LYNN, Mass. (July 5, 2025) 一 On the strength of an early home run, the visiting Sanford Mainers downed the North Shore Navigators 4-1 in Saturday night’s New England Collegiate Baseball League game at Fraser Field.

North Shore dropped to 9-16 on the summer following a second straight loss, while Sanford continued its climb in the North Division standings with a third win in a row to move to 11-13.

Center fielder Ethan Wilson (Winthrop) went 2-for-4 with a double to lead the North Shore offense, while shortstop Jack Rickheim (Harvard) recorded an RBI single.

The Mainers never trailed after putting the first mark on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, as first baseman Brennan Hudson (Georgia) ripped a two-out, two-run homer to right field. Left fielder Kellan Strohmeyer’s (Iowa) one-out walk two batters earlier set the table.

After North Shore starter Joseph Hauser (Northeastern) worked around Hudson’s homer to strike out two in the second and escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the third, Sanford extended its lead to 3-0 when third baseman Ryder Kirtley (Miami of Ohio) ripped a two-out RBI triple out to right-center in the fourth. Catcher Ryan Kolben (UMass) scored following a one-out knock, which was one of his two hits in the ballgame.

The Navs used a fourth-inning run of their own to climb back within 3-1. Left fielder Jesse Jaconski (Penn State) and third baseman Davis Baker (Penn) started the inning with consecutive one-out singles to left, and Rickheim sent an RBI single through the left side to bring in the run.

After North Shore got back in the game, Sean Zaslaw (Bryant) provided two shutout, one-hit innings with two strikeouts. Zaslaw now remains unscored upon through 7.2 frames in five appearances this summer. 

Sanford added an insurance run in the seventh. Leadoff-hitting center fielder Brendan Sencaj (Bentley) began the frame with an RBI double and scored on an error following second baseman Zack Kent’s (Binghamton) single to right.

Another solid night’s work from the Navigator bullpen finished with Swampscott native Pierce Friedman (Maine) striking out a pair across two innings of one-run ball (unearned) and Ryan Griffin (Northeastern) fanning one in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Connor Ball (Stetson) earned the win for Sanford, striking out five across five innings of one-run work. Ben Griffith (Binghamton) and Sam Mitchell (Alabama) each pitched two scoreless to close the door, with the latter recording his second save.

After taking Sunday off, the Navs will make a return trip to Goodall Park to round out a home-and-home series with the Mainers on Monday night. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.