Pittsfield loses heartbreaker in 11 innings, will play North Adams
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The Dukes came into the tonight down by a game with a chance to claim first but an extra-innings battle between the top two teams in the Southern Division was won by Newport in an eventful ballgame.
An RBI single from Mike Tamsin (Northeastern) gave Newport the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and starter Chad Arnold would hold Pittsfield scoreless until the fifth inning when Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) hit a solo home run to right field to tie up the game.
Mike Woyek would allow only that one run over six innings, and Michael Ness (Duke) would pitch two scoreless innings of relief to keep Pittsfield in the game. Geoff Brown (Univ of Washington) kept scoreless over the final five innings to give his team a chance to win.
In the bottom of the eleventh, Zach Anderson (Buffalo) was in his third inning of work and Newport would put together a one-out rally. With a runner on first and two outs, Taylor Meehan (Harvard) hit a slow roller to shortstop and Rosenbeck bobbled it to prolong the inning. Cody Grisham then hit a slow rolling infield single to short that got under Rosenbeck’s barehanded attempt. Craig Hertler (San Jose State) fielded the ball and threw home as pinch-runner David Poutier (Pensacola CC) scored before the Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) tag to win the game.
As the number two seed, the Pittsfield Dukes will host the third seeded North Adams SteepleCats in their first ever playoff game at Wahconah Park on Saturday, August 2nd at seven.
WBRK 1340 AM and STAR 101.7 FM are sponsoring the Pittsfield Dukes game and the fireworks extravaganza to follow. Approximately twenty minutes after the conclusion of the playoff game, the fireworks display will begin at Wahconah Park. Tickets for the July 18th fireworks show are also redeemable for entry at the Park on Satrurday, August 2nd as well.
Tickets are still available for the Dukes’ playoff game at Wahconah Park. Tickets can be purchased at the Dukes box office at 105 Wahconah Street or by calling 413 447 DUKE (3853).
Fans can also see the playoff bound Dukes on the road, as Pittsfield will travel to Torrington for a doubleheader today at five, a doubleheader at North Adams tomorrow beginning at four, and the season finale at the Newport Gulls at 6:30 on Thursday.
The NECBL playoffs consist of a best of three series for the first two rounds in each division, before advancing to the NECBL Championship Series on August 8th. The first round games will take place at the higher seeds on August 2nd, alternating sites on the 3rd and 4th as well. The Dukes will be on the road on Sunday August 3rd but will return home to Wahconah Park on Monday for a game three if necessary.
Fans can listen to all Pittsfield Dukes games on the NECBL Broadcast Network by going to the site at http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=6301&eventcode=5
New England Collegiate Baseball League
Results for Thursday, July 31st
For more detailed results and statistics, please visit www.necbl.com. or www.necbl.com/nutshell.htm.
Holyoke 6, North Shore 4
Lowell 8, Sanford 3
North Shore 1, Torrington 0
Keene 5, Lowell 2
Newport 2, Pittsfield 1
Vermont 12, Manchester 3
Schedule for Friday, August 1st
No games scheduled
Playoffs begin August 2nd
