Dukes End Losing Streak With Win Over Keene
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Pittsfield led the game 12-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning when the umpires called the game in a fog delay.
The Dukes offense started early and continued throughout the fog shortened game. In the first inning, with one out and a runner on, Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne College) hit a two run home run, the second of his season, to give Pittsfield the 2-0 lead.
Swamp Bat starter Craig Gullickson (Clemson University) left the game after only retiring one batter and Keene was forced to go to the bullpen for the remainder of the game.
In the second inning, Pittsfield would add another run on an RBI groundout and Dukes starter Matt Giusti was given a 3-0 lead.
With the score 3-1 in the third, J.T. Musso (BYU) led off the inning with a solo home run, his first of the season, to extend the Pittsfield lead to three runs.
Keene would help out the Dukes in the 4th inning by committing three errors in the field, four in total, helping the Dukes score yet another run.
Pittsfield put the game away in the 5th, when the Dukes would send ten hitters to the plate in a five outburst. Jayson Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) hit an RBI single, stole second, and came home on Matt Adams' (Slippery Rock) two run homer to center field. Craig Hertler (San Jose State) would add a two run single, four batters later, to give Pittsfield the commanding 10-3 lead, which was more than enough for Giusti.
The Swamp Bats would add two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Pittsfield would add them right back in the 6th on Adams' second home run of the game, a two run shot to build up a nine run advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Alex Lee (Clemson University) led off by hitting a fly ball to left center field that the Dukes outfielders lost in the fog and Lee would go into second standing up. After the play, the umpires Al Libardoni and Brian Troupe would gather and put the game into a fog delay.
Fog had been rolling in and out during the course of the game and in the sixth, it just became too much to play. During the delay, the umpires would call the game over with the Pittsfield Dukes in front for the 12-3 victory.
Matt Giusti was the winning pitcher, improving to 2-1 on the season. He pitched five plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out four in the process. Keene used five pitchers in the loss, none of them throwing more than two innings. Matt Adams went two for three in the game with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored in the contest.
With the victory, the Dukes improve to 6-8 on the season and end their seven game losing streak. Pittsfield will return home tonight and host the Torrington Twisters tomorrow night at Wahconah Park. Game time is scheduled tomorrow evening at seven and Alex MacKenzie (Canisius) is the probable starter for the Dukes.
For Keene, the Swamp Bats have now lost four of their last five after starting the season 8-1. Keene will have Friday night off and the team will travel to Holyoke on Saturday. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 with Tommy Meagher (Saint Petersburg College) slated to start.
New England Collegiate Baseball League
Results for Thursday, June 26th
For more detailed results and statistics, please visit www.necbl.com or http://www.necbl.com/nutshell.htm.
Holyoke 6, Newport 4
Vermont 5, Torrington 2
Sanford 6, North Adams 4
Pittsfield 12, Keene 3
North Shore 2, Manchester 0
Lowell 5, Danbury 4
Schedule for Friday, June 27th
Holyoke @ Manchester 7pm
North Shore @ Vermont 6:30pm
Newport @ Sanford 6:30pm
North Adams @ Danbury Noon
Torrington @ Pittsfield 7pm
Team China @ Lowell 7pm (Exhibition)
