NEWPORT, R.I. –The Gulls’ struggle to find rhythm continued on Wednesday night when it fell to the Sanford Mainers 7–1. This loss came after a 17–1 loss to the Ocean State Waves on Monday and a split day-night double header with the Plymouth Pilgrims on Tuesday.
Up until the eighth inning, the game was neck and neck at 1–0 in favor of the Mainers. The only run that was scored up until that point was off of starting pitcher Josh Bates who walked Tyler Solomon with the bases loaded to plate Josh Zbierski. Bates finished his outing with 3.0 innings pitched, two hits, and one earned run as he wore the loss for the Gulls.
In the eighth inning the doors were blown open with Austen Michel dealing on the mound in his second inning of relief. After allowing two runs, Michel surrendered a grand slam to John Rizer to push the lead to 7–0. All six of the runs Michel allowed were unearned. It was an inning where Sanford mustered just two hits but took advantage of a couple of Newport errors and two walks.
The lone run for the Gulls was scored in the bottom of the ninth inning. With a 7–0 lead, Sanford’s Jack Weisenburger walked three batters, setting up Stevie Mangrum to score from third on a passed ball.
The Gulls’ offensive struggles continued as the team only produced three hits the whole game, all of which came off the bat of Tim Tawa. Tawa would finish 3-for-4 on the night. No player on the Gulls registered an RBI. 
Tomorrow night, the Gulls (13 – 15) will travel to Alumni Field to battle the Keene Swamp Bats (16 – 13) at 6:30 p.m.