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Hot-hitting Sanborn stays perfect

Not exactly the best way to start a busy week of baseball.

Unbeaten Sanborn struggled through a rough first inning against Belmont, committing three errors that the visitors happily seized upon for a 3-0 advantage.

But the Indians' offense remained unstoppable to quickly reverse the deficit, and a trio of pitchers combined for a shutout effort the rest of the way in an eventual 11-3 blowout.

"It was a realization that, with the way we've started this year, that teams are going to come to play against us," Sanborn head coach Billy Chapman said of the slow beginning. "We have to play every inning tough and we can't take one off."

Pitcher Andy Nelson kick-started the offense with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the first that put Sanborn, now 5-0, on top to stay, 4-3. Later, Jeremy Meyer (three hits and two RBIs) drilled an RBI double with two down in the third to help put the game out of reach.

"We were patient, then we got the big two-out hits," Chapman said. "I always tell the kids (that) two-out hits win ball games."

Sanborn has yet to score fewer than 10 runs in a game or get less than 10 hits.

With challenging games remaining (Somersworth today, at Mascenic Thursday and Belmont again Friday), Chapman rotated his big three, looking to coax them through the tough stretch. Nelson started and earned the win with three innings of three-hit ball, with John Lenane (two innings, one hit, three strikeouts) and Robby Ficker two innings, no hits) closing the door after.

"We're looking for Nelson and Lenane to pitch all of our games this week with Ficker finishing things off," Chapman explained. "I don't want anyone to go over four or five innings and with our hitting, it makes it easier to plan. We also have other people that can get the job done. We're facing four top Class M teams and I hope this start gives our guys more confidence."