Gulls' Offensive Explosion Sinks Plymouth Pilgrims

June 25, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release


Newport, RI - The Newport Gulls won their fifth consecutive game, defeating the Plymouth Pilgrims 11-1 in the first-ever meeting between the two teams at Cardines Field on Monday, June 24. Newport is now 4-0 combined against the New England Collegiate Baseball League's three expansion franchises, the Ocean State Waves, Saratoga Brigade and Plymouth this season.

Brett Graves got the start in front of a crowd of over 2,800 at Cardines Field and pitched six solid innings to pick up his second win of the season, improving to 2-0 overall. Graves, a sophomore righthander out of Missouri, allowed just two hits while striking out six.

The Gulls offense struck early against the Pilgrims, plating two runs in the first inning. Outfielder Timmy Robinson, hitting out of the cleanup spot again for Newport, smacked a pitch high off the left field wall for an RBI double to score outfielder Cody Jones. The ensuing batter, first baseman Steve Anderson, brought home outfielder Ben Roberts from third on an infield hit.

Plymouth starting pitcher Nick Fabrizio (0-2) would find himself in trouble again in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Newport Gulls would tack on an additional three runs. Returning Gull third baseman Joel McKeithan roped a two-out pitch into right field for a double after Pilgrim outfielder Ryan Stephens dove but couldn't come up with the catch. Newport designated hitter David Graybill then drove home McKeithan with an RBI single.

Newport catcher Austin Barr would keep the inning alive with a two-run home run over the right-center field wall in just his third plate appearance for the Gulls. Barr, a freshman catcher out of Stanford, got his first start behind the plate for Newport against Plymouth.

Newport bats would explode in the sixth inning as shortstop Trace Tam Sing, Anderson, Robinson and McKeithan combined to drive in six runs to extend the Gulls lead to 11. Tam Sing stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded after a walk by Jones and blasted a pitch off the right-center field wall for an RBI single to score pinch hitter Brett Winger, who singled earlier in the inning.

However, it would be Roberts with the offensive highlight of the night in the form of a three-run double that rattled around the center field triangle clearing the bases. Robinson picked up another RBI as he hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Roberts from third. McKeithan, the ninth man to bat for the Gulls in the inning, would score the final run of the sixth inning for the Gulls with a two-out RBI double off the diving glove of Pilgrims' left fielder Daniel Fratus. Plymouth would spoil Newport shutout hopes in the seventh inning scoring a two-out unearned run off of Gulls reliever Milan Mantle.

Newport reliever Darin Gillies would seal the deal for Newport relieving Mantle in the eighth inning and allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts over the final two innings to close out the victory. With the win, the Newport Gulls improve to 9-3 while the Pilgrims drop to 3-10.

Newport will be on the road tomorrow for their first trip of the season to Montpelier, Vermont to face off against the Mountaineers (9-4) who sit atop the Western Division in the NECBL. The Mountaineers will send Trey Oest (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the hill, while Newport will start southpaw Taylor Guilbeau (0-0, 0.00 ERA). .



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 25, 2013


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