Dukes' Magical Season Ends With Loss to Gulls
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It was the 3-year-old Dukes first-ever appearance in the playoffs for the New England Collegiate Baseball League Championship. They had trounced Berkshire rivals the North Adams SteepleCats over the weekend in a best two-out-of-three series to advance to the Southern Division Championship play against the Gulls.
But the Gulls turned the tables on the Dukes, defeating them handily 13-5 on Tuesday and again Wednesday.
The Gulls would crack the scoreboard first with an RBI single from Alex Gregory (Radford University) against Dukes starter Louie Bernardini (Wheaton College) for the 1-0 lead. Pittsfield would tie up the game in the second inning when Gulls starter Stephen Peterson (Marist College) allowed back to back hits to start the inning. With two runners on and one out, shortstop Cody Grisham (Univ of Tennessee) would bobble a groundball for an error as Jason Krizan (Dallas Baptist) scored to tie up the game at one.
In the third, Newport would add another two runs on an RBI single from Mike Tamsin (Northeastern) and a run-scoring double from Alex Gregory to put the Gulls ahead 3-1. Newport would threaten for more in the fourth inning with two walks from Bernardini, but the righty was able to work his way out of the jam and keep the deficit at two. His counterpart, Stephen Peterson, continued to pitch well against Pittsfield, setting down the Dukes in order in four of his seven innings of work.
Newport would strand another two runners in the fourth and three more in the sixth inning. In the sixth, Jake Sabol (Central Michigan) entered the game with bases loaded and one out, and the righthander retired the next two hitters he faced to swing momentum toward Pittsfield.
In the bottom of the inning, Craig Hertler (San Jose State) drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Jason Krizan single to bring Pittsfield within a run. Stephen Peterson retired 15 of the last 17 he faced and exited with a 3-2 lead after seven innings.
Newport would try to add to the lead in the eighth inning with a two-out rally against Jake Sabol. A single from Cody Grishman and bunt single from Kyle Rhoad (Eastern Michigan) would put two runners on, and knock Sabol out of the game. Dukes closer Zach Anderson (Buffalo) came into the game and retired Mike Melillo (Elon) on a flyout to end the inning.
Pittsfield went in order in the 8th against Robert Morey (Virginia) and the Newport bats came out swinging in the ninth. A leadoff single from Mike Tamsin and a double from Alex Gregory, his third hit of the game, put Gulls at second and third with no one out. Anderson would intentionally walk Kyle Conley (Univ of Washington) to load up the bases and Pittsfield would draw the infield in.
Back-to-back groundballs in the infield resulted in force outs at home plate and the Dukes moved the infield back with two outs as Pittsfield was gaining momentum. Nick Santomauro (Dartmouth) clubbed a bases-clearing triple to right-center field giving Newport the 6-2 lead and handing the lead to Gulls closer Dan Mahoney (UConn).
Mahoney retired the first two hitters he faced but in true Pittsfield fashion, the Dukes refused to go down quietly. Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) worked a walk, Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) singled, and Perry Silverman (Canisius) walked to load up the bases. Domenic DiRicco (Cornell) was hit by a pitch, scoring Adams, and bringing the Dukes within three runs. With the tying run at first base, Jason Martin (San Jose State) struck out swinging to end the game as Newport advanced back to the NECBL Championship Series with a 6-3 win.
Newport will now play the winner of the Sanford Mainers and Keene (N.H.) Swamp Bats series later in the week. Sanford won Game 1 last night 15-4 and Game 2 will take place tonight at Alumni Field in New Hampshire. The miracle season ends for the Pittsfield Dukes, following a first playoff appearance and a run deep into the postseason.
The Dukes front office would like to thank everyone who made this season so memorable. Thanks to the sponsors and host families for Pittsfield for helping out the Dukes and making this a season to remember.
