Mainers Bats Come Alive, Defeat Upper Valley 12-6

Written by Jackson Walsh
Director of Broadcasting & Media

HARTFORD, Vermont – The Sanford Mainers tallied eleven hits and worked eleven walks to grab their first win of the season, taking down the Upper Valley Nighthawks 12-6. The win snaps a five game losing streak for Sanford to open the summer, while Upper Valley dropped to 4-3. 

In the offensive outburst two Mainers collected three hits on the night. Returning Mainer and shortstop Blake Schaaf (Georgetown) singled three times and drove in two runs. Power hitting lefty Brennan Hudson (Georgia) collected three hits as well. Hudson had an RBI triple in the fifth, as well as a two-run home run to right field in the ninth to put the game out of reach. 

Sanford jumped on the board immediately. Zack Kent (Binghamton) had a two out, two-run double in the first inning to set the tone. The Mainers surrendered two runs in the bottom of the first but proceeded to score in every inning except for the sixth and seventh.

Mainers manager Nic Lops attributes the Mainers approach at the plate to the offensive outburst. "We emphasize quality at-bats," said Lops. "We're not just looking for average and homeruns, it's the little things like squaring a ball up or moving a guy over." The Mainers staff keep track of quality at-bats and according to Lops the Mainers had 31 of them tonight. The Sanford lineup only struck out six times tonight, a drastic difference from 15 collective punchouts two games ago.  

The Mainers return to Goodall Park tomorrow night, when they welcome Upper Valley for the second of three consecutive matchups. First pitch 6:30 p.m.

About the Sanford Mainers:
Sanford Mainers Baseball is Southern Maine's Premier Baseball Experience located in Sanford, Maine and is one of 13 members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, as well as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001, playing its first season in 2002. The Sanford Mainers are committed to providing an outlet for collegiate baseball players from across the country to assist in skill development, while also acting as a community partner to the Southern Maine region in regard to youth activities, internships, volunteerism, and more. The Mainers are two-time league champions, taking home the title in 2004 and 2008. For more information on the Sanford Mainers, please visit our website at www.sanfordmainers.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/sanfordmainers or on Twitter and Instagram at @sanford_mainers.