Law's Strong Start Holds off Keene in 5-3 Victory

Published on June 24, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. --Charlie Law (Rutgers) was called upon to solidify the backend of the North Adams rotation, and the tall righty did not disappoint in his first start of the season as a pitcher, limiting Keene over seven strong innings to back the SteepleCats to a 5-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Joe Wolfe Field.

Law, who missed the entire 2011 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, entered the game with two previous appearances for the SteepleCats (10-5), but all of them were in relief roles. That quickly changed Sunday, as he powered through the Swamp Bats (9-3) lineup with four strikeouts while yielding only three runs on six hits.

Meanwhile, North Adams got a huge boost from the bottom of the order, as the No. 6 through No. 9 spots in the lineup combined to go 7-for-13 at the plate while scoring all five SteepleCat runs.

Keene saw seven different players record a hit with Jared Walsh leading the way with a 2-for-4 showing and a run scored. Swamp Bats starter Andrew Grant took the loss after lasting only 3 1/3 frames, allowing all five runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout.

Tom Bammann (Dowling) worked a scoreless eighth before surrendering a hit and hitting a batter to start the ninth, but Matt Longfield (Villanova) earned his second save of the year, inducing a fly out before striking out the final batter of the game to seal the deal.

Keene went ahead, 2-0, after Nelson Ward singled home Walsh before Grant Kay drove home another on a sacrifice fly to give the visitors an early edge. But the SteepleCats answered with three in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, as Dillon Bass (UNC-Wilmington) launched his first extra-base hit of the season to left center to bring home Julian Santos (Miami).

Down by a run, Jeff Roy (URI) drew the SteepleCats even with a sacrifice fly before Esteban Tresgallo (Miami) did likewise three batters later to give the 'Cats a 3-2 advantage.

North Adams got two more across in the fourth after Tyler Palmer (Miami) walked and later scored after Santos knocked a single to right that got away from the right fielder, resulting in a three-base error. Two batters later, Shane Klemcke (UT-Pan American) made it a three-run advantage with an RBI single, as the 'Cats took a 5-2 lead after four innings.

From that point on, both defenses would batten down the hatches, as the only other run scored the rest of the way was a solo home run by Grant Kay in the sixth inning that trimmed the North Adams lead to 5-3.

Both sides finished with eight hits and one error apiece while also stranding six base runners.

After two off days, the SteepleCats head to Keene for the first time this season for back-to-back road games slated for Wednesday, June 27. First pitch at Alumni Field is set for 6:30 p.m.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 24, 2012


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