Gulls Win 11th Straight, Lead Chase for Home-Field Advantage
Published on July 31, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - The Newport Gulls added to their league-best 11-game winning streak thanks to a superb, eight-inning start by Daniel Wright (Arkansas State; Bartlett, Tenn.) and spread-out offensive production in a 5- 3 victory over the Sanford Mainers before nearly 3,000 fans Sunday night at Cardines Field.
Wright (3-1) was excellent for the Gulls, lasting a season-high eight innings while allowing just three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six.
Newport never trailed after scoring the game's first run in the second inning. Eric Johnson (UC Davis; Los Altos, Calif.) led off with a single off Sanford starter Vincent DePierro (3-3) and scored two batters later on a double by Riley Reynolds (Vanderbilt; Lee's Summit, Mo.) to give the Gulls a 1-0 lead.
The following inning, Newport increased its lead to 3-0. Matt Foat (Southern California; Rescue, Calif.) and Tim Kiene (Maryland; South Windsor, Conn.) both scored on a two-run double by Jeff Melillo (Rutgers; Annandale, N.J.) to give Wright breathing room.
After a solo homer by Mike Montville in the fourth, the Gulls retaliated with another run in the bottom of the fifth. Conrad Gregor (Vanderbilt; Carmel, Ind.) led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout by Foat, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kiene to give Newport a 4-1 edge.
In the sixth, Melillo led off with his second hit of the game and moved to third on a single by Tom Richards (Washington State; Bend, Ore.). Jack Reinheimer (East Carolina; Charlotte, N.C.) grounded out to shortstop to allow Melillo to plate the Gulls' fifth run.
Sanford cut Newport's lead to 5-3 on Montville's two-run homer in the eighth and threatened to rally in the ninth. But closer Michael Dimock (Wake Forest; Greensboro, N.C.) worked out of a two-on, none-out jam by inducing a fielder's choice and a game-ending double play to earn his eighth save of the season.
The victory, coupled with Holyoke's 9-4 loss to Vermont, put Newport a game ahead of the Blue Sox in the race for home-field advantage throughout the NECBL playoffs. The Gulls can clinch that advantage with a win over New Bedford on Monday night or a Holyoke loss to Danbury. Newport will host the first game of the Eastern Division semifinals on Wednesday against either Sanford or Laconia.
The Gulls' regular-season finale will be against the Bay Sox on Monday at 6:35 p.m. at Cardines Field. For more, visit Newport's website at newportgulls.com.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 31, 2011
- Gulls Win 11th Straight, Lead Chase for Home-Field Advantage - Newport Gulls
- 'Cats Get Swept in Double-Header - North Adams SteepleCats
- Navs playoff role to be determined tonight at Fraser - North Shore Navigators
- Montville Blasts Two, Mainers Still Lose - Sanford Mainers
- Mountaineers Outhit Division Leading Holyoke in 9-4 Win - Vermont Mountaineers
- Keene's six-run seventh inning rally gives Swamp Bats 11-7 win over Danbury - Keene Swamp Bats
- Blue Sox Fall to Mountaineers 9-4 in Vermont - Valley Blue Sox
- Blue Sox Defeat Mystic 10-3 - Valley Blue Sox
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