Sports stats



Schooners Blank 'Cats 3-0

July 22, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


Groton, CT - There was a strikeout. Then another. And another. When the dust had settled, 14 in total for the SteepleCats as they fell for the third time in four tries to the nubile Mystic Schooners' franchise 2-0 on Thursday night. After two days off following a dramatic 6-2 extra inning victory against the Eastern Division's top team Newport on Monday night, the ‘Cats fell flat for the second time at Fitch Senior High School. It wasn't for lack of trying. Actually, it was for trying too much because 11 of the 14 Ks on the scorecard were of the swinging variety. Once Mystic‘s pitchers knew they had control of the outside corner with John Degirolamo expanding the strike zone going away from right-handed hitters, the slider suddenly became the most novel pitch in the game. All but one of the SteepleCats hitters picked up a strikeout on a night when the pitching once again came through with a nice showing. And despite the fact that the Schooners have been in quite a rut since a strong start to the season, they showed once again how nobody can be taken for granted in a very strong campaign for the Western Division. At the start of the day, the top three teams Keene, Holyoke, and Danbury were locked in a first-place tie. So with ten games left now in 2011, the SteepleCats need answers and they need them as soon as possible if there's going to be a chance for them to make the postseason. It will not be easy.

Coming off a 2-for-5 game in Newport, left fielder Chantz Mack led off the game with a single after focusing his batting practice session on driving balls up the middle and to the opposite field. Following strikeouts by All-Star shortstop Mike LeBel and reliable first baseman Drew Gadaire off winless right-hander Jackson Geary, fellow All-Star Jacob Daniel flew out to right field to end the first. For the ‘Cats, Brian Gilbert set down the Schooners 1-2-3 in the first and third innings and picked up his only three strikeouts of the contest despite allowing a pair of wasted baserunners in the second. In the meantime, the SteepleCats stranded a runner in each of the first three as Geary racked up five punchouts during that span.

In the fourth, Daniel led off with a single but was retired at second when center fielder Justin Leeson reached on a fielder's choice groundout to shortstop Patrick Miller. Designated hitter Steve Zavala then rolled a single through the left side, putting runners at first and second with one out for catcher Mike Zavala. After the freshman from Rutgers University flew out to center fielder Gabe Ortiz, third baseman Brent Hopkins sent an easy groundball to second baseman Kevin Casey that would have ended the inning. But Casey misplayed the hop and every runner was safe, and suddenly the bases were loaded with ‘Cats for number 9 hitter and second baseman Marc Magliaro. Despite a single and an RBI in his only at-bat with the bases loaded this season, Magliaro fanned on Geary's 1-2 pitch to give him his sixth strikeout of the evening.

Designated hitter Joe Hudson led off the home fourth with an odd grounder to short that rolled, hopped, and skipped every which way on LeBel before he knocked it down off his chest for an error. Ortiz then crushed a single before Simon Kudernatsch flew out to Mack in left for the first out of the inning. Catcher Tom Gavitt, playing in his first game, lined a double down the left field line with Hopkins drawn in at third base, scoring Hudson for the first run of the ballgame. Miller's Baltimore chopper was snagged by Hopkins who threw in time to first, but Gadaire's quick throw to the plate was just a bit late as Ortiz slid his foot in ahead of the tag to give Mystic what would be a safe 2-0 lead. Mack led off the fifth with another single, but Geary (1-2) collected his final two strikeouts of LeBel and Daniel to give him eight total, and he would depart after five innings.

After a scoreless fifth, Gilbert came out for the second and threw two balls to Ortiz. After his second pitch, he came off the mound towards the first base dugout, extending his throwing hand with the right index finger pointed out. The initial prediction that he had a blister on his throwing hand was correct, and when we spoke briefly on the bus after the game, Gilbert said the heat and humidity had been causing him to perspire. He was therefore unable to obtain a clean grip on his 2-seam fastball for the entire game, and the skin had finally broke as a result of the tremendous snapping action caused by the pitch's release. After just 72 pitches and the only two runs allowed unearned, Gilbert (2-4) had to make an early exit and give way to left-hander Bryant Guilmette out of the bullpen. Following a lengthy warm-up, Ortiz swung at Guilmette's first pitch and launched a deep home run to left center field for the Schooners' third run of the ballgame. The scoring ended there as neither team was able to advance a runner past first over the final three innings.

Bullpen Notes: Despite the Ortiz home run, Guilmette retired the next six men he faced in order and picked up three strikeouts across the sixth and seventh innings; lefty Curtis Arsi struck out the first two batters he faced in a perfect 8th inning.

The SteepleCats return home to Joe Wolfe Field tomorrow at 6:30 pm when the Vermont Mountaineers invade town. Come on down to the Joe for a great night of baseball and entertainment with the friends and family. The Friday night concession stand special is pulled pork sandwiches and as always, tickets are only $5. If you can't make the game, make sure you catch all the action by accessing the TeamLine link at the bottom of the team's website at www.steeplecats.com. All 42 SteepleCats regular season games are broadcast live on the NECBL Broadcast Network.

• Discuss this story on the New England Collegiate Baseball League message board...

New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 22, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent North Adams SteepleCats Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central