MEDIA RELEASE - Gulls Comeback in 10-7 Thriller, Hunt for Playoff Spot
July 31, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
SANFORD, ME - Newport picked up a full game on the Mystic Schooners (21 - 21) after its 10-7 comeback win over the Sanford Mainers (23 - 18) in Tuesday night's interdivisional showdown. As the sixth Newport pitcher to throw in the game, UCLA's Holden Powell earned the win throwing 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball while tallying seven strikeouts and allowing no hits.
Newport's starter David Stiehl navigated seven walks and three hits to hold Sanford to just one run in 4.2 innings of work. The Mainers struck first on an RBI single by Jake Alu in the bottom of the fourth, but their lead would not last long. Newport pulled ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Logan Harvey and an RBI groundout by Dillon Plew. The Gulls would add four more in the top of the sixth on RBI singles from Kody Hoese and Dillon Plew in addition to Stevie Mangrum's sacrifice fly.
With the Gulls leading the Mainers 6-1, and scores from around the league showing the Schooners falling to the Waves 10-8, it seemed likely that Newport would end the night just half a game out of third place. Sanford refused to acquiesce. The Mainers plated six runs in the bottom of the sixth on six hits, one walk, and one Newport error to take a 7-6 lead. Brandon Hall and Brad Czerniejewski both tallied RBI singles while Brandon Lankford plated two on a two-out triple.
Sanford carried its 7-6 lead all the way to the top of the ninth, just three outs away from clinching a playoff berth of their own in the Northern Division. After Jack Weisenburger recorded two quick outs Newport looked like its comeback may come up just short. With two strikes and two outs, Jack Gethings roped a line drive into the left-center gap to keep the Gulls' chances alive. Kody Hoese followed up with a full-count walk to bring up Stevie Mangrum with runners on first and second. Mangrum, who had struck out three times already in the game, belted a one-one pitch deep over Sanford center fielder Shane Marshall's head to clear the bases and give Newport an 8-7 lead.
Mangrum, a starter for the Southern Division All-Star Team on Sunday night, had been held hitless in his last seven games but came through with his team's back against the wall in the ninth. Logan Harvey and Dillon Plew followed up Mangrum's triple with back-to-back doubles, giving the Gulls a 10-7 lead that Powell was able to preserve in the bottom of the frame.
The Gulls offense recorded 18 hits and produced 10 runs despite leaving 15 runners on base. Six Gulls tallied multi-hit games, including a four-for-five, two RBI game for Logan Harvey and a two-for-five, three RBI game for Dillon Plew. Kody Hoese recorded two hits of his own along with an RBI and three runs scored.
Newport (21 - 22) is now just half a game behind Mystic for the final playoff spot in the Southern Division. The two teams will square off in a must-win game tomorrow night at Cardines Field, first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.
If Newport is able to win tomorrow the Gulls would clinch a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons and play for the chance to win a league-leading seventh Fay Vincent Cup.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 31, 2018
- MEDIA RELEASE - Gulls Comeback in 10-7 Thriller, Hunt for Playoff Spot - Newport Gulls
- Three Ninth Inning Errors Prove Costly as Vermont Falls to Winnipesaukee, 8-7 - Vermont Mountaineers
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- Keene Takes Two of Three in Rare Tripleheader - Keene Swamp Bats
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