Brigade Edge North Adams, 3-1, in Rain-Shortened Sunday Matinee

Published on July 28, 2013 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Saratoga right-hander Jonah Philley tossed seven brilliant innings, while North Adams would muster just one run over seven innings for the skies opened up, giving the Brigade a rain-shortened, 3-1 victory over the SteepleCats in an NECBL Western Division battle on Sunday afternoon at Joe Wolfe Field.

Eyeing the franchise's 11th playoff berth with a potential win over Saratoga on Sunday, the SteepleCats (21-19) will be forced to wait at least until Tuesday for that chance, while the Brigade (17-22) stay alive in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Division.

The submarine-throwing Philley was very strong over seven innings, yielding just three hits and one run while finishing with five strikeouts and no walks yielded. The SteepleCats, meanwhile, marched out three pitchers as part of a planned, inning-by-inning bullpen outing, and southpaw Ryan Ponder (Citrus College) took the tough-luck loss after surrendering four hits and three unearned runs.

Also out of the 'pen, freshman Cristian Torres (Notre Dame) was very strong over four innings, finishing with four strikeouts and a walk while working himself out of a pair of jams - including one with a runner at third and nobody out - to lower his ERA to 2.13 on the season.

But the three unearned runs came back to haunt the SteepleCats after an error committed in the top of the third inning, allowing the Brigade to erase a one-run deficit while handing a two-run edge to Philley, who made it hold the rest of the way.

North Adams starter Dominic Severino (CCSU) worked around a couple of jams but kept the Brigade at bay in the first two innings. That allowed the hosts to hop ahead with a run in the second inning thanks to back-to-back two-out doubles, the first from sophomore Vinny Zarrillo (Rutgers) and the second from freshman Jacob Huckabay (UT-Pan American).

But the Brigade were opportunistic of a leadoff error in the top of the third, and with two outs used three consecutive singles to drive in three runs. Brian Taylor singled in Zach Looney to tie the contest, then after a passed ball, Jo-El Bennett drove in the go-ahead run. Jordan Striegel added another single to drive in the third run before a fielder's choice retired the side with Saratoga on top, 3-1.

From there on out, Philley was brilliant, keeping the 'Cats to just a hit from the fourth inning on while retiring 11 in a row at one point. That took Saratoga in to the eighth still equipped with the two-run lead before the skies opened and canceled the remainder of the contest.

After a day off tomorrow, the SteepleCats head to Keene on Tuesday for a huge showdown against the Swamp Bats. First pitch from Alumni Field is set for 6:30 p.m.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 28, 2013


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