NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - The North Adams SteepleCats needed all of the ten runs they plated on Sunday evening, as the 'Cats won a shootout, 10-9, over the Sanford Mainers at Joe Wolfe Field.

 

It was just the second time this season the SteepleCats had scored 10 runs in a game, and gave North Adams a second home win over the Mainers this season.

 

Three Sanford runs in the first two innings put the SteepleCats in an early hole. The Mainers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, courtesy of back-to-back RBI singles from Riley Pittman (Arkansas Little Rock) and Logan Wyatt (Louisville). Harrison Ray (Vanderbilt) expanded the advantage to 3-0 in the second when he singled home Colby Maiola (UMass Lowell).

 

North Adams' first salvo in the Sunday shootout came in the bottom of the third. After a one-out double by Jonathan Engelmann (Michigan), Eddie Haus (St. Mary's) got the SteepleCats on the board with an RBI single. A Michael Gulino (Pace) single and a Ryan Schalch (Pacific) walk loaded the bases for Taylor Lane (Arizona State). Lane singled into right field to score one run, and two more crossed the plate when the ball was misplayed by the Mainers. Another error, this one off the bat of Joe Gillette (Menlo College), opened the SteepleCat lead to 5-3.

 

Sanford responded right away with the first roundtripper of the evening. JT Pittman (Le Moyne) and Ryland Kerr (Eastern Kentucky) singled to lead off the action, which led to Maiola clubbing his fourth home run of the season over the fence. It was Maiola's first non-solo shot of the campaign.Jimmy Kerr (Michigan) pushed the Sanford lead to 7-5 in the top of the sixth, as the Wolverine product doubled in Pittman.

 

The momentum swung back in the North Adams direction in the bottom of the sixth, as the SteepleCats took the lead for good. Jake Ackerman (Mission College) and Gulino singled in the frame, putting two runners on base with two outs. Dillon Paulson gave the lead to the SteepleCats with his fourth home run of the season, a towering three-run shot over the right field fence.

 

Two more runs in the bottom of the seventh increased the North Adams lead to three. Lane followed the lead of Paulson, belting one out of Joe Wolfe Field for his first home run of the NECBL campaign. North Adams added another run thanks to the third Sanford error of the game, an error that plated Gillette.

 

The Mainers attempted to rally in the top of the eighth, but came up a run short. A throwing error turned a  Carmine Pagano (UNC Asheville) walk into a run, and Shaine Hughes (Monmouth) broke up an 0-for-4 outing with an RBI double that closed the North Adams lead to 10-9. However, TJ Pagan (Pittsburgh) was able to get the final four outs for the 'Cats to pick up his NECBL-best sixth save.

 

Braxton Wilks (Abilene Christian) worked 1.2 scoreless innings, and was credited with the victory. Gulino tied a season-high by hitting safely three times in the win.

 

The SteepleCats finish a six-game homestand on Monday night at Joe Wolfe Field, welcoming the Plymouth Pilgrims for the first and only time this season. Ryan Tapp (UNC Asheville) starts for the SteepleCats on fan appreciation night, where any and all fans will be admitted free to the ballpark upon the completion of a short survey. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.