FARMINGTON – Sean Cabaniss (Vassalboro, Maine) hit a walk-off sacrifice fly ball in game two of a doubleheader with New England College to even the afternoon series at Hippach Field. The first game needed 10 innings to decide a winner but NEC came out on top, 4-2. Cabaniss’s fly ball lifted UMF to a, 2-1, win in the night cap.
NEC rode a, 1-0, lead into the fourth inning until Chad Snowman (Dixfield, Maine) reached on a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, but it was enough to tie the game at one-apiece.
Snowman started the rally in the bottom of the seventh inning with a frozen rope up the middle. Jimmy Parks (Springvale, Maine) laid down a sacrifice bunt, and the apparent throw brought the first baseman off the bag so the Beavers were in business with two on and nobody out. After a passed ball moved both runners up 90 feet, Cabaniss launched a fly into center field and Snowman hustled home to slide across the plate before the throw.
Snowman was 2 for 3 in game two with an RBI and run scored. Kyle Peterson (Bethel, Maine) pitched a complete game gem with three strikeouts and gave up three hits.
UMF’s offense struggled in the first game but a clutch sacrifice fly by Ethan Gouin (Sanford, Maine) evened the score and sent the game into extra innings. Jordan Croteau (So. Paris, Maine) reached first on a catcher’s interference call to start the one-out rally. Trevor Hisler (Skowhegan, Maine) kept the ball rolling with a double down the left field line.
Gouin came through when the Beavers needed him most with a shallow fly to center field. Croteau took it to another gear and slid in safely at home.
In the tenth, the Pilgrims took the lead for good with an RBI sacrifice bunt and a run-scoring single to right field.
Ironman Joe Sullivan (Lewiston, Maine) pitched all 10 innings for UMF with seven strikeouts.
Farmington will play New England College again on Sunday with the doubleheader starting at noon.
