SILKWORMS USE THREE-RUN SECOND TO
SLIP PAST MAINERS 4-3
MANCHESTER, Conn. – Kyle Higgins and Brian Kelaher each drove in
a run to key a three-run bottom of the second inning for the
Manchester Silkworms, who went on to defeat the Sanford Mainers
4-3 in NECBL action on Tuesday night at Northwest Park. Anthony
Russell added an RBI double in the third inning for Manchester
(14-17). Max Most drove in a run in the defeat for the Mainers
(12-20). Rob Hallberg pitched a perfect ninth inning for
Manchester to earn his Southern Division-leading 10th save of
the season.
The Mainers opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the
first inning. Brian Kemp (St. John’s/East Rockaway, N.Y.) led
off with a single to left field and then moved to second base on
a bunt single back to the pitcher by Noah Lankford (Central
Michigan/Cincinnati, Ohio). Max Most (Marist/Port Washington,
N.Y.) followed with a single through the left side to drive in
Kemp with the first run of the game. Lankford would then score
on a wild pitch to give Sanford a 2-0 lead.
The Silkworms took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the
second inning. Anthony Russell led off with a walk and moved to
third on Stephen Crawford’s double down the left-field line.
Russell would score when Kyle Higgins grounded out to second
base to pick up an RBI. Crawford then came in to score and tie
the game 2-2 on a passed ball charged to Sanford catcher Bubba
Ruddy (Cypress CC/Orange, Calif.). With two outs and nobody on
base, Eric Nieto worked a walk and stole second base. He came to
the plate and scored to give Manchester a 3-2 lead.
The Silkworms extended the lead to 4-2 with another run in the
bottom of the third inning. Ryan Lavarnway reached with a
one-out walk and advanced to second when Mainers starting
pitcher Richie Armento (St. John’s/Bayside, N.Y.) committed a
throwing error while attempting a pickoff. Lavarnway then came
in to score on a double down the left-field line by Russell.
Sanford inched closer with an unearned run in the top of the
fifth inning. Tim Keene (Massachusetts Lowell/Berlin, N.H.) led
off the inning and was hit by a pitch. He moved to second base
on Kemp’s infield single to third base and then moved to third
on Most’s ground ball to second base. Keene would score on the
play to cut the Manchester lead to 4-3 when Most ended up on
second base as second baseman Matt Nandin overthrew first base
for an error.
Armento started and took the loss (0-3) on the mound for the
Mainers. In five innings of work, he gave up four runs on three
hits, walked five and struck out four.
Ken Kerski started on the hill and earned the victory (2-1) for
the Silkworms. Over 5.1 innings, he gave up three runs (two
earned) on six hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out
five. Rob Hallberg pitched a perfect ninth inning for his
Southern Division-leading 10th save of the season.
The Mainers return to action on Wednesday, July 18 when they
visit the Lowell All-Americans. First pitch is scheduled for
6:30 p.m. at Stoklosa Alumni Filed in Lowell, Mass. Matt Janik
and Matt Haley 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.
