Gulls Win Wild Home Game 14-7 vs. Valley Blue Sox
July 2, 2015 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - Following a Tuesday shutout loss in Sanford, Maine in which the Newport Gulls accumulated only three hits, the team's bats came alive at Cardines Field Wednesday night, outslugging the Valley Blue Sox 14-7 to improve to 12-7 on the season.
The win is only the second for the Gulls in their last seven games.
As in several recent contests, Newport had to play catch-up early on. The Blue Sox got on the board first, scoring a pair of runs on a single by Caleb Eldridge in the top of the second inning.
The Gulls struck back in the third, scoring two runs to tie the game up. The inning started with an error by Valley's shortstop. Joven Afenir and Max Beermann each launched RBI doubles to centerfield to knot the game up.
Afenir continued his hot hitting in the fourth inning, hitting his second double of the game and driving in two more runners. He then came around to score as the next batter, Reed Gamache, singled to right field to give Newport a two-run advantage.
Afenir, who now leads the league in batting average and in OBP, has had three extra base hits in his last three starts after just two in his first 15 of the season.
"I think it's just the pitches I've been attacking," Afenir said. "I'm making slight adjustments with my hands and getting the ball up in the air a little bit and it's been working."
The Gulls offense continued to push across runs in the fifth inning.
The Gulls brought in Derik Beauprez for his NECBL debut in the sixth inning, but the outing was not what he was hoping for. The righty from Miami and Troy DeLeon combined to allow four runs on two hits and four walks before Brad Wegman induced a groundout to end the inning.
In the game, Gulls pitchers walked 11 batters and hit three more. Despite the lack of control, pitching coach Kevin Long said he's not worried going forward since the point of playing in the summer is to improve.
"Summer baseball is to get better and there's a lot of young talent on this team that's going through the process of learning how to pitch at the next level," Long said. "They have to learn how to pitch under stress."
Newport was undeterred by the big inning for the visitors, immediately retaking the lead with a big inning of its own. The Gulls scored four runs with two coming when shortstop Cornell Nixon dropped a pop-up that would have ended the inning.
Newport kept scoring, adding three more runs in the eighth inning to enter blowout territory and start the month of July with momentum.
Afenir said the best way to respond after a big win is to keep your regular routine and stay prepared.
"Get a good night sleep tonight, maybe wake up early and get a good breakfast," Afenir said. "Then prepare yourself for a long ride and try not to keep yourself too stiff and get ready for the game when you get off the bus."
The Gulls travel to Keene Thursday to play the Swamp Bats for the second and final time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with coverage on the NECBL Broadcast Network.
For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 2, 2015
- Mountaineers Topple Valley 6-3 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Waves rally to edge out Muskrats, 11-3 - Ocean State Waves
- Swamp Bats Blow out Gulls 16-0 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Bay Sox Lose 4-1 - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Gulls Win Wild Home Game 14-7 vs. Valley Blue Sox - Newport Gulls
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