Westerners Muscle Past SteepleCats
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Many around the ballpark will tell you that last year’s SteepleCats team was the best in years, and perhaps the most primed and talented to take home the league championship. However, the Westerners shut the door and even sealed up the mail slot on a memorable 2010 season by winning the West in a thrilling best-of-3 game series after dropping the opening game at Joe Wolfe Field. Not much has changed in 2011, and after two meetings at the Joe, Danbury has outscored North Adams 15-2. Granted the Westerners possess one of the most dangerous lineups in the entire league, but the ‘Cats have not been a serious match for them at any point this season. With Cameron Copping primed to improve to 3-0 on the heels of being named NECBL Pitcher of the Week, the SteepleCats were ready to go at Rogers Park after two important days off.
Erik Luksis would be the night’s starter for Danbury, faced with the important task of countering the dangerous Copping. Luksis had not been successful since his first start of the year on Opening Day back on June 10, and like Copping, had been relegated to some bullpen duties as he worked his way back from a minor elbow injury. Both starters were very sharp and only Copping had allowed a baserunner through the first three innings after right fielder Tyler Horan doubled with two outs in the second. In the SteepleCats fourth, shortstop Mike LeBel went deep for the second straight game as he put one out over the left field wall for the game’s first run. Luksis was not fazed and struck out Drew Gadaire looking for his fifth strike of the night before getting Jacob Daniel to fly out right to end the inning.
But the lead would not last as Westerners right fielder Dane Opel blasted Copping’s first pitch of the home fourth for a game-tying home run. Copping then got the next two outs before catcher Chad Morgan and Horan singled to put runners at first and second. Left fielder Kyle Richardson then grounded out to Cameron Griffin in a force play at third base. Both sides went down in order in the fifth and were still tied at 1 going into the sixth inning.
With one out and the SteepleCats batting, second baseman Corbin Blakey singled off Luksis (2-1), who then walked leadoff hitter Chantz Mack on four pitches. After LeBel flew out to right field, designated hitter Drew Gadaire was grazed on the back of his shirt by a fastball to load the bases for Jacob Daniel. As he’s continued to show over the past few weeks, Daniel lived up to his reputation as the team’s go-to clutch hitter by delivering a two-run single up the middle that made it 3-1. Now it was Copping’s turn to once again protect a lead, albeit this time the ‘Cats had given him a two run cushion.
The home sixth did not start well for North Adams as Opel led off and reached on a groundball error by Blakey. Following Chase Butler’s base hit and cleanup hitter Mike Ford’s bunt single, Morgan stroked a two-run double down the right field line to tie the game at 3. With nobody out, Copping fanned Horan before Richardson hit a grounder deep in the hole at short. LeBel ranged to his right and made the play, but sent an errant throw off his back foot to the fence running up the right field line that brought in both runners to give Danbury a 5-3 lead. After Richardson stole second, shortstop Jake Gronsky rolled a base hit into center and Daniel came up firing to the plate for Brett Frantini to apply the tag on Richardson’s leg as he slid into home. Chris Waylock then reached on a bunt single before Copping (2-1) finally escaped the inning with a strikeout of Tanner Krietemeier.
In the seventh, Frantini’s two-out single off Westerners reliever Jimmy Reed was the only thing doing offensively for the SteepleCats. Frank Morris then entered from the bullpen to replace Copping, riding an eight-inning streak of having not allowed a run spanning four appearances. He started the inning with a walk to Opel before Butler was called out for batter’s interference as he did not move out of Frantini’s way on a throw down to second to nab Opel on a steal attempt. Ford then hit a high pop up to second that Blakey dropped, but was able to get Opel in a force out at second after he returned to first with the tag rule in effect. With a runner at first, Morgan knocked a two-run home run to right center on Morris’ first offering. The next batter, Horan, did the exact same thing, although his shot was hit so well it did not even prompt a look from Morris on the mound. Richardson then flew out to deep center for the final out of the inning, but the Westerners had scored the game’s final run and had a secure 8-3 lead in tow.
The SteepleCats (10-17) return to Joe Wolfe Field tonight at 6:30 to play host to the Mystic Schooners (11-11) in a Western Division showdown. It’s Beach Night at the Joe presented by Shima, and the first 250 fans in attendance will receive a SteepleCats beach ball. If you can’t make the game, make sure you catch all the action by listening on the team’s website. Go to www.steeplecats.com and access the TeamLine link at the bottom of the page, and you’ll see a link with a schedule of live and archived broadcasts.
