Mainers Conclude Regular Season with 8-3 Loss at Lowell
Sanford hosts game one of first round Saturday night

Montpelier, VT – Having already clinched a division title and home-field advantage throughout the NECBL playoffs, the Sanford Mainers concluded the regular season falling 8-3 to the Lowell All-Americans Thursday afternoon at Stoklosa Alumni Field. Sanford would settle for 28 regular season wins, tying an all-time club mark.

With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Lowell would go-ahead for good. Tony Plagman put the All-Americans ahead with a RBI single, plating Pat McKenna. Mike Baillargeon would follow that up with a run-scoring single of his own, scoring Kevin Rivers to give Lowell a 4-2 lead. Sanford would creep within a run in the eighth when Brian Harris would cross home plate after a passed ball by catcher Dan Coury.

Coury would atone for that passed ball at the plate in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and the bases loaded, Coury smacked a long grand slam to left, his first homer of the year, to give Lowell an 8-3 advantage.

Sanford would get the scoring started in the second. Branson Joseph led off the inning with a single. He stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Coury. After a Kyle Groth strikeout, Devin Harris roped a double to right, high off the wall, to score Joseph. Brian Harris lined out to short. Mike Murray, making his first plate appearance in over a week for Sanford, came through with a RBI single to score Devin Harris. Lowell would get both those runs back in the bottom of the second on a Coury two-out, two-run single. Coury had six RBIs on the day, coming into the contest with only five runs driven-in.

Mike Wilson started for the Mainers. The lefty allowed two runs in three innings. Phil Negus threw two spotless innings of relief. Andrew Keirstead picked up the loss. He gave up six runs in three innings of work. Cory Jolicouer earned the win for Lowell, tossing two scoreless frames.

***Box scores available at necbl.com


Notes…Sanford finished the season series 3-3 against Vermont... The Mainers are off Friday before starting the postseason Saturday night at Goodall Park against an opponent TBD. First pitch is slated for 6:30. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com.