Dukes Tie with Gulls for First Place After Saturday Win
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Newport would get off to the early lead in the first inning off of Dukes starter Michael Ness (Duke). Alex Gregory (Radford University) hit a sinking line drive to left field that got past Chris Edmondson and rolled away from him. Former Duke Taylor Meehan (Harvard) scored on the error and Newport had the 1-0 lead. An RBI groundout from Mike Tamsin (Northeastern) would give Gulls starter Chad Arnold (Washington State) a 2-0 lead to work with.
Arnold set down the Dukes in order in the first inning but the second inning was a different story as the Dukes sent 7 hitters to the plate. It all started with Jason Krizan (Dallas Baptist) and Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) reaching on back-to-back singles. Jake Rosenbeck's (Buffalo) two run single then tied up the game at two.
Newport would regain the lead in the third inning on an RBI double from Tamsin to give Arnold one more run to work with. It was the first time this season that Ness has allowed more than two runs in a start. He pitched five innings and allowed three runs (two earned) in his first home start of the season.
Arnold would hold Pittsfield scoreless over the next four innings as he left the game after six innings allowing just two runs. He would lead the game in position to get the win as Newport would add a run in the seventh inning of Dukes reliever Adam Knight (Georgia State) to take a 4-2 lead.
Geoff Brown (University of Washington) would start the seventh for the Gulls but would only retire one batter as he walked three of the four hitters he faced. Manager Mike Coombs would then bring in Robert Morey (Virginia) in hopes of getting out of the one out bases loaded jam.
Chris Edmondson greeted Morey with an infield RBI single to the left side hole to close the gap to one. Krizan would then empty the bases with a 3 run double to left field, just inside the fair line, as he would advance to third on the throw into the plate. The double gave Pittsfield the 6-4 lead. The Dukes would then load up the bases again but would lead them loaded entering the top of the eighth inning.
The Gulls would attempt a comeback against Jake Sabol (Central Michigan) who came in to start the eighth inning. Jared Prince (Washington State) and David Cunningham (Auburn University) leadoff the inning with singles, and Joey Manning (Vanderbilt University) moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. With the infield drawn in, Sabol induced Meehan to fly out to shallow center field and Prince was unable to advance on the play.
Dukes closer Zach Anderson (Buffalo) then entered the game with runners at second and third with two outs, attempting to earn his third saves in as many games. He had previously saved the last two games in the Dukes winning streak, going more than an inning in both of those ballgames.
Anderson retired pinch hitter Ryan Wiegand (Gonzaga) as he flied out to left to end the inning and the threat. Anderson would then stay in the game for the ninth. Following a leadoff walk, Anderson buckled down and retired the next three hitters to secure the victory.
The Dukes are now tied with the Newport Gulls in the Southern Division in first place with an 11-10 record. The win increases the Pittsfield winning streak to three games as they continue their scheduled five-game homestand. On Sunday, the Dukes will host the Dominican Republic All-Star team in an exhibition game beginning at 5 o'clock. Mike Woytek (Wright State) is the probable starter.
With the loss, Newport drops to 10-9 as their four-game winning streak is snapped. The Gulls will have Sunday off but are scheduled to host a two-team doubleheader on Monday at Cardines Field. Newport will play Keene at 2 o'clock and then host Manchester beginning at 6:35. Neal Davis (Virginia) will start game one for the Gulls, and Kevin Moran (Boston College) will be the game two starter.
