Mainers Rally, Now One Win Away From Title
Sanford erases early three-run deficit to edge Gulls 6-5 in game one.

Sanford, ME – Kyle Groth hit a groundball to first off of the glove of Alex Gregory, allowing three runs to come in to score in the seventh and give the Mainers their first lead of the game at 6-3. Newport would try to stage some late-inning dramatics, plating two in the eighth inning off of Tony Chisman, but ultimately stranded the tying run at second base. Ryan Cole came in and once again overmatched the opposition in the ninth inning to preserve a Mainers’ 6-5 win over the Newport Gulls in game one of the NECBL Championship Series Saturday night at Goodall Park. Sanford can wrap up its second-ever NECBL Championship Sunday night at Cardines Field in Newport.

With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh, the Mainers would jump on top for good. Will Greenberg singled with one away followed by a walk to Matt Nandin. After an Anthony D’Alfonso lineout to left, Branson Joseph walked to load the bases. Groth then came to the plate and bounced a groundball straddling the line at first. It kicked off the glove of Gregory and trickled into foul territory down the right side. Greenberg, Nandin and Joseph all came to the plate to make it a 6-3 score.

Newport would creep within one in the eighth on back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Kyle Conley and Jack Murphy. Murphy came within inches of tying the game with his double, but the ball just missed getting out of the yard and kept the left-handed DH at second base. Chisman then struck out Nick Santomauro swinging to end the threat.

The Gulls would get the first three runs of the game on solo tallies in each of the first, second and third innings. Mike Melillo singled home a run in the first. Conley came up in the second and blasted his fifth homer of the postseason, a solo shot to right. Newport would make it 3-0 in the third on a Conley bases loaded walk.

Sanford would chip away and ended up tying it in the sixth. The Mainers would get their first run in the third on a Greenberg sacrifice fly to right. Joseph would come to the plate in the fourth on Corey Hunt’s second of three singles on the night. Groth would tie the ballgame in the sixth on a RBI one-hop groundout to short, again plating Joseph who scored three times in game one.

Pat Lehman started for the Mainers. After a sluggish start, the right-hander settled in to pick up the win. He went seven innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Chisman allowed two runs in his inning of work. Cole sat down the side in order for the ninth to pick up his third save of the postseason. Chase Reid got a no-decision for the first time in a starting role this season. He allowed three runs, two earned, in seven innings. Robert Morey was draped with the loss, giving up three unearned runs in the seventh inning.



***Box scores available at necbl.com


Notes… The Mainers are now 5-6 all-time in game ones of postseason series… Including the regular season, Sanford is 3-0 against Newport this summer… Cole has struck out six of the nine batters he’s seen in the playoffs… The Mainers can wrap up the title on the road Sunday night at Newport. First pitch is slated for 6:35. Audio and video streaming are both available at sanfordmainers.com.