SANFORD — The Sanford Mainers (6-7) offense awoke in the final two innings of the game, but it was too little too late as the Moose fell to the North Adams SteepleCats (8-6) by the score of 8-5 Monday night at Goodall Park.

For the second time in three nights, the Mainers bats were quieted by SteepleCats starting pitching, this time by the right arm of Josh Garran (Pace University). Garran tossed six scoreless innings, racked up eight strikeouts and scattered five hits before turning it to the bullpen.

Sanford’s offense awoke in the last two innings scoring a pair of runs in the eighth on RBI singles from Dan Hetzel (Cochise College) and Dave Schanz (Binghamton University) making it 7-2 ball game. After the SteepleCats tacked on a single tally in the top of the ninth, the Moose put seven men to the plate in their last at-bats. Johnny Slater (University of Michigan) and Shane Hughes (Monmouth University) both walked and Robbie Knightes (St. John’s University) singled to load the bases with no outs.

After a strikeout, Hetzel laced a bases-clearing double to make it 8-5 with one out. However, SteepleCats reliever Charles “Woody” Bryson (Villanova University) was able to end the threat and the game with a pair of fly outs.

The Mainers had to play catch up from the third inning on after Victor Sorrento (Sacred Heart University) blasted a grand slam with two outs off Mainers starter Blake Morgan (North Carolina Central University) who fell to 0-1 on the season.

Five Mainers finished with multi-hit games while Hetzel drove in four runs in his last two at-bats of the evening. With the loss, the Mainers have dropped two straight games.

The Mainers are back in play Tuesday night, traveling to Montpelier, Vermont to visit the Mountaineers at Recreation Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Fans can listen in either on Pointstreak or The Legends in Sanford 1220 AM or 102.3 FM.