The Sanford Mainers seized control on Wednesday night by scoring six runs in the seventh inning to put away the Danbury Westerners 12-5 in the third and decisive game of the New England Collegiate Baseball League Championship Series played at Goodall Park. The Mainers win the series 2-1, capturing the Fay Vincent Sr. Cup as league champions for a third time in their history.
Danbury built off their momentum of a big comeback win in Game 2 on Tuesday by getting a two-run single from Ronan Donohue (Sacred Heart) for an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Sanford responded with three runs in the second on a bases loaded walk from Brennan Staubley (Elon), a Will Cowan (St. John’s) RBI single, and a wild pitch that scored Antonio Morales (Maryland) for a 3-2 advantage. They extended that to 5-2, before the Westerners charged back by putting up a three spot in the top of the fifth on an error, a passed ball, and a RBI double from Ryan Preisano (Wake Forest) to knot things up 5-5. After the Mainers took the lead for good by pushing home a single run in the last half of the fifth on an error, they would put it away in the seventh with the six run outburst. Four of those runs came unearned helped by a hit by pitch, three errors, two walks, and two wild pitches with Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) also providing a two-run single.
Donohue led Danbury with two RBI, while Kyle Garbowski (Quinnipiac) would score two runs. The Westerners are the oldest franchise in the NECBL (founded in 1995), and were seeking their first Fay Vincent Sr. Cup since 2021, and their second overall. Danbury committed six errors in the defeat and finishes their summer with a record of 27-22. Cowan had three hits, two RBI, and scored three times for Sanford. Harring added two hits and two RBI. Morales, Cowan, and Harring also contributed one stolen base each. Jack Tate (St. John’s), Nater Wachter (UConn), and Morales chipped in a pair of runs scored. Andrew Middleton (Maryland) started on the mound and got a no-decision allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts over five innings. Old Town native Gabe Gifford (University of Southern Maine) was lights out in relief to register the four inning win. Gifford didn’t give up any runs or hits, while walking one and striking out five. The Mainers went 6-2 in the postseason and finish at 32-17, claiming their first championship since 2008. They also won it in 2004. They are led by manager Nic Lops (sixth season), who used to the head coach at Southern Maine Community College and was a player himself as a four year starter at St. Joseph’s College of Maine.
The Sanford Mainers celebrate after beating Danbury 12-5 to win the Fay Vincent Sr. Cup (NECBL Championship) at Goodall Park on Wednesday, August 12. Images from staff photographer Brady Corson
