Mainers Survive Navigators in 7-6 Nail-Biter

By Cole Purvis

Director of Broadcasting and Media

LYNN, Mass. - The Sanford Mainers won their sixth game in a row after downing the North Shore Navigators 7-6 on Wednesday night.

The Moose kicked it into gear as early as the first inning to draw first blood against Navs starter Ethan Hunt. With Steven Kraus on second base, outfielder Jack Tate hit a high fly ball to right field that went off the glove of right fielder Grant Hunter. Kraus scored and Tate raced into third with a triple to put Sanford up 1-0.

The second inning brought even more offensive success as the Mainers put up a crooked number to extend the lead. With runners on first and second, shortstop Albert De La Rosa singled to bring Nater Wachter home. Then, Brian Connolly roped a ball to center that was nearly a diving catch, but outfielder Hunter Kingsbury couldn't squeeze it. Connolly trotted into second, Antonio Morales scored, and the Mainers were up 3-0.

The Navs added one in their half of the second on a Simmi Whitehill base hit, but the Moose got it back when North Shore reliever Brock Bullinger threw a passed ball that scored Morales to make it 4-1.

The Navigators owned the fifth inning. Catcher Aidan Sengenberger singled to bring in Hudson Ellis to make it 4-2. Moments later, with runners on the corners, Sengenberger stole second, prompting a throw down from Sanford catcher Ryan Kolben, which allowed Hunter Kingsbury to take off for home and dive in safely to cut the Mainer lead to one.

At that point, it was Gabe Gifford time for Sanford. The University of Southern Maine product entered his third appearance with 4.1 hitless innings to his name previously, and continued to throw well in his first two frames against North Shore, tossing a scoreless sixth and seventh. However, when the eighth inning rolled around, the Navigators loaded the bases with two outs for Danati Fronduto. Gifford got out of the jam as Fronduto swung and missed at strike three, and the narrow 4-3 Sanford lead was intact.

"Player of the game, in my opinion," manager Nic Lops said about Gifford. "He's just tough. He wants to be out there, wants the ball in his hands, wants to compete. He lives for those types of moments."

Needing insurance, the Moose produced multiple clutch hits in the ninth. With Connolly on second, Tate grounded a ball up the middle to make it 5-3. Then, designated hitter Dom Tozzi blasted a monster home-run to left field. The Coastal Carolina product's third long-ball of the year gave Sanford a seemingly comfortable 7-3 lead after the top of the ninth.

Closer Sam Young came in for the bottom of the last, but North Shore got to him and made things interesting. First, Aidan Sengenberger hit a sac-fly to score one run. Then, designated hitter Anderson French belted a triple off the wall in right-center, and came into score on a throwing error into third base. The inside-the-park home-run also scored Hudson Ellis and made it 7-6.

North Shore would get the tying run aboard, but Young retired the next hitter to secure the 7-6 win.

The Mainers are 3-1 against the Navigators this season, as they win their sixth straight game, extending their longest streak of the year.

Sanford takes Thursday off before a date with Upper Valley on Friday night at Goodall Park. First pitch is at 6:30 and is streaming on ESPN+.