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SANFORD, Me. – It had been one week since the Mainers had won a game and on Sunday, they tripled their total with a sweep over the Keene Swamp Bats. Newcomer Matthew Polk (Vanderbilt) came in clutch in a game one win, 8-6, and game two victory 5-1.

 

After having last night’s contest between Keene and Sanford suspended due to inclement weather in New Hampshire. The two sides ventured to Goodall Park for an impromptu doubleheader on Father’s Day.

 

The Moose improved to 3-9 on the year following today as Keene dropped to 6-5.

 

On Saturday night at Alumni Field in Keene, the Mainers got off to a hot start. In the top of the first, after McDaniel led off with a single, Polk then launched a two-run home run, 2-0 Sanford.

 

The power was on display by the young outfielder again in the top of the second. This time with two runners on, Polk sends another no-doubter over left field, 5-0 Sanford. 

 

Another run was tacked on in the third when Devan Bade (Binghamton) scored on an error by the shortstop, 6-0. Moments later the game would be suspended due to the heavy rain rolling through.

 

In the continuation on Sunday, the Swamp Bats got hot early scoring a pair of runs in the fourth. Then, in the fifth, a Keene tally made it closer, and then Garrett Rice (Missouri) tied things at 6, after his three-run homer to left-center.

 

The Mainers took the lead once again in the seventh as an RBI single from Jayson Kramer (St. Johns) scored Kevin Skagerlind (UMass), 7-6. 

 

Then in the ninth David Bermudez (Manhattan) provided some insurance with a double that also brought home Skagerlind, 8-6. Brian Craven (Davidson) came in and closed things out for his first save of the year.

 

In game two Sanford took an early lead after a deep fly ball by Aidan Kane (Delaware) went off the wall and he motored around to a triple, he scored on a wild pitch moments later, 1-0.

 

After Swamp Bats would tie it again in the fourth, the Mainers would respond in a big way.

 

Kramer would score on a bases-loaded wild pitch to put Sanford up in the fifth. Then, in the sixth with the bases juiced once again Polk came up in the clutch with a bases-clearing double into the left-center. 

 

In only his third game with the team, Polk jumped into the team lead with two home runs and eight RBI.

 

Bryce Afthim (Southern Maine) started on the mound in game two and was stellar. The righty gave up the lone run on two hits before Matthew Sapienza (Georgetown) and Zackary Given (UMass) shut the door, as the Mainers took the second meeting.

 

With a day off on Monday, Sanford gets some extra time to prepare for its third contest of the year against Upper Valley on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

 

Written by Matt Scalzo

Director of Broadcasting & Media

 

Photo Courtesy of Emmy Vitali, VitaliVisuals

 

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.