Newport Gulls Shutout Holyoke 9-0
Published on July 13, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - A trio of pitchers combined to toss a complete game shutout, as the Newport Gulls defeated the Holyoke Blue Sox 9-0 at Cardines Field on Friday, July 13.
Newport starter John Hochstatter pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and one walk to go along with five strikeouts. Hochstatter picked up the win in his best start of the summer, improving to 2-0 overall season.
While the offense has carried the Gulls this season, the pitchers stepped up to support the offense as Newport picked up their second shutout of the season. A pair of relievers, southpaw setup man Mitch Horacek and closer Caleb Kellogg combined to blank the Blue Sox over the final two frames. The pair did not allow a base runner and struck out two, preserving the win for Hochstatter.
With the victory, Newport improves to 21-6 overall and 12-1 at home this season. Holyoke falls to 11-17 overall this season with the loss. The Gulls evened the regular season series against the Blue Sox at a game apiece, with both teams winning a game at home. Newport remains in first place in the Eastern Division, with a three and a half game lead over the New Bedford Bay Sox.
The Gulls relentless offense did not let up against the Blue Sox, plating nine runs on 14 hits in the victory. Every Gull in the starting lineup had a hit except for outfielder Yale Rosen, who went 0-for-4 with a walk, and six Gulls turned in multi-hit efforts.
Newport jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a leadoff home run by shortstop Joel McKeithan, his third home run of the season. The Vanderbilt product has eight RBI's this summer.
The Gulls tacked on four runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run triple by second baseman Conor Keniry, his first triple of the season and 11th and 12th RBI's. McKeithan and catcher Jeff Melillo, who finished the night 2-for-3 with three RBI, added RBI singles in the frame to extend the Gulls lead to 5-0 after four innings.
Newport added one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings on solo home runs by catcher Matt Pare, his third home run of the season, and outfielder Kasey Coffman, his fifth home run of the season, which is second-most on the team this summer.
Newport closing out the scoring with a pair of runs in the seventh inning thanks to a two-run double off the wall in centerfield by Melillo.
Holyoke starter Scott Squier was roughed up in his shortest outing of the summer, giving up five runs on six with three runs and four strikeouts in just three and one third innings, falling to 1-2 overall this season.
Newport will be back in action taking on Eastern Division rival Sanford on the road on Saturday, July 14. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The Gulls will send left-handed pitcher Michael Johnson (0-0, 4.91 ERA) to the mound for his first start of the season.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 13, 2012
- Newport Gulls Shutout Holyoke 9-0 - Newport Gulls
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- Law's three-run blast pushes North Adams past Danbury, 6-3 - North Adams SteepleCats
- O'Brien's Home Run Helps Swamp Bats Pass Mainers - Sanford Mainers
- Simon deals, Swamp Bats defeat Mainers 5-1 - Keene Swamp Bats
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