Brunswick, Maine native Brian Connolly hit a game winning two-run single in the seventh inning on Sunday night in helping to lift the Sanford Mainers past the Danbury Westerners 3-1 in Game 1 of the New England Collegiate Baseball League Championship Series at Goodall Park.
Nater Wachter (UConn) reached on an error in the bottom of the first inning that allowed a run to score for a 1-0 lead, before the Westerners drew even on a bases loaded walk in the fifth. Sanford drew back to back walks to start the last of the seventh inning, before a balk would move the two runners into scoring position to set things up for the hit by Connolly. Danbury had the tying runs on base in the eighth, and also the tying run at the plate in the ninth but the bullpen of the Mainers was able to shut down those opportunities and move one win away from claiming the Fay Vincent Sr. Cup as league champions.
Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) from the leadoff spot reached base three times with two hits and walk while also scoring twice in the victory for Sanford. Connolly (University of Rhode Island) had two hits that included his clutch game winning single. Old Town native Gabe Gifford (University of Southern Maine) picked up the pitching win in relief allowing no runs on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts in three innings. Samuel Young (University of Richmond) registered his third save of the postseason. Jack Lutte (Denison University) had one hit with a run scored for Danbury, while Aidan Stern (Trinity College) had their lone RBI. The Mainers look for the sweep in the best of three when they travel to Danbury, Connecticut for Game 2 on Monday night at 6:35 p.m.
Image of Brian Connolly during Game 1 of the NECBL Championship Series from the Sanford Mainers
