Rally Incomplete as Westerners Top Bay Sox

Published on June 18, 2016 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
New Bedford Bay Sox News Release


The cardiac New Bedford Bay Sox, who have come from behind to tie three of their first five games, let another late rally slip through their grasp in a 5-1 loss to the Danbury Westerners in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

The home team was stifled through the first five innings by Danbury starter Keelan Smithers before striking for an unearned run in the sixth inning. The Bay Sox loaded the bases with one out in the final inning, but was unable to get any closer, and suffered their fifth loss in their first six games this season.

Daniel Southerland (Wheaton) was knocked around for 12 hits in 5.1 innings of work, but was able to limit the damage, as the Westernerns scored multiple runs in just one inning. Southerland was victimized by some aggressive base-running from Danbury, as two of the five runs scored reached the plate on successful double steals.

Smithers tossed 3.1 innings of hitless ball for Danbury, before Fairhaven's own Ryan Baldwin (Barry University) raked the first Bay Sox hit with a solid single to center. New Bedford had just two base runners in the first five innings, before breaking through for their only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Zach Perry (Northeastern) and Andrew Penner (Los Angeles Valley College) reached via a walk and a single to place two men on with just one out. After a strikeout by shortstop Robbie Doring (Dayton), Baldwin dribbled a slow grounder to second base which went through the wickets of Ryan Nelson, allowing Perry to easily cross the plate.

The Bay Sox, who have scored in the eighth or ninth inning of three of their four previous losses, brought the tying run to the plate twice in the bottom of the seventh inning, but were unsuccessful in their bid for another dramatic finish. The home squad loaded the bases via a single, a hit batter, and the third error from a Danbury infielder, but both T.J. Dixon (Samford) and Penner came up empty-handed against reliever Michael Crimi.

New Bedford reliever Darrien Ragins was very effective out of the bullpen, tossing 1.2 clean innings with two strikeouts. Ragins is one of four Bay Sox pitchers that have yet to allow an earned run this year, along with starters John Sostarich and Samuel Nepiarsky (who started the previous two games), and reliever Adam Fournier.

After tonight's doubleheader with Danbury, the Bay Sox will have a quick turnaround, as they head to Sanford, ME to face the Mainers Sunday evening. Their next home game is Tuesday night against the Winnipesaukee Muskrats, with game time slated for 6:30pm at Paul Walsh Field in New Bedford, MA.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 18, 2016


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