MacKenzie Leads Dukes to Victory
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MacKenzie and the Dukes would fall behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning when Bobby DiNardo (Fordham University) scored Kevin Jackson (University of Maine) on an RBI groundout. MacKenzie would allow just three hits the remainder of the ballgame, striking out three in the process.
Westerner starter Nick Jones (St. Gregory’s University) would keep the Dukes off the board in the first but Pittsfield would rally with two outs in the second inning. Back-to-back doubles from Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) and Billy Messer (Slippery Rock) would tie up the game at one as Messer blooped the ball to left field as Rosenbeck would come around to score.
Rosenbeck would commit three of the four Dukes' errors in the field behind MacKenzie, but the Canisius student athlete continued to work out of trouble. Danbury would have a runner on base in seven different innings during the game, but MacKenzie held the Westerners scoreless the rest of the way.
In the fifth inning, Jones would run into trouble after getting the first out. Back-to-back walks to Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) and Domenic DiRicco (Cornell) would give the Dukes runners at first and second base. Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) would follow with an RBI single, scoring Edmondson and giving Pittsfield the 2-1 lead.
A single from Jayson Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) would load up the bases and chase Nick Jones from the game. Travis Ratliff (Cortland State) would come in and get Rosenbeck to hit a liner to short. Michael Olt (UCONN) made the lunging grab and then threw back to second base to double up Adams and end the threat.
MacKenzie continued to pitch well and stayed in to pitch the ninth inning as well. T.J. Thomas (San Diego State) reached on an error from Rosenbeck, but was thrown out at second on a sacrifice bunt attempt from Kyle Mahoney (High Point). MacKenzie would then retire the next two hitters to close out the game and earn his first complete game of the season.
With the 2-1 victory, Pittsfield improves to 14-11 on the season and stays just a half game behind the first-place Newport (Conn.) Gulls. Pittsfield will host Newport on Sunday at Wahconah Park in a makeup game from June. Mike Woytek (Wright State) is the probable starter for the Dukes in the 5 o'clock contest for first place.
Danbury drops to 6-20 on the season with the loss and the Westerners are off on Sunday but will travel to Lowell on Monday to play the All-Americans. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 with Dennis Accomando (UCONN) as the slated starter.
The Dukes will also host the Torrington (Conn.) Twisters next week for a doubleheader on Friday, July 18, beginning at 6 p.m. The Twisters and Dukes will play two games, each scheduled for seven innings, and then STAR 101.7-FM and WBRK 1340-AM will sponsor the fireworks show after the second game.
Fans can listen to that game and all Pittsfield Dukes games on the NECBL Broadcast Network.
Tickets are still available for Dukes' games at Wahconah Park. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at 105 Wahconah St. or by calling 413-447-DUKE (3853).
