East Outduels West in NECBL All-Star Game, 2-1, Sunday in Laconia

July 21, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


LACONIA, N.H. - The Western Division out-hit the Eastern Division by a 12-9 margin, but the East came through with a late run in the eighth inning to down the West, 2-1, in the 2013 New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon at Robbie Mills Field.

In what essentially a pitcher's duel throughout all nine innings of regulation, the East pitching staff tallied five strikeouts and worked around the 12 hits allowed, while the West's hurlers were just as good, fanning six while allowing nine hits and two unearned runs.

After both sides went scoreless over four innings, the West had an opportunity with runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh, but Plymouth's Travis Stout worked out of the jam with a groundout and a strikeout to send the game to the eighth.

Then, with one out in the bottom of the eighth, the East strung together the decisive rally of the contest starting with a one-out single from All-Star Game MVP Joe Torres. The Laconia outfielder slung a base hit to left before moving to second on a hit by pitch. Then, a batter later, Tyler Boyd of Mystic drilled a single to right and an errant throw rolled through the diamond and allowed Torres to score, giving the East a lead they would not relinquish.

In the ninth, Sanford's Steve Rice shut it down with two strikeouts to pick up the save before Saratoga's Cameron Tekker added a strikeout in essentially an exhibition bottom of the ninth.

While the league's top pitchers enjoyed a stellar afternoon of spotlight, several players came through at the plate, as well. For the East, nine different players tallied a hit apiece, while the West saw Danbury's Daniel Spingola and Keene's Tommy Monnot finish with two hits apiece

The West did not wait long to grab an early lead with North Adams second baseman Joe Landi stringing together a one-out single before taking second on a groundout. Then, cleanup man JP Sportman blasted a run-scoring double into the gap in left center to bring home the first run of the game, giving the West a 1-0 advantage after an inning of play.

But two innings later, the East responded with a run of their own to tie the match at 1-1. Sanford's Troy Black led off the inning with a single before stealing second. Then after an error prolonged the frame, Newport's Joel McKeithan came through with the only RBI of the game for the East, tying the contest on a bases hit to center to make it 1-1 after three frames.

The league's best pitchers would then settle into a groove over the ensuing four innings of work, as both the East and the West pitchers put up zeroes all the way until the eighth inning, when the East finally broke through with the deciding run.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 21, 2013


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