Gulls Sweep Double Header with Plymouth, Clinch East
July 31, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - In their second of three double headers at home this week, the Newport Gulls swept their competition once again, playing fourteen innings of baseball against the Plymouth Pilgrims. With the win, the Gulls won the inaugural season series with the Pilgrims 5 games to 1.
In the afternoon set, Steve Anderson put the Newport Gulls on the board first in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to shallow right-field to bring Trace Tam Sing around from second to make it 1-0. Tam Sing put himself on second when he hit the first pitch he saw off the fence in left-center field for his sixteenth double of the season - good for second in the league and tying the former NECBL record.
Brett Winger picked up the second run of the game for the flock on a wild pitch from Plymouth starter Tyler Honahan. Winger, sharing first-base duty with Anderson during this double-header home stand, found himself 90 feet from home on a Cody Jones infield single.
The flock would explode offensively in the sixth bringing three Gulls across home plate. Trace Tam Sing made his way around the diamond following a double of his own on an RBI sacrifice fly to right-field. Brett Winger picked up an RBI ground out, while Austin Barr picked up his first hit of the game with an RBI single to make it 5-0 Newport.
Plymouth cut the Gulls lead by two as they plated Pilgrims twice in the inning on two-outs. Ryan Stephens brought home their first run of the game with an RBI ground out followed by Ryan Richardson with an RBI single to right-field to bring the Pilgrims within three of the division leading Newport Gulls.
However, Joe Iorio would come on in relief to pick up the final out of the sixth to end the threat of the late-surging Settlers. He would pick up the save, his first of the season, while Mulry would be up for the win, his fourth of the season, to lift the Gulls to 26-14 on the summer.
The night cap of the double began very similar to its afternoon partner, when the flock exploded for five runs in the first inning alone. Control trouble from Plymouth starter Mike Adams left the bases loaded for clean-up man Ben Roberts. Roberts patiently earned a base on balls to bring in the first run of the contest.
Steve Anderson continued his hot streak with the bases loaded with a hard-hit shot off the right-field wall for a two-RBI double, making it 3-0 Newport. Timmy Robinson mirrored Anderson in his ensuing at-bat with a line-drive to left to extend Newport's lead to five.
Newport put a seven spot up on the board with active offense in the fourth. Roberts and Anderson both picked up RBIs in the inning with a single and ground out, respectively.
Brett Lilek picked up the win for Newport pitching six shut-out innings, allowing only four hits, all of them singles, and fanning a season high nine while walking just one.
Milan Mantle found shut-out hopes spoiled in his relief outing in the seventh as a throwing error would allow a runner to score from second, the fourteenth unearned run charged to Mantle on the season.
Sweeping the double with Plymouth today lifts the Newport Gulls to 27-14, their fourth win in a row, while the Pilgrims' three-game win streak was snapped, as they fall to 15-27.
Newport will have their final double header of the season on Thursday against the Sanford Mainers at 1 p.m., and then the New Bedford Bay Sox at 6:35 p.m. for the night cap. Mick Van Vossen (2-0, 3.03 ERA) will have the start for Newport while the Moose will send Scott Heath (0-1, 4.15 ERA) to the hill for Sanford.
Both games will be 9 innings, as Newport celebrates the heart and soul of its organization with Host Family Appreciation Night prior to the nightcap.
The wins also secured the Gulls as regular season champions of the NECBL Eastern Division, the 9th time in franchise history that Newport will finish with the best record in their division and third year in a row.
Clinching the division means the Gulls will play at home vs. the East's fourth seed on Sunday for Game One of the 2013 NECBL Eastern Division Semifinals in a best-of-three series. Each of the five seasons the Gulls won the NECBL Championship, the Gulls finished with the best record in the division.
The Gulls, outside of tomorrow's double header, will play one more regular season contest at Danbury on Friday as they still fight to clinch home field advantage throughout the postseason.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 31, 2013
- Mainers with Thriller 6-5 - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls Sweep Double Header with Plymouth, Clinch East - Newport Gulls
- Keene Clinches Western Division Title, Tops Laconia 6-1 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Kutzer Throws Complete Game Shutout, 3-0 - Valley Blue Sox
- Blue Sox Blank North Adams, 2-0, in Home Regular Season Finale - North Adams SteepleCats
- Blue Sox Host Fan Appreciation Day on Thursday - Valley Blue Sox
- Once in a lifetime offer! Own a piece of unique baseball history - Danbury Westerners
- SteepleCats Newsletter - North Adams SteepleCats
- Mainers Hang on by a Thread against Bay Sox - Sanford Mainers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
