SANFORD — For the second consecutive game, the Sanford Mainers (6-8) offense stalled through the first half of the game before attempting another late inning rally. This time, the Moose fell to the Danbury Westerners (2-13) in a crossover contest Wednesday night at Goodall Park.

The pesky Westerners, who pounded out 17 hits, tacked on two key insurance runs in the top of the eighth with a two-run single from James Bunn (Virginia Commonwealth University) making it a 7-4 hill to climb for the Mainers with three outs to work with.

A pair of Monmouth University standouts ignited the rally. Shaine Hughes  walked and came around to score on an RBI single from Chris Gaetano making it a two-run deficit, 7-5. With runners at first and second with two outs, Harrison Wenson (University of Michigan) drew a walk to load the bases. However, the Westerners escaped the jam and earned the victory when Dave Schanz (Binghamton University) flied out to deep left field.

The Westerners jumped to a 5-0 lead after five full innings. The Mainers pushed a pair of runs across in the fifth on a wild pitch and RBI groundout by Hunter Wood (Western Kentucky University) making it a 5-2 ball game after six frames. Sanford added another two runs in the seventh on a Franklin Gutierrez (University of Michigan) error scoring Sam Dexter (University of Southern Mainer) and Hughes who reached on a fielder’s choice and double respectively; making it the closest the Mainers would get to knotting the game, 5-4 after seven innings.

Ben Greenberg (Fordham University) fell to 0-2 on the season allowing three earned runs and scattering nine hits in five innings of work. The Moose called upon five different bullpen arms to keep the game within reach with Cam Hatch (St. Edwards University) tossing a dominant ninth inning, striking out all three batters he faced.

Gaetano highlighted a great defensive showing from the Mainers outfield, with two assists from right field and a spectacular back-handed sliding catch that saved two runs in the fifth inning. Robbie Knightes went 2-for-4 on the night, extending his team high hitting streak to seven consecutive games. Hughes, Knightes, and Gaetano all finished with multi-hit efforts at the plate.