Photo Courtesy of Abby Harris

Written by Jackson Walsh

Director of Broadcasting & Media

HARTFORD, Vermont – The Sanford Mainers dropped their second consecutive game to open the 2025 season. The Upper Valley Nighthawks defeated Sanford 5-3 in five innings in a game that was called due to inclement weather that led to unplayable field conditions. The Nighthawks improve to 2-1 while the Mainers dip to 0-2. 

This is the second game in two days that the Mainers have dropped in the state of Vermont. In similar fashion to last night's loss to the Vermont Mountaineers, Sanford gave up a multiple run lead. 

The Mainers jumped on the board right away. Blake Schaff (Georgetown) reached on an error to open the game, third-year Mainer Jack Toomey (Boston College) then singled. Schaff later scored when Luke Jenkins (UNC Greensboro) grounded out to second. Not long after, Toomey touched home on a wild pitch. 

Parker Lendrum (Southern New Hampshire) got the start on the mound and went two innings for Sanford. “I was hoping to get a long outing of him, but he didn’t have his best stuff today,” said Mainers manager Nic Lops. “I have full confidence that he is going to bounce back.” Upper Valley plated one run in both the first and second innings. 

Connor Toriello (Salve Regina) took the mound in the third for Sanford. The Maine native allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits but the box score is not indicative of his performance. “Toriello got bled to death,” said Lops. The Mainers skipper referring to Toriello getting primarily weak contact from the Nighthawks lineup. 

The Mainers tacked on one more in the fifth after a lead-off single from Kyle Douin (Southern Maine), who later scored on a single from Toomey. 

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Jason Libby (UMaine) made his first appearance for Sanford. Libby played for Lops at Southern Maine Community College before transferring Maine to pitch for the Black Bears. Libby fired a scoreless fifth and punched out two before the rain picked up and the game went into a delay.

After steady rain and tarps only applied to the mound and plate, the game was officially called due to unplayable field conditions. 

The Mainers hit the road again on Wednesday when they travel to North Shore for an 11 a.m. first pitch. 

About the Sanford Mainers:
Sanford Mainers Baseball is Southern Maine's Premier Baseball Experience located in Sanford, Maine and is one of 13 members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, as well as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001, playing its first season in 2002. The Sanford Mainers are committed to providing an outlet for collegiate baseball players from across the country to assist in skill development, while also acting as a community partner to the Southern Maine region in regard to youth activities, internships, volunteerism, and more. The Mainers are two-time league champions, taking home the title in 2004 and 2008. For more information on the Sanford Mainers, please visit our website at www.sanfordmainers.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/sanfordmainers or on Twitter and Instagram at @sanford_mainers.

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