SteepleCats sweep doubleheader from Dukes
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North Adams would win the first game of the doubleheader 7-2, and would also go on to win the second game 8-7. With the victories, the SteepleCats also secure the Battle of the Berkshires victory, having won four of the six games in the series this season.
The SteepleCats would score first in Game 1 with an RBI single from Cody Stanley (UNC Wilmington) against Dukes starter Luke Mazzanti (San Jose State). North Adams would score another three runs in the second inning as the SteepleCats would send eight hitters to the plate.
Mazzanti retired the first two hitters, but the next five reached as the SteepleCats would score three runs on just one hit. A hit by pitch and back to back walks would load up the bases, and T. J. Greig (Malloy College) would hit a two run single up the middle to expand the lead to three. Jonny Smith (Niagara University) would walk and as the pitch went to the backstop, John Malloy (La Salle) scurried home from second base for the 4-0 lead.
North Adams starter Nick Serino (UMASS) allowed just one hit through two innings, but struggled in the third and fourth. The left hander would leave the bases loaded in both innings to maintain a four run advantage.
Mazzanti would allow another run in the fourth and left the game trailing 5-0. Mazzanti allowed five runs (all earned) on five hits. He would also walk four and strike out three in his second loss of the season.
Jake Sabol (Central Michigan) relieved Mazzanti in the fifth inning after throwing six innings the night before against Torrington. Game 2 starter Nick Shaw (Florida Gulf Coast) added another run with an RBI single and on would score on an error from Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) later in the inning to take the 7-0 lead.
Pittsfield rallied in the sixth inning knocking Serino out of the game. Jason Krizan (Dallas Baptist) doubled to right field, his third hit of the game, to pull the Dukes within six runs as Serino was taken. Greg Robinson (Wright State) came into the game and allowed another run before John Malloy made a sliding catch on Domenic DiRicco’s (Cornell) hit to center field and threw back to double up Krizan to end the inning.
The Dukes would go in order in the seventh inning as North Adams wins game one 7-1. The win secured the third spot in the playoffs for North Adams. The second game would start at seven o’clock as festivities for Hometown Heroes night took place at Joe Wolfe Field. Local fire, police, and ambulance crews were on hand to show off the newest technology between games, and a helicopter flyover took place prior to game two.
Infielder and knuckleballer Mike Massery (American International) started for the Dukes and retired the first two hitters before three straight would reach base. On a double steal, Jonny Smith would score from third, and Cody Stanley would score on an RBI single from Ryan Delgado (Chaffey College) for the 2-0 lead.
Pittsfield would answer right back with a run in the second off of SteepleCat starter Nick Shaw. The Dukes would rally with two outs and a Kevin Clements (Manchester CC) RBI single closed the gap to a run.
In the third, Cody Stanley homered to right field, scoring two runs, and Delgado followed on the next pitch with a solo home run to left field. An RBI single from Brian Adams (Wright State) later in the inning put North Adams up 5-0.
Massery pitched four innings for Pittsfield in his first loss of the season. The right hander allowed seven runs (six earned) on ten hits, striking out two in the process. Outfielder Domenic DiRicco was called in to pitch and threw a scoreless sixth inning for the Dukes.
In the top of the sixth, North Adams manager Jeff Verplanke emptied the bench as the game took an interesting turn with six pitchers being used in the field and second baseman Greg Van Horn (Brookdale CC) on the hill. Pittsfield would mount an improbable comeback as the Dukes scored five runs off of Van Horn and Robinson on just two hits as Pittsfield trailed by just a run 7-6.
In the bottom of the inning, Jayson Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) moved from third base to the mound for Pittsfield. With one out, Cody Stanley gave North Adams an insurance run on a solo home run, his second homer of the game, to right field for the 8-6 lead.
The home run would prove valuable in the seventh as an RBI single from DiRicco brought Pittsfield within a run of tying the ballgame. With the tying run on second base, pinch hitter Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) hit a groundball to short that hit DiRicco’s leg for the second out. Robinson would then strike out Clements to end the game and secure a wild doubleheader win for the SteepleCats.
North Adams finishes the season with a doubleheader sweep as the SteepleCats improve to 20-22 on the season. North Adams will await the losing team from Thursday’s matchup between the Pittsfield Dukes (24-17) and the Newport Gulls (25-16) at Cardines Field. The game will begin at six o’clock. With Newport a game up on Pittsfield, the Dukes need a win to force a tie atop the Southern Division standings. With a Dukes win, Pittsfield would hold the tiebreaker having won the season series 4-2. Mike Woytek (Wright State) is the probable for Pittsfield as the right hander is matched up against Chad Arnold (Washington State) of the Gulls.
GAME NOTES: Duke catcher Kevin Clements caught both games of the doubleheader for back-to-back days. He has caught five games behind the plate over the last three days. Clements also extended his hitting streak to seven games with an RBI single in both games…The home runs for Cody Stanley and Ryan Delgado mark the first time that North Adams has gone back to back this season. Stanley now has five home runs on the season while Delgado has his first for North Adams…Stanley also extended his hitting streak to 10 games with an RBI single in game one and a three hit performance in game two…Dukes outfielder Jason Krizan went 3 for 3 in the first game with an RBI double following a 4-for-36 stretch. Krizan was held hitless in three at bats in the second game....Outfielder John Malloy picked up his eighth outfield assist this season, and third against the Dukes when he doubled up Jason Krizan in game one.
New England Collegiate Baseball League
Results for Wednesday, July 30th
For more detailed results and statistics, please visit www.necbl.com. or www.necbl.com/nutshell.htm.
Danbury 3, Torrington 0
Torrington 3, Keene 2
North Adams 7, Pittsfield 2
North Adams 8, Pittsfield 7
North Shore 1, Holyoke 0
Holyoke 2, North Shore 1
Vermont 5, Lowell 2
Schedule for Thursday, July 31st
Torrington @ North Shore 3pm (at Holyoke)
North Shore @ Holyoke 6:30pm
Pittsfield @ Newport 6:35pm
Sanford @ Lowell 2pm
Keene @ Lowell 6:30pm
Manchester @ Vermont 6:30pm
