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NECBL North Shore Navigators

Navs Rally Falls Short In Laconia

July 24, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Shore Navigators News Release


LACONIA, N.H. - Down 8-0 after five innings, the North Shore Navigators nearly pulled off an improbable comeback last night in Laconia before ultimately succumbing to the Muskrats 10-8. North Shore scored six times in the eighth and ninth innings combined to make it a ballgame, and also stroked four home runs in the contest. The only issue lied in the Navigators' opponent, as the Muskrats connected for six long balls of their own.

Saddled with an eight-run deficit, NECBL All-Star Clinton Harwick (Point Loma) hit a two-run shot - his first of two homers in the game - in the sixth inning off Muskrats starter Justin Wiley. Wiley, who got the victory after allowing just two runs on four hits, was removed from the game at the conclusion of the sixth, much to the pleasure of the Navigators' offense.

Laconia scored twice in the seventh to again make it an eight-run game, but the Navigators got those runs back on back-to-back solo shots in the eighth from Harwick and another North Shore All-Star, Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame), to make it 10-4.

"It's a smaller ballpark so it doesn't take much to get one out of there," said assistant coach Eric Pelletier on the 10 total home runs hit in the ballgame.

North Shore's success with the long ball continued in the ninth. After Harwick reached on an error with two outs that should have ended the game, Jagielo plated Matt McGovern (Boston College) with a double before Dario Pizzano (Columbia) to the plate. Pizzano, an All-Star starter and reigning NECBL Player of the Week, followed up with a three-run homer to make it a two-run game at 10-8.

Conner Mach (Missouri) then singled with nobody on to bring the tying run to the plate, but Laconia brought in reliever Williams Prince, who got Eric Williams (Columbia) to pop out to short to end it.

"Our guys did a nice job battling back," added Pelletier. "We were down eight and then in the ninth we were one swing away from tying it."

Harwick went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI, while Jagielo, Mach, and Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) each had two hits.

Things got off to a doomed start from the get-go, as North Shore starting pitcher Hunter Rivers (Jacksonville State) had to be removed from the game with just two outs in the first due to an injury. Rivers is tentatively slated to start the league All-Star Game on Wednesday at Fraser Field.

Reliever Joe Gruntkosky (St. Joseph's) allowed two runs over the next 3.1 innings, but Ryan Grant (Wheaton) was touched for six runs on six hits - four of them home runs - in the fifth.

NAVS NOTES: Pizzano extended his hitting streak to 13 games with last night's home run, while Jagielo extended his streak to 14 games ‚¬Â¦The Navigators are in Newport tonight before returning home on Tuesday for a noon matchup with the Sanford Mainers. The organization will host the 2011 NECBL All-Star Game on Wednesday at Fraser Field (6:15 p.m.). Call the team box office at (781) 595-9400 or visit www.nsnavs.com to purchase tickets to the annual event.

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