SANFORD — No one seems to want to see the Sanford Mainers’ season come to an end.

Certainly not the Mainers themselves, who Tuesday saw to it that they didn’t, with a 5-3 East Division semifinal series clinching win against the North Shore Navigators, before a Goodall Park gathering of 568.

The win, the rubber match of the best of three set, puts the Mainers into the East final against their old rivals, the Newport Gulls, whom they downed in last year’s championship series.

The Mainers will head to Newport for tonight’s (6:35) opener, in what is also a best of three set. The teams will return to Sanford for Game 2, Thursday (6:35 p.m.), while Game 3, if necessary, will be played Friday in Newport.

“I feel like we can win this thing, now,” said Sanford shortstop Corey Thompson. “We showed we could beat them before. We can beat them again.”

Newport sported NECBL’s best record during the regular season, and took all four previous meetings with the Mainers.

That, however, doesn’t dampen the mood, or the confidence of the Mainers, who have won 10 of their last dozen starts (including playoffs).

“I think we have enough talent,” said Mark Micowski, a Mainer last year who missed the final month ”“ and the championship run ”“ due to injury, “we can definitely beat them and make it to the championship. Any time I can play for something and get a ring, that’s what I live for. I’m really excited.”

Sanford needed a full effort from its bullpen to dispatch the Navigators, after starter Colin Snow lasted just 1 2/3 innings because of a shoulder injury.

In all, six Mainer hurlers preserved the lead that was theirs from the first inning on.

Micowski got Sanford going with a double to rightfield. He scampered home, one out later, when Mike Roth drove the first offering from North Shore starter Mike Gallo into the rightfield corner.

Next inning, Adam DuVall worked a one-out walk off Gallo, took third on Doug Elliot’s single, then scored on the back end of a delayed steal.

Elliot was later singled in by Micowski, making it 3-0.

“I felt like we were squaring the ball up,” said DuVall, “and scoring runs. That took a little pressure off us.”

Snow’s shoulder began acting up in the second, and he was lifted in favor of Kyle Davis with two on and two away.

“They just told me to go in,” said Davis, one of two Mainers (along with OF Kyle Groth) with championship rings from last year. “I wasn’t ready at all. But I did pretty good for just going in.

Indeed. Davis responded by keeping the Navs scoreless until the fifth, when he exited after being nicked for a run.

“I didn’t have time to think at all,” Davis said. “I think that helped a little bit.”

North Shore kept matters close, drawing to within 4-2 with a run in the sixth, then scoring once more with two out in the ninth against Mainers closer Tyler Mizenko.

However, Mizenko retired Ben Waldrip for the final out, and keep the Mainers in business for at least one more series.

“We’ve been playing all summer,” said Davis. “Why not stay five more days? We’re trying to win it again. At least I am.”

CHIN MUSIC: Sanford manager Aaron Izaryk offered this scouting report on the Gulls. “They tend to get the ‘pro’ bodies and talented athletes every year,” he said. “They play the game right. They play sound defense, hit the ball well, and their pitching keeps them in games. But we have a good team, too. We can’t forget that. There’s no reason for us to think we can’t go down to Newport and get one out of there.””¦ Right hander Chad O’Connor will get the start tonight against Newport ”¦

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.