Mannuccia Deals, Laconia Miscues Lead 'Cats over 'Scrats, 10-2

July 24, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


NORTH ADAMS, Mass. - Thanks to a strong performance on the mound from right-hander Anthony Mannuccia (Hartford), as well as a combined five errors from host Laconia, North Adams managed to erase an early deficit and posted seven runs over four innings to down the Muskrats, 10-2, in a cross-division NECBL matchup on Wednesday night at Robbie Mills Field.

Earning a season sweep of Laconia on the year, the SteepleCats (18-17) move over .500 for the first time since June 17 while the Muskrats (18-16) drop their fourth straight decision.

The host hopped ahead with a run in the first, but then promptly watched North Adams tally seven uncontested runs from the third inning through the sixth to take a comfortable lead they would not relinquish. Errors proved to be costly all game long for the Muskrats, as five miscues resulted in four unearned runs on the day.

Mannuccia, meanwhile, was strong after giving up an early run, finishing with four strikeouts and just five hits and two walks allowed after going seven innings to pick up his first win of the season. His counterpart, NECBL All-Star Will Blalock, was roughed up for five runs - three earned - on six hits over four innings. After him, Jacob Moody offered strong relief over 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts.

Both junior Cody Doyle (Cal State L.A.) and freshman Kyle Richardson (Notre Dame) led the visitors with one home run apiece, as the former blasted his second of the year - a three-run jack - for some late insurance in the top of the ninth, while the latter smashed his first homer of the summer - a two-run bomb - in the top of the fourth to highlight the way offensively.

North Adams watched the home side pull ahead thanks to the efforts of All-Star Joe Torres, who led off the bottom of the first with a double and subsequently scored following back-to-back groundouts, granting the Muskrats an early 1-0 lead.

But after a scoreless second, a pair of Laconia errors paved the way for a two-run inning for the 'Cats. Freshman Jose Cuas (Maryland) was the beneficiary of a leadoff error to get aboard before Richardson squared to bunt and wound up with a hit to put two runners on. Then, later in the inning, freshman Brad Anderson (Pepperdine) legged out a roller to third base and watched the throw get away, allowing both Caus and Richardson to score to put the 'Cats ahead, 2-1, after three innings.

A frame later, Doyle led off the inning with a double down the right field line before a passed ball moved him to third. That prompted junior Bryan Soloman (Eastern Kentucky) to peg a one-hopper to the left field wall, scoring Doyle and adding a run to the visitors' lead. Two batters later, Richardson blasted his first homer in a SteepleCat uniform - a two-run jack - just over the left field wall to push North Adams' advantage to 5-1 after four innings.

That would not be all, as the SteepleCats were grateful for three more Laconia errors in the top of the sixth that plated another pair of runs. Both Doyle and Cuas would score as results of the miscues, which gave the visitors a 7-1 lead through six frames.

Laconia would muster just one more run the rest of the way before the 'Cats tacked on three late tallies thanks to Doyle's homer in the ninth to round out the night.

The SteepleCats conclude a season-long four-day, five-game road trek tomorrow afternoon in Danbury, where North Adams will conclude its season series with the Westerners as part of a seven-inning doubleheader. First pitch from Rogers Park is set for 5 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 24, 2013


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