Westerners Snap SteepleCats' 2-Game Winning Streak
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Danbury Westerners came to town losers of two straight but were able to snap the SteepleCats' two-game winning streak as they defeated the 'Cats 3-2 Sunday night at Joe Wolfe Field.The Westerners took a 1-0 lead in the top of third inning but the SteepleCats tied the game in the bottom of the inning. The SteepleCats took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to left fielder Cam Kneeland's solo home run. Kneeland, a sophomore at UMass Lowell, was playing in his first game as a SteepleCat after a brief stint with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League earlier this summer.
The next batter, Brett Knief, reached on a fielder's choice and the Westerners still had runners at first and second base with just one out. Tucker Nathans then singled to right field to score Rodriguez. That was followed by a Derek Ingui single to right field that scored Knief and put the Westerners on top 3-2.
Guido Knudson got the start for the SteepleCats and went five innings. He allowed all three Westerners runs, two earned and one unearned, on six hits and a walk while striking out five. Stephen Catalina got the start for the Westerners and allowed both SteepleCats runs, one earned and one unearned, on four hits and two walks while striking out five.
Ingui was the offensive player of the game for the Westerners, going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a stolen base. Kneeland went 2-for-4 in his SteepleCats debut and was the only SteepleCat to tally two hits in the game.
Catalina gets the win for the Westerners while Knudson takes the loss for the SteepleCats. Ian Gardeck allowed two SteepleCats to reach base in the ninth inning but was able to retire the side without allowing a run and earned the save.
The SteepleCats (11-6) and Westerners (9-7) are both off on Monday. The 'Cats are back in action Tuesday night when they take on the Bristol Collegiate Baseball Club at 6:30 p.m. at Joe Wolfe Field.
