Gulls Swept from NECBL Playoffs
Published on August 5, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
LACONIA, N.H. - The Newport Gulls rallied from a late-inning deficit to force action into the bottom of the 9th, but a walk-off double by Laconia's Bijan Rademacher scored John Ziznewski from first base to propel the Muskrats to an 8-7 victory over the Gulls Thursday at Robbie Mills Park and a 2-0 series victory.
The sweep marks the first time in Newport Gulls franchise history that the team was eliminated in the first round of the NECBL playoffs in 11 seasons and the first time Newport was swept since the 2008 NECBL Championship Series by Sanford.
The Gulls took a 3-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer by Conrad Gregor (Vanderbilt; Carmel, Ind.) and a solo blast by Tim Kiene (Maryland; South Windsor, Conn.). But Laconia chipped away at the lead and tied it in the fourth on a Regan Flaherty homer off Newport starter Brandon Sinnery (Michigan; Franklin, Mass.).
The Muskrats took a 7-3 lead with a four-run fifth, including a three-run bomb by Flaherty off reliever Dan Zlotnick (Marist; Katonah, N.Y.). Joseph Hughes (East Carolina; Madison, N.C.) also pitched in the inning.
While Daniel Wright (Arkansas State; Bartlett, Tenn.) and Eddie Campbell (Virginia Tech; Bridgewater, Mass.) held the Laconia offense through the late innings, Newport began to mount a rally. Kyle Johnson (Washington State; Coeur D'Alene, Idaho) hit solo homers in the sixth and eighth innings to pull the Gulls to within 7-5.
In the top of the ninth, Kiene led off with a walk before Robby Ort (Indiana State; Newburgh, Ind.) cranked a 1- 1 fastball over the right-field fence to tie the game at 7-7.
After Campbell retired the first batter in the bottom half, Newport closer Michael Dimock (Wake Forest; Greensboro, N.C.) allowed a walk to Ziznewski before Rademacher stroked a double to right-center field on a full count. The ball hopped off the fence away from Kyle Johnson, whose throw to the plate was too late.
In the series, Newport out-hit the Muskrats, 25-22, but left 22 men on base compared to Laconia's 11. The Muskrats will face either North Shore or Sanford in the NECBL East Finals starting Saturday.
Matt Foat (Southern California; Rescue, Calif.), Conor Keniry (Wake Forest; Orange, Conn.), Jack Reinheimer (East Carolina; Charlotte, N.C.), and Jeff Melillo (Rutgers; Annandale, N.J.) all had hits for the Gulls.
Newport finished the regular season with a 29-13 record, the third-best mark in franchise history, and won its eighth regular-season divisional title. For more, visit the Gulls' website at newportgulls.com.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 5, 2011
- The Holyoke Blue Sox are back in action and will be playing against the Keene Swamp Bats - Valley Blue Sox
- Navs season comes to a close - North Shore Navigators
- Keene advances to Western Division Championship Series behind Mayberry's stellar performance - Keene Swamp Bats
- Mainers Clinch Series With Shutout - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls Swept from NECBL Playoffs - Newport Gulls
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