Ocean State and Saratoga split doubleheader
July 6, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Ocean State Waves News Release
WAKEFIELD, R.I. "" Daniel Ludwig allowed one run over five innings in his first start of the summer to lead Ocean State to a 4-2 victory over Saratoga on Saturday afternoon at Old Mountain Field. The Brigade came back to earn a split with a 5-3 victory in game two.
The Waves (15-9) saw their seven-game winning streak snapped in the game two loss. The two first-year franchises were meeting for the only time this season.
Game One
Making just his second appearance of the year after throwing 94 innings at Belmont this year, Ludwig worked his way out of a first inning jam to start his day on the right foot. A hit batter and a single put runners on the corners with one out but Ludwig induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to escape any damage. He allowed his only run in the second "" a solo home run from Brian Taylor "" and 11 of the 15 outs he recorded were ground outs.
Ocean State gave Ludwig a lead with two runs in the top of the second. Mike Gerber drew a leadoff walk and Shaun McGraw followed with a ground ball back to the mound that Saratoga Nick Cioffi threw away at first that put runners on second and third. Chris King then laced a two-run single down the left field line to make it 2-0.
The Waves would push their lead to 4-1 with single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth, McGraw demolished the first pitch from Cioffi deep over the left field wall for his first home run of the summer. In the sixth, Gerber and McGraw singled to start the inning and Dalton DiNatale delivered an RBI single to right to make it 4-1.
Saratoga made a push in the sixth as back-to-back singles started the inning and chased Ludwig from the game. Austin Hill came on in relief and induced a pop up to the catcher before snaring a comebacker and starting an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play. Taylor's second home run of the game in the seventh accounted for the Brigade's final run.
Ludwig earned his first win, allowing just one run on seven hits over five-plus innings. Hill recorded his sixth-straight scoreless outing and Jared Habershaw earned his first save of the summer as he closed the door in the seventh.
McGraw, King and DiNatale all finished with two hits for the Waves, while McGraw and Gerber each scored a pair of runs. Christian Muscarello went 0-for-4 and saw his 15-game hitting streak come to an end.
GAME TWO
Zach Looney gave the Brigade an early lead in game two, hitting a solo home run to left field with one out in the top of the first. It was the third home run of the afternoon for Saratoga.
The Waves wasted no time responding, plating three runs in their first at-bat of the game. Reed Gamache singled to start the game and Michael Sherburne followed by popping up a bunt that sailed over the head of the Brigade pitcher before falling safely on the infield grass behind the mound for an infield single. Muscarello then doubled inside the third base bag to tie the game, Pat Quinn singled to right to give the Waves the lead and DiNatale's fielder's choice ground ball to first scored another run to give the Waves a 3-1 lead.
The Brigade were able to chip away at the lead, scoring a single run in the third and three in the fifth to take the lead. Taylor's two-out single in the third scored Gage Green and Dylan Butler beat out a potential inning-ending double play in the fifth to score Jordan Striegel to make it 3-3. The Brigade then tacked on two more runs in fifth on a double-steal of home and a two-out single from Zach Zott.
Saratoga starter Chris Williams settled down after the first inning, allowing just three baserunners over his final five innings of work. He retired the final seven he faced and Cameron Tekker struck out two in a perfect seventh to close the door.
Matt Cook suffered his second loss, allowing five runs on four hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Zachary Soulier, Nicholas Cooney and Austin Hill combined to throw 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. Offensively, Muscarello finished with two hits and an RBI.
The Waves head to Mystic on Sunday to face the Schooners. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
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