First Round Preview: Sanford vs. Newport

#1 Newport Gulls (30-14) vs. #4 Sanford Mainers (21-23)
Sunday: Cardines Field 
Monday: Goodall Park
Tuesday (if needed): Cardines Field

Series Possibilities (top three pitchers from each team)
Newport/Sanford
Brett Graves vs. Evan Hill
Sean Hartnett vs. James Bourque
TBD vs. Nick Poore

Newport Gulls (No. 1 Eastern seed)

Record: 30-14. Manager: Mike Coombs  Home Field: Cardines FIeld

Season In A Nutshell: Like last summer, when Perfect Game ranked them the best team in summer baseball, the Gulls quietly got things done on their way to a 30-win season, Newport's dominant pitching and superb hitting is in play once again, as the Gull's reputation once again allowed them to grab some of the best D-1 talent out there.

Who’s Hot (Last 10 Games):
• SS Trace Tam Sing (.429, 18H in 42 AB)
• C Ethan Ferreira (.429, 6H, 3R, 3RBI in 14 AB)
• P Mick Van Vossen (1-0, 2G, 8.1IP, 9K)

Hitting

The second best hitting team by average, Newport has a .273 mark (just four points behind the leader) and lead the league in hits with 402. They've also slugged 86 doubles and have knocked in 207 RBI as well as having walked 210 times, all marks that led the league. Benny Roberts also set the NECBL record for doubles in a season with 18.

Power

Sixth in the league in home runs with 16 and playing at Cardines Field, where the fences are the size of houses doesn't help, but the Gulls have a duo of sluggers. Steve Anderson (six home runs) and Roberts (five home runs) are the only two serious threats, but this is a doubles team more than anything. 

Speed

The Gulls don't steal a lot of bases, with just 48, but they are smart base runners. However, even having the 60-yard dash winner (Cody Jones) in your lineup doesn't impact the whole team- but they've got two huge threats. Jones has swiped 20 this summer, and Trace Tam Sing isn't far behind with 18, as the remainder of the 48 steals are scattered across the roster.

Defense

Near the middle of the pack with a .963 fielding percentage, Newport has a solid defense with a league average 59 errors. Newport catchers also gun down 20% of opposing runners trying to steal on them, not that bad of a mark.

Starting Pitching

The best starting pitching in the league once again resides in Newport, Rhode Island. A league-leading 2.19 team ERA as well as 372 K's make them a formidable team to face off against. 11 pitchers have made starts for the Gulls, but only three have thrown over six starts. Those three are Brett Graves (4-0, 1.01), James Mulry (4-1, 1.93) and Mick Van Vossen (3-0, 2.46). With eight pitchers holding sub-2.00 ERA's, the Gulls are a very dangerous team to hit against.

Bullpen

If you think their starting pitching is great, think again. The bullpen creatures that come out and throw for Newport are just as dangerous, and take the form of four aces. Kyle Wilcox (7 saves, 0.48), Kyle McGrath (10 appearances, 1.45), Sean Hartnett (11 app, 1.82) and Joe Iorio (13 app, 1.99). Wilcox hit 97 on the gun at the All-Star game in Laconia, and has been absolutely dominant for the Gulls as a closer.

Outlook

Between Keene and Newport, its tough to decide which is the more dangerous team. Newport has the hitting and the pitching, talent that can't be rivaled. One tough loss was All-Star starter Joel McKeithan to injury, but the Gulls plugged the hole and are just as good. Maybe not as good as last year, but good enough to drive deep into August and towards a back-to-back Fay Vincent Cup.

Sanford Mainers (No. 4 Eastern Seed)

Record: 21-23. Manager: Aaron Izaryk  Home Field: Goodall Park

Season In A Nutshell: Sneaking in via a 4-2 win against Laconia in a tiebreaker-play in game, the Mainers have hovered in fifth place for most of the season, watching the teams change above them. A late season surge and some key losses by teams like Laconia, Sanford snagged a chance to get in, and they capitalized on it.

Who’s Hot (Last 10 Games):
• OF Sam Balzano (.381, 8H, 21AB)
• INF Nic Wilson (.250, 3HR in 40 AB)
• P Steven Rice (2-1, 8.1IP, 1SV)

Hitting

Hitting .249 as a team, the Mainers have no hitters who really stand out other than the pair of Troy Black and Sam Balzano. With just one hitter over .300, the team leads the league in strikeouts and struggles to be patient, with a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio.

Power

Having the home run derby champion would make people think this team had at least a little power, but they've only hit 13 home runs this summer, way behind the league leading 35. The only big threat on the team, surprisingly, is not the derby champion but Nic Wilson, who has hit a team-leading five.

Speed

The Mainers have swiped 62 bases, which ranks fifth in the league. Black is the only big threat for stolen bases, as he has 13 steals this summer, but Balzano has taken eight as well. That duo has been one of the keys Sanford is where they are now, between there contributions at the plate and on the basepaths.

Defense

A .963 fielding percentage ties them for fifth with none other than the Newport Gulls! 60 errors, close to the middle of the league puts them just one above Newport. Very similar across the board, with the exception of Sanford catchers gunning out 25% of runners trying to steal on them (19-of-77).

Starting Pitching

Eight in the league with a 3.63 team ERA, the Mainers have a conventional five-person staff, unlike most of these teams who throw eight or nine pitchers. The league leader in losses, Eric Ashworth has made eight starts and is 1-6, while the other four have better lines. Led by 4-0 Evan Hill, James Borque (0-3, 2.93 ERA), Conor Krauss (1-1, 2.55 ERA) and Nick Poore (1-1, 3.25 ERA) round out the rest of the staff.

Bullpen

The best closer in the league, Vanderbilt lefty Steven Rice has been dominant. With six saves, a 0.94 ERA and a .165 opponent batting average practically gurantee a Mainer victory going into the ninth. In fact, with Sanford winning after eight innings going into the ninth (Rice's territory), the Mainers are undefeated; 15-0. Not to be overshadowed is Iannick Remillard, who has a 2.63 ERA over 13 appearances.

Outlook

Average hitting, fielding and pitching make the Mainers an average team that have the best closer in the league. Best case scenario- the pitching shows up like it has multiple times throughout the year, some timely hits and Rice closes it out. Now do that multiple times and the tiebreaker squad could possibly go farther into August.