'Cats Blank Schooners on July 4

Published on July 5, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


North Adams, MA - 4,253 fans showed up and walked through the gates at Joe Wolfe Field to celebrate our nation's independence together with a baseball game. There's nothing more American really. In an era when the word "winning" has become a catchphrase, it hasn't been so easy for the SteepleCats, who started the night 6-14 and still sitting in the basement of the Western Division. After two straight tough losses over the weekend, Monday night's matchup with the Mystic Schooners signaled the midway point of the 2011 season. Hard to believe given that twenty-one games had come and gone in the blink of an eye. The usual cast of people was there to celebrate the team's tenth season in the NECBL on Opening Day back on June 10. But on Monday night, even more showed up to embrace the team that has won the hearts of many in the Berkshires since 2002. By extension, yesterday's July 4th celebration was perhaps even more special than some in years past because of the recent struggles, and now, the promise of a better July with a heavy home schedule.

North Adams' starter would be tall right-hander Cameron Copping, a junior at the University of Buffalo. He, and the coaching staff alike, would be the first to point out that he's more suited for a starter's role. The problem for Copping was that since his first start of the year in the 'Cats first victory back on June 12, he had made a pair of relief appearances while dealing with a hip injury that forced him to get eased back into the rotation. There was nothing to write home about in either of those games, so there was a bit of uncertainty as to how the Temple City, California would perform on a hot day at Joe Wolfe Field. Clayton Kuklick said that as long as Copping kept his walks down, he'd be fine. So he went to work on a nationally recognized holiday and struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 first.

After 'Cats shortstop Mike LeBel was hit on the arm with a Colin O'Keefe (0-1) offering with one out in the home first, he advanced a station on Drew Gadaire's single. Jacob Daniel then punched a base hit to score Lebel, extending his hitting streak to six games. With two outs, right fielder Steven Zavala smacked an RBI double to left center that brought home Gadaire but Daniel was called out as he slid headfirst into homeplate on a strong relay throw from shortstop John Murphy. It certainly looked as if Daniel had gotten at least one, if not both of his hands in ahead of the tag by catcher Joe Hudson, but home plate umpire Don LaValley threw up his right fist to signal the third out. Meanwhile, Copping had struck out five more as he pitched into the fifth inning with just one walk as the only blemish on his day. Third baseman Brett Doran snuck a check-swing single into center field with two outs but was thrown out at second on a steal attempt by 'Cats catcher Brett Frantini. At this point, North Adams held a 3-0 lead after LeBel was hit for the second time with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Cameron Griffin who had roped a double down the left field line.

Copping's only difficulties came in the sixth following a lead-off single by second baseman Kevin Casey, who moved to second after left fielder Hal Landers was hit by a pitch with one out. Murphy followed with a deep fly ball to Zavala in right that allowed Casey to tag and go to third. With designated hitter Christian Griffiths at the plate, Copping (2-0) patiently induced an inning-ending flyout to Daniel in center field. He then worked a perfect seventh, closing the book on one of the more memorable performances for a SteepleCats starter this season.

Frank Morris came on to pitch the top of the eighth coming off his finest performance of the season in 3.1 innings of marvelous relief on Thursday night in Holyoke. Perhaps fueled by his selection to Team NECBL in their exhibition against Team USA back on June 27, Morris has been effective since then. Going to just one three-ball count in the inning, he sandwiched a Casey flyout to center around a pair of strikeouts. Once again, he showed a much better slider to complement his live fastball.

In the top of the ninth, Gray Carden trotted in from the bullpen in an attempt to pick up his fourth save of the year. After starting the inning with a five-pitch walk to Landers, Carden went to 3-2 on Murphy before getting him to ground into a force out at second. Griffiths lifted a harmless pop up to second baseman Corbin Blakey for the second out before Hudson struck out looking on a 2-2 slider to end the game and emit the loudest applause of the season from the 4,253 at Joe Wolfe Field.

Join us tonight at Joe Wolfe Field at 6:30 as the North Adams SteepleCats welcome the Holyoke Blue Sox for the second of three scheduled meetings at the Joe! Let's get another amazing crowd to support your SteepleCats as they come back in July after a long month on the road for the first half of the season! Tonight is Breast Cancer Awareness Night and the first 250 fans in attendance will receive SteepleCats Window Clings! To learn more, visit www.steeplecats.com

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 5, 2011


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