popped the bunt up and Wasylow charged hard and appeared about to make the catch. However, as the ball went into his glove, Wasylow collided with catcher Craig Turner, and the ball fell loose for a single. Once again, Ruddy moved Grantham to second and Stovall to second, respectively, with a sacrifice bunt. Wasylow then issued an intentional walk to Guillerault to load the bases. Kalczynski promptly unloaded them with a triple to the gap in left-center field to score all three runners.

The Mainers added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning to create the 9-2 final score. Max Most (Marist/Port Washington, N.Y.) led off with a single through the left side of the infield. Most came in to score from first when Stovall followed with a double to the gap in right-center field to drive in his team-leading 23rd run. Stovall has now batted in at least one run in seven consecutive games.

Eric Katzman (Michigan/Harrington Park, N.J.) started on the mound and earned the victory (3-1) for the Mainers. Over seven innings, he gave up two runs on six hits, walked two, hit a batter and struck out six.

Maertz started on the hill and took the loss (2-1) for Holyoke. In four innings of work, he gave up five runs (one earned) on six hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Mainers return to action on Saturday, July 28 when they host the Concord Quarry Dogs. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Goodall Park in Sanford. 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.