Mavericks Rout Suns 7-0 in Rain-Shortened Contest
June 28, 2016 - Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL)
Pittsfield Suns News Release
Most Suns fans are accustomed to blinding sun delays and then clear nights. But the theme was "Under the Sea" at Wahconah Park on Tuesday, and Mother Nature had something else in mind.
The Seacoast Mavericks made the most of their visit to Pittsfield, shutting out the Suns 7-0 in a game that was called after the sixth inning due to a torrential downpour.
Seacoast scored the game's first runs in the top of the second inning. Suns' third baseman Eric Hamilton muffed a Kyle Vesnesky chopper, and two Mavericks scored. It was Hamilton's fourth error of the season.
Vesnesky lit up the scoreboard again in the fourth inning. The second baseman hit an opposite field double that just stayed inside of the right field line. Elias Macias and Alvin Swoope scored, making it a 4-0 ballgame. That wasn't the end of it for the Mavericks; Marshall Gei hit Vesnesky and Christian Khawly home the following at-bat, slapping a single past Suns' second baseman Connor Moriarty. That busted the game open, 6-0.
Seacoast put the finishing touches on their victory in the sixth inning, and they did so in thrilling fashion. With Vesnesky on third base and two outs in the inning, Michael Hart hit a slow, bouncing ball to Moriarty. The UMASS centerfielder kicked it into full gear, sprinting up the first base line. Moriarty threw to Suns' first baseman Colin Gimblet as Hart slid head-first into the base. Umpire Jon Gelett called Hart safe, and Vesnesky scored to extend the Mavericks lead to 7-0.
The Suns were held in check by the Mavericks' pitching staff for the entire game, grinding out just three hits. Pittsfield mustered a minor threat in the bottom of the second inning when the Mavericks issued consecutive walks to Colin Gimblet and Brian Moskey with no outs. The Suns found themselves in a hole, however, when DH Jake Goodreau struck out and Moskey was caught stealing. The Mavericks did issue a walk to Tyler Brosius with two outs, but catcher Chris Cimmino grounded out to first base the following at-bat to end the frame.
Seacoast starting pitcher Clayton Chatham and reliever Quinn DiPasquale combined to hurl six shutout innings. Chatham (2-0, 3.09 ERA), a rising junior at Dartmouth College, was highly effective. He earned his second win of the season, no-hitting the Suns through the first three innings, and allowing just two hits and three walks over five innings on the rubber.
Pittsfield starter Austin Hanson lost his second outing of the season, pitching four innings and allowing six runs on six hits. The University of Oklahoma product struck out seven Mavericks, adding some upside to a rocky start.
Vesnesky, Gei, and Hart- Seacoast's number one, two, and three hitters- led the charge for the Mavericks. All three players had 2-for-4 nights, combining for five total RBI. Hart is third in the FCBL with a .384 batting average.
The Suns fell to 10-12 with the loss, and remain in third place in the West Division. Seacoast (16-7) is atop the East Division, just .5 games above the Nashua Silver Knights (15-7). Be sure to come by Wahconah Park tomorrow night when the Suns take on the West's cellar-dwellers, the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs (8-15), at 7:00 P.M.
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Futures Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 28, 2016
- Mavericks Rout Suns 7-0 in Rain-Shortened Contest - Pittsfield Suns
- Worcester Walks Away With Win At Wachusett - Worcester Bravehearts
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