Gulls Edge Steeplecats for 1-0 Victory

June 27, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


North Adams, MA - Tim Thiesing will be the first to tell you he's not going to overpower hitters. The junior right-handed starter from Keene State College was 3-2 this past season because of his ability to produce outs by pitching to contact. Coming off a disappointing start last Sunday against the Holyoke Blue Sox, Thiesing took the hill exactly one week later as the SteepleCats looked to scrape another win before a scheduled day off on Monday. Pitching coach Mike Vicaro said a short time ago that because of the early standings deficit the team had gotten itself in, every game was essentially must win at this point. Coming in at 3-10, North Adams could pride itself on the fact that it had won a pair of games on its recent four game roadtrip. Going all the way back to last weekend, the squad had battled despite a slow start to the season and both coaches and players alike felt the unit had finally come together. On Sunday, the Newport Gulls rolled into town just half a game behind Sanford for first place in the Eastern Division. This was a team that had no qualms about placing pressure on its rotation, which entered the night first in the NECBL with a staff ERA of 1.66. Nine innings later, both the Gulls and the SteepleCats had delighted the 781 fans at Joe Wolfe Field with a dramatic display of finely played baseball that left one side feeling rather unsatisfied.

In the top of the first inning Gulls, center fielder Rand Ravnass lined the very first pitch of the ballgame to the gap in right center, chasing 'Cats center fielder Jacob Daniel all the way to the warning track. Daniel was called for an error as the ball hit the heel of his glove and rolled to the wall. Right fielder Robby Ort then worked a full count and ripped a double to right field, sending Ravnass to third. Thiesing settled down despite a less than stellar fastball that threw the Gulls off balance for the remainder of the evening and produced a sacrifice fly off the bat of left fielder Matt Foat to score Ravnass for the game's first run. Theising (0-2) then struck out Tim Kienee and got designated hitter Eric Johnson to fly out to center for the final out in the top of the first.

Newport starter Jon Prosinski (1-0) took the hill in search of his first victory of the season after finishing his junior year at Seton Hall University as a member of the Big East Conference champions. The gawky right-hander was perfect through six and two-thirds before SteepleCats left fielder Drew Gadaire spoiled the perfect game bid with a groundball single through the box. Thiesing had been just as sharp, allowing just five hits in the same span before Cameron Copping took over with one out and the seventh and struck out Ravnass with runners at first and second to end the inning. Gadaire would move to third following two uncharacteristic wild pitches from Prosinski before first baseman Sam Russell would strike out swinging in a 3-2 count.

Copping pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning before 'Cats catcher Mike Zavala lined a two-out single to right field off Gulls reliever Daniel Wright. Justin Leeson was then lifted from the bench in a crucial pinch-running situation with the game still standing at 1-0. Leeson took off on the 1-0 offering to Corbin Blakey but was thrown out at second by Jeff Mellilo although photographs from the play Leeson had slid in ahead of the tag.

In the ninth, North Adams reliever Andrew Loynaz continued to impress with a scoreless frame despite a leadoff single from Johnson. That paved the way for the final three outs and the Steeplecats just one run removed from tying the game at 1. University of Michigan product Brandon Sinnery came on to close the ninth and got Blakey to ground out to short for the first out of the inning. Marc Magliaro then lifted a fly ball to center field that was dropped by Ravnass for a crucial error, putting the tying run at first base with one out. The top of the order came up in the form of Chantz Mack, who struck out looking on a 2-2 pitch despite a tenacious at-bat. Finally, Sinnery shut the door on the SteepleCats and earned the save in a 1-0 victory by fanning right fielder Steven Zavala for the final out.

The SteepleCats (3-11) have the day off Monday before returning to the road Tuesday night for a 6:30 start in Old Orchard Beach (1-10). Make sure you support the SteepleCats and listen or watch the game by accessing the TeamLine link on the team's website by visiting www.steeplecats.com or the league's website at www.necbl.com.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 27, 2011


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