Pair of Guerrera Blasts Sink Schooners
Published on July 8, 2021 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - A pair of home runs by Justin Guerrera highlighted an eight-run fourth inning that buoyed the Newport Gulls in their 8-1 victory over the Mystic Schooners at Cardines Field on Wednesday evening. Guerrera led off the frame with a solo shot and eight batters later launched a two-run bomb to cap off the rally.
Newport starter Jack Aldrich earned the win as he led another stellar performance from the Gulls pitching staff. The southpaw from Tulane tossed five innings of one-run ball, whiffing seven batters in the outing.
The game was relatively uneventful through the first three and a half innings, as Aldrich and Schooners starter Trystan Levesque held both offenses scoreless.
That all changed in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Guerrera began the frame with a towering blast that landed in the playground just beyond the left-field fence. Matt Wood followed with another high-fly that was just short of a homer, hitting near the top of the right-field fence for a stand-up double. The next batter, Bryce Hulett, picked his teammate up, lacing a frozen-rope down the right-field line for an RBI single. Conor Kiely continued the rally by roping a liner down the left-field line to drive in Chase Acuff, who had reached on a fielder's choice. After reaching on a walk and advancing to third on Kiely's double, Joe Fortin scampered home on a passed ball for the Gulls fifth run, and Spenser Smith added on a sixth with a run-scoring double to right to score Kiely. Smith advanced on an infield hit by Kenny Oyama and came in to score on another ball that escaped Schooners backstop Corey DiLoreto. A batter later, Guerrera cranked his second longball of the frame high and deep down the left-field line to make it 8-0.
The Schooners struck right back in the top of the fifth on an RBI double off the bat of Addison Kopack, a drive that hit the left-field fence on a hop. The second baseman did all he could to keep Mystic in the ballgame, scattering four hits in as many at-bats, including a pair of doubles and a triple.
The rest of the game was locked down by another outstanding performance from Newport's bullpen. Relievers Liam Levangie, Luke Schauer, and Peter Sakellaris combined for four shutout innings, two of which came from Schauer in his Gulls debut.
Acuff, another Gull making his first appearance, delivered two hits including a double, and Wood continued his hot streak with three hits on the day. The offense as a whole tallied 12 hits, triple the amount they accumulated in their previous contest.
Newport (14-7) continues its schedule tomorrow against the Valley Blue Sox (13-8) in a 6:35 pm matchup at McKenzie Stadium. Tune in to the NECBL Broadcast Network to see if the Gulls can maintain sole possession of first place in the Southern Division.
For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 8, 2021
- Pair of Guerrera Blasts Sink Schooners - Newport Gulls
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