Sunday, May 17

Saco-Biddeford Gets Royally Flushed

Wilkinson – The SPN Royals went “all-in” right off the bat against SBS Sunday afternoon and by game’s end, they were the ones cashing in their chips and sending SBS to its first loss on the season.  After a lead-off double by Sam T., Patrick G. and Matt B. both reached with hits.  Matt’s hit brought in Sam and then Nick T. and Silas J. also drove in runs for three-of-a kind in the first.

            Like a riverboat gambler, however, the Bankers had a few cards up their sleeve as they came to the plate.  After Jon Vickers walked, Andrew Roberts drove a Sam T. pitch to the wall in right center for a double scoring Vickers.  Unfortunately, their luck took a turn for the worse as the Royals answered in the second.  After a lead-off strike out and then a single by Jacob G., SBS committed consecutive errors to prolong the inning.  Sam T. took full advantage of the opportunity as he doubled in two runs and the Royals scored three unearned in the inning for a six run lead.

            While SBS loaded the bases in the second, they could not score but their defense came up big to keep them in the game.  Thomas Hodgkins snared a Nick T. fly ball at third and then Joseph Grant smothered a sharp Silas grounder at second base for an assist before a strike out to end the inning.  With the top of their order heading to the plate, the Bankers attempted to make like a big ol’ bottle of Heinz and catch-up.

            Hayden Owen led off the inning with a double bringing J-Stick and his hotter-than-hot-wings-in-a-volcano bat to the plate.  Vickers took a mamouth swing at an initial offering and deposited the ball squarely...on third base.  Fortunately for the home team, he deposited it on third base of the AA/AAA field after it had passed over the wall and scoreboard in right-center.  Once Chris Mitchell walked, Michael Kilmartin shot a scorcher down the right field line allowing Mitchell to advance to third and then score on an overthrow.  Sam T. then threw down a pair of K’s causing SBS to fold, but now only facing a two run deficit.

            Roberts held the Royals scoreless in the fourth but Sam T. returned the favor by striking out the side.  Miscues once again gave the Royals extra outs in the fifth and allowed Nick T. to get to the plate and drive in the second run of the inning with only one being earned.  Owen took advantage of Royals miscues in the fifth to get back one of the runs, but it was a case of too little too late as neither team scored in the sixth. 

            SBS returns to the feature table on Wednesday, however, as they face another top team in the league – Northeast Turf.  Both teams will be looking to end the game with the tall stack.  Bet on it.