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Pair of Early Runs Lead Waves Past 'Cats, 2-1, Friday Night

June 28, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


WAKEFIELD, R.I. - Ocean State tacked on two early runs in the bottom of the first, and those tallies proved to be the difference against North Adams, as the Waves held on late to down the SteepleCats, 2-1, in a cross-divisional NECBL showdown on a foggy and misty Friday night at Old Mountain Field.

Seeing their four-game winning streak come to a close, the SteepleCats (8-9) settle for a season series split with the Waves (9-8) and will enjoy an off day tomorrow before returning home on Sunday.

In a game pegged to be a pitcher's duel throughout, those expectations held true, as both North Adams' Scott Squier (Hawaii) and Ocean State's James Bessell were strong through their respective starts, but it was Squier who was tagged for the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season.

Squier finished the night with a season-high nine strikeouts, but it was the early hits - including the game-deciding two-run RBI given up to Mike Gerber in the first - that led to his second consecutive loss, as he finished with seven hits allowed over seven innings while walking three. Bessell, meanwhile, tossed six innings of one-run, four-hit ball while striking out five and walking one.

North Adams managed just six hits on the night against the Waves' staff, while the home side mustered up eight. Both Gerber and Christian Muscarello tallied two hits apiece, as did Ryan Sweenor, while sophomore Dominic Severino (CCSU) added two base knocks for the visitors.

The league's top-ranked offense did not wait long to get to Squier for some early support, as the Waves tagged the southpaw for two runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Gerber. Squier, however, bounced back with a fly out and a strikeout to get out of the inning without any further damage.

That prompted four shutout innings from either side, although Ocean State did threaten with runners in scoring position in three of those innings, including a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fifth that Squier managed to navigate around safely.

Then in the top of the sixth, North Adams finally put a run on the board thanks to a throw down to second with a runner at third on a stolen base. After walking, freshman Kevin Martir (Maryland) moved all the way from first to third on a rundown between third and home, putting junior Bryan Soloman (Eastern Kentucky) at first. Soloman then promptly attempted to steal second, where the throw went down that allowed Martir to score from third, cutting the lead in half, 2-1.

North Adams made a bid to tie the game in the top of the seventh, but back-to-back outstanding the plays from right fielder Evan Ocello squandered those attempts, including one at the wall that seemed destined for extra bases.

In the eighth, North Adams again put the tying run on base, but 2012 SteepleCat alum Tom Bammann came out in relief and kept the visitors at bay en route to his first save of the season to preserve Ocean State's lead.

The SteepleCats will enjoy an off day tomorrow before returning to action Sunday (July 30) to welcome Saratoga for the first of six regular season showdowns. First pitch from Joe Wolfe Field is slated for 4:30 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 28, 2013


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