Gulls Take 1-0 Series Lead with 11-4 Win vs. Sanford
Published on August 4, 2013 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - In a repeat of 2012 NECBL post-season play, the Newport Gulls beat the Sanford Mainers in the league quarter-finals 11-4 at Cardines Field on Sunday night. In their first weekend home contest of the season, Newport held off the Moose, riding a no-hitter by starter Brett Graves, who went six and 2/3 innings allowing four runs on two hits, walking only three.
The Newport Gulls plated four runs in the bottom of the second, seizing opportunity on fielding miscues by the Sanford Mainers.
Brett Winger, hitting from the DH slot in the Gulls order, drove in the game's first run on an RBI single up the middle, setting runners up at the corners for Ethan Ferreira. Ferreira, in his ensuing at-bat, slapped the second run on the board for Newport with an RBI single through the middle of the infield.
Cody Jones, hit by a pitch, took first base following the Gulls' catcher to load the bases for lead-off man Shea Donlin. Donlin skyed a pitch off the right-center field wall for a two-run single to further the Flock's lead to four.
Two two-run double-baggers from Newport's Ben Roberts and Timmy Robinson gave the Gulls further insurance in the bottom of the third making the score 6-0 for the City by the Sea.
Cody Jones, after being hit by a pitch twice in the contest, stepped up to the dish with the bases loaded and hit a frozen rope through first and second to break it open in the fifth, making it 8-0 Newport. Shea Donlin increased his RBI total on the night to four in the following at-bat with a two-RBI single putting the game out of reach for the Moose.
Nic Wilson would spoil Gulls' starter Brett Graves' no-hitter in the top of the seventh with a single to right. That would serve as the catalyst for the Mainers, as they went on to score four runs in the inning against Newport, cutting their lead to six. Sanford sent nine batters to the plate, stringing together four singles in the frame, chipping away at the Flock's lead.
Eric Stone worked his way out of the inning in relief of Graves, inducing a ground out to Daniel Nevares to end the threat.
Graves, in his second season with the Newport Gulls, struck out a career high 10 batters in his seventh start of the summer.
Pulling Newport back to a seven-run lead would be Adrian English with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, settling the contest, 11-4.
The Newport Gulls jump out to a 1-0 lead in a best-of -three-game series in the Eastern Division Semi-Finals over the Sanford Mainers. Game Two will be played at Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine where Sean Hartnett (3-1, 1.81 ERA) will face off against Sanford's Evan Hill (4-0, 2.88 ERA). First pitch between the Flock and the Moose will be at 6:30 p.m.
Fans can tune in to the action live on the NECBL Broadcast Network where Jacob Ouellette and Nick Lima will have the call with the pregame show at 6:20 via newportgulls.com or follow on Pointstreak Game Live via necbl.com.
If the Mainers win tomorrow, Game Three would be Tuesday, August 6 back at Cardines Field at 6:35 p.m. A Newport Gulls series win would result in the Flock returning home Wednesday for the Eastern Division Championship Series against either the Mystic Schooners or Ocean State Waves for another best-of-three series. A win on the road tomorrow would give the Gulls an off-day Tuesday in advance of the division finals Wednesday.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 4, 2013
- Late Hitting And Sportman's Heroics Give Keene 5-4 Victory - Keene Swamp Bats
- Gulls Take 1-0 Series Lead with 11-4 Win vs. Sanford - Newport Gulls
- Three-Run Sixth Powers Mountaineers to Game 1 Win, 4-1, Sunday Night - North Adams SteepleCats
- NECBL Playoffs Start Sunday - NECBL
- Mainers Are in the Playoffs - Sanford Mainers
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