SANFORD — You don’t have to be in Sanford for long to find the Mainers.

Follow the yellow and green banners adorned with team mascot Broose D’Moose that hang on lampposts along Main Street until you hit Roberts Street. Take a right and you’ll get to Goodall Park, built in 1915 and rebuilt in 1998 after the grandstand burned. A historic gem of a baseball field, the Mainers’ home sits underneath pine trees and floodlights.

The Sanford Mainers are six games into their 21st season in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a wood-bat summer baseball league that helps develop some of the top college baseball players in the country. On this year’s roster, there are 11 players who grew up or play college baseball in Maine. The team’s manager, Nic Lops, played high school and college baseball in Maine and coaches for Southern Maine Community College.

Pitcher Bryce Afthim, who played baseball at Windham High before joining the University of Southern Maine team, is back for his second season with the Mainers. Getting to play at Goodall Park played a big part in his decision to return.

“I just love this atmosphere. I loved the team last year and I love the guys this year,” said Afthim, talking about why he chose to return. “(Nic) Lops is a great coach and the fans here are awesome.”

Jack Mullen, another pitcher, went to Cheverus High and now pitches for Bowdoin College. Like Afthim, Mullen played for the Mainers last summer. He credits Lops as one of the reasons he returned.

“He’s like one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever played for, and he was actually my assistant coach in high school, so we have a pretty deep history,” Mullen said. “There wasn’t really a doubt in my mind whether I wanted to come back or not.”

Sanford Mainers players chat as they sit along the left-field line during a game against the Upper Valley Nighthawks at Goodall Park on Monday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

Lops, 30, has achieved success at every level of his budding career, winning the Yankee Small College Conference title and the Coach of the Year award in each of his first two seasons at SMCC. He also led the Mainers to a deep playoff run last summer, earning NECBL Coach of the Year honors. As he’s quick to admit, he has very different priorities when with the Mainers than he does at SMCC.

“Here, we’re focusing on the summer development side of things. We put that as a premium in our organization, that’s first and foremost,” Lops said, before rattling off a list of the team’s priorities. “Player development, stay healthy, have a good summer and win a lot of games. In that order!”

On Monday night, Cody Bowker was the Mainers’ starting pitcher against the Upper Valley (Vermont) Nighthawks. Bowker graduated from Thornton Academy last year and was the 2022 Gatorade Maine Baseball Player of the Year, as well as the Varsity Maine Player of the Year.

In his freshman season at Georgetown this spring, Bowker had a 1-1 record with a 2.57 ERA over 14 appearances, striking out 47 in 42 innings and holding opponents to a .206 batting average. On Monday, he pitched six innings and struck out five in picking up his second win of the season.

“I remember flying back and seeing the different types of scenery and thinking, this is just my home,” Bowker said of how it felt to return to Maine. “This is where I grew up, so it was just a relief to be back, I’m excited to be able to play in Maine.”

Cody Bowker delivers a pitch during the Sanford Mainers’ game against the Upper Valley Nighthawks at Goodall Park on Monday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

Another talented pitcher from Maine, Zach Johnston, is ready for a big summer with the Mainers. Johnston starred at Greely High and now plays for Wake Forest, the top seed in the College World Series. Johnston struggled to find playing time this spring as a freshman on a talented Wake Forest roster, appearing in just four games and throwing a total of 63 pitches.

Johnston is not on Wake Forest’s postseason roster, so he is following the team’s playoff journey from Sanford. He’s using this summer to focus on his pitching and become a stronger player before going back to North Carolina in the fall.

“Getting command and confidence in all my pitches again is gonna be the biggest key,” said Johnston, who got the save in the Mainers’ 3-2 victory Monday. “I love this field, I really love being in Maine. I just wanted to get back home and start playing again.”

Jeremiah Jenkins, who grew up in Maryland, is a standout first baseman at the University of Maine. He was encouraged to join the Mainers by his coach, as well as his UMaine teammate Quinn McDaniel, who played for the Mainers last summer.

At Maine, Jenkins batted .365 with 21 home runs, 53 runs and 76 RBI, winning America East Player of the Year honors. However got off to a slow start with the Mainers, with just two hits in his first 17 at-bats.

Jeremiah Jenkins watches from the Sanford Mainers’ bench during their game against the Upper Valley Nighthawks at Goodall Park on Monday. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

“I’m not off to the best start, but what I’m going to try to work on this summer is taking the pressure I’m putting on myself and just taking that away,” Jenkins said Monday night. “What I’m gonna try to work on is relaxing and just smiling. I think if I do that, I can have a lot of success.”

A night later against the North Adams (Massachusetts) SteepleCats, Jenkins went 2 for 4 and hit a two-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, allowing the Mainers to pull out a 2-1 victory.

But as Lops notes, while winning is still one of the goals, having the opportunity to play summer baseball in Maine is its own victory.

“To be able to call this work, looking out at the field and having this be my office every day,” Lops mused, standing in the dugout, “you really can’t beat it.”

« Previous

Next »

Related Stories