SteepleCats Can't Handle Navigators

Published on July 1, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


Lynn, MA - A 3-game winning streak would have been nice. It also would have been the SteepleCats longest stretch of success early in the 2011 campaign. Assistant coach Cameron McMullen put it in simple terms, calling the current 12-game tilt without an off day the most crucial time of this season. He, along with the rest of the coaching staff, were in agreement that this would determine if the ‘Cats were primed to climb out of last place and gear up for a playoff push in July with a heavy home schedule. 8-4 would be a welcome mark, but anything more was acceptable too. So after Wednesday night's come from behind win in Keene, the team had a legitimate chance to put something together as they prepared to face a Navigators squad that was struggling. Taylor Hart would get the start after five days off since his last outing in Laconia, a one-sided victory that saw the ‘Cats accumulate a season-best 12 runs. Hart could only wish for that type of run support on a warm night at Fraser Field, and the teams began at 6:16 ET in their second and final regular-season meeting. Keep in mind that North Adams had won the first matchup 2-0 on June 12 despite being outhit 8-3.

For the third straight night, the SteepleCats put runs on the board in the first inning. Chantz Mack, Drew Gadaire, Justin Leeson, and Jacob Daniel all singled off Navigators starter Dan Slania. Gadaire and Daniel each picked up RBIs as North Adams had gotten out to an early 2-0 lead. But Hart would make them sweat a bit in the first as he loaded the bases thanks to a pair of walks and a hit batsman, only escaping the bases loaded jam by getting Michael Dunster to ground out to second baseman Corbin Blakey to end the inning.

Hart did the exact same thing in the second inning, only this time he had loaded the bases with one out. However, he once again escaped trouble by inducing an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play off the bat of right fielder Matt McGovern. The ‘Cats began a two out rally in the third following a walk to Leeson, who moved to second on Daniel's second straight single. That brought up first baseman Sam Russell, who was the catalyst in the 9-7 win in Keene with four RBIs. He added another one to his season total with a double that scored Leeson and put runners at second and third for Cameron Griffin. The North Adams third baseman would then fly out to center fielder Sauyler Saxon to end the inning.

The Navigators got two back in the home fourth as Hart was pulled after two more walks, a wild pitch, and an RBI single by left fielder Eric Jagielo. Curtis Arsi made his second appearance in as many nights and promptly allowed a Dario Pizzano single that put runners at first and second with two outs, before getting Clinton Harwick to ground into a force play at third. In the top of the fifth and seventh innings, the SteepleCats spoiled leadoff singles by Gadaire and Marc Magliaro respectively. In the fifth, Leeson bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to register the first two outs. Magliaro moved to second after a wild pickoff attempt by Navigators reliever Junior Mendez sailed over the head of first baseman Anthony Galli. He was then doubled up off of second when Mack lined out to Dunster, who threw to a covering Harwick. The bottom of the seventh featured a nice return for left-handed reliever Bryant Guilmette, who hadn't pitched in several days. The Hopkington, Massachusetts native was perfect including back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. Guilmette then turned the ball over to righty Andrew Loynaz, as the pair had formed quite the bridge to closer Gray Carden in the later innings of recent games.

The score still standing at 3-2, Loynaz (0-1) allowed a leadoff single to Chase Harrison, who was bunted to second by Galli. The junior from the University of South Florida then walked Matt Boulter and Saxon to load the bases with one out for McGovern with the go-ahead run at second base. Out came Carden from the bullpen down the right-field line for the third straight night, two saves already in his back pocket from the previous two nights. McGovern then popped up the first pitch he saw to Daniel in right field, but not deep enough to allow Harrison to tag up from third. Carden had a quick encounter with Jagielo, who roped the 0-1 offering into right field to score two runs and give the Navigators their first lead at 4-3. Pizzano tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single of his own to make it 5-3.

With three outs to go in the top of the ninth, the SteepleCats put a runner at first after Griffin was drilled with a Miles Landry fastball. The tying run was at the plate, but Blakey struck out before Magliaro lined out to second to end the game.

The SteepleCats (5-12) close out their four-game roadtrip when they visit Holyoke for the final time Friday night at 6:30 for a date with the first place Blue Sox (9-3). Make sure you support the SteepleCats and listen or watch the game by accessing the TeamLine link on the team's website by visiting www.steeplecats.com or the league's website at www.necbl.com.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 1, 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.

OurSports Central