Controversial Call Thwarts Bay Sox Comeback Bid as They Drop Fourth Straight, 8-7 to Blue Sox

Published on June 9, 2019 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
New Bedford Bay Sox News Release


The New Bedford Bay Sox dropped their fourth straight game to begin the 2019 season, as they lost on a controversial call at first base in an 8-7 decision to Valley on Sunday night.

With runners on second and third, Sam Henrie hit a grounder to second base, and it looked as if the Southern NH infielder had beaten the throw to first, but the umpire saw it differently, preventing the tying run from crossing the plate.

New Bedford jumped out of the gates with six runs in the first two innings, but was shut down for just one run by six Blue Sox relievers. Henrie and SNHU teammate Thomas Blandini both went 2-for-4, while Jeremiah Adams (Army) had a three-run triple in the second inning in his team debut for New Bedford.

Starting pitcher Logan Maitland (UMass Dartmouth) ran into some early issues in the first inning, as the Blue Sox sandwiched a double to right field around two walks to load the bases with one out. Maitland, who had his family from Tiverton, RI in attendance for his first start of the season, was able to induce a double play to end the threat, as Blandini fielded the grounder at short, ran to second, and tossed to his college teammate Henrie at first for the 6-3 DP.

The Bay Sox quickly took advantage of that stellar escape job, as they struck for two runs, capitalizing on an error by Valley catcher Dakota Mulcay. The first two hitters in the New Bedford lineup - SNHU teammates Blandini and Josh Goldstein - reached on a walk and a hit batter, and Blandini moved to third on a fielder's choice from Rafe Chaumette (Trinity). Chaumette stole second base, and the throw from Mulcay ended up in center field, allowing Blandini to score and Chaumette to move to third base. Two batters later, Henrie singled up the middle to plate Chaumette for New Bedford's second run.

Maitland's troubles continued in the second, as the defending champs belted three doubles, scored three runs, and bounced the junior from the game with two outs. Maitland left with the sacks packed, but Nicholas Couhig (Boston College) stranded all three runners on base with a grounder to second.

New Bedford continued their offensive onslaught in the bottom of the second, plating four more runs to regain the lead. Goldstein doubled home Tommy Seidl (Harvard) for the third run, and Adams, a local product from nearby Mattapoisett, MA, tripled with the bases loaded, scoring Elijah Brown (Sacred Heart), Goldstein, and Chaumette.

The Blue Sox chipped away at the Bay Sox lead with single runs in the third and fourth, with Mulcay stroking an RBI double (his second 2B of the game) in the third and an error from catcher Michael Goodrich (Trinity) allowing a run to score to cut the lead to 6-5.

Valley reliever Kevin Gould, who entered in the third after New Bedford roughed up Korey Bell for six runs in two innings, was extremely effective in the third and fourth innings, but the Bay Sox got to him in the fifth for an insurance run. Henrie doubled with two down, and came home on a bloop single to left field by Ryan Markey (St. John's).

Couhig pitched into the sixth inning, and ran into trouble in his final inning, giving up a two-run single from cleanup hitter Richard Constantine that tied the game at 7-7. Shane Reardon (UMass Dartmouth) entered with one down, and allowed an RBI single by Michael Wroth that gave Valley the lead for the first time since the top of the second inning.

Henry Ennen (Northeastern) was able to retire the final batter of the sixth to keep the score 8-7, and was solid in his outing, allowing just one hit and zero runs in 2.1 innings with three strikeouts. Christian Rosati (Southeastern) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, setting the stage for the potential comeback that was thwarted by the questionable third out call.

Couhig was charged with the loss, while Gould earned the victory for Valley (3-1), and reliever Lucas Sweany picked up his second save of the season.

The Bay Sox have Monday off and will look for their first win of the season on Tuesday night, as they host the Danbury Westerners at 6:30pm.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 9, 2019


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