SANFORD — The Sanford Mainers limped into the midway point of the New England Collegiate Baseball League season with a double-header sweep at the hands of the Newport Gulls on Monday, and that’s an understatement.

The Mainers, currently 9-12 with 21 games to go, more like fell down a la Mary Decker in the 1984 Olympics and literally dragged themselves to the summer’s checkpoint.

Losers now in seven of the last eight games, Sanford returns to action tonight against North Shore hoping to end this current slide — one that, ironically enough, came after wins in four-of-five. The Mainers are currently five-and-a-half games back of the Eastern Division-leading Navigators, currently in fourth place.

At this point of the season, let’s take a look at how the team has stacked up thus far.

Offense

The Mainers’ offensive numbers read like a team in the middle of the pack in the NECBL, which they are. Sanford is seventh in the league with a team batting average of .241 and eighth in runs scored (87) and total bases (223). And while they play in the extra-base-hit friendly Goodall Park, the Mainers have the second fewest doubles in the league with 25, but have the second most triples (7).

One plus is that as a team, they’ve only grounded into five double plays.

Additionally, five Mainers have at least 10 RBI, including Dylan Pratt, who leads the team with 12, but runs have been scarce as Sanford has scored fewer than four runs in eight games this summer.

Individually, Mark Micowski has been far and away the Mainers’ best at the plate. He leads the team with a .357 average, 25 hits and 21 runs scored (league leader) in 20 games, as well as a .972 OPS. He also has seven steals and four triples.

Justin Hilt has also been a bright spot at the plate with an .865 OPS, five doubles and a team-high 10 stolen bases, as well as a .294 average.

Grade: C

Defense/Other

Goodall Park may be a tricky place to play, but Sanford has made it seem like a jungle. The Mainers have committed the second most errors in the league with 44, and likewise have the second worst fielding percentage at .946.

The numerous miscues haven’t helped out their starting pitching, either, which has given up 34 unearned runs — most in the NECBL.

Matt Marra and Ethan Wilson are Sanford’s biggest culprits, with seven errors each. Marra’s have come in 68 chances, while Wilson’s in 95. Tucker Nathans and Michael Roth each have five errors.

One bright spot has been Doug Elliot behind the plate. While he hasn’t done much swinging the stick  — just a .130 average in 46 at bats — he does have a .977 fielding percentage and committed just two errors. Likewise, Bob Stumpo has erred just twice in 126 chances of split duty at first base and catcher.

Grade: D+

Pitching

The strongest part of the Mainers, the pitching staff, would have even better numbers if the offense and defense could keep up. But, alas, Sanford fans can take solace in the team’s 3.03 ERA (fourth best in the league) and earned runs (61, fourth fewest) and know if the other two facets catch up, a strong second half of the season is the future.

Among the Mainers’ starters, Matt Murray (0-1, 1.69 ERA) Ken Monteith (1-1, 1.72 ERA) and Colin Snow (2-0, 2.08 ERA) have been stellar.

Out of the bullpen, Tyler Mizenko and his miniscule 0.79 ERA has been among the top closers in the NECBL. He is tied for the league lead with four saves and 10 finished games. Drew Leininger (2-0) has also been stout in relief, having not given up an earned run in 10 innings pitched.

Grade: B+

Overall

The first 13 games were much more indicative of what the Mainers have to offer than the last eight. They outscored opponents 58-35 in the former span compared to a 29-49 margin in the latter.

If the bats can keep up with the arms, there’s no reason to think Sanford can’t go 15-6 in the second half of the season and contend with North Shore for the division lead; at the very least a playoff spot is still within reach.

Grade: C

— Contact Chris Brockman at 282-1535 Ext. 317 or at cbrockman@journaltribune.com.