Team USA Defeats Team NECBL, 3-2, at Fenway Park
June 27, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Valley Blue Sox News Release
BOSTON, MA - Fenway Park has been the stage of a lot of memorable events in its 99-year history, but on Monday it got to add another one to its list as Team USA and Team NECBL clashed there for the first time in history.
Unlike the first time these two squads met in 2009, with Team USA claiming the victory, Team NECBL got their revenge today on a spectacular stage as they beat Team USA 3-2.
With it being such a memorable day for players and coaching staffs alike, first-year manager of Team USA Tim Jamieson said getting to manage a baseball game in Fenway Park will always be a cherished memory.
"It's a great opportunity and it's a privilege just to be with this team, and then to take it to Fenway Park, which is to me one of two of the best ballparks in the world, it's pretty special," he said. "It's something we've looked forward to all year, we'd liked to have played a little better, had a little better of an outcome. The memories will be positive because of the opportunity."
The game started out with both pitchers dealing, but in the second inning Blue Sox catcher Tom Murphy unloaded on a pitch, but it hooked foul into the third deck down the left field line. The next offering the catcher from Buffalo did not miss as he blasted it over the Green Monster.
Murphy's solo home run brought the crowd to their feet as he rounded the bases giving Team NECBL an early 1-0 lead.
For Monday being the first time Murphy had ever stepped foot into a Major League ballpark, he said to have a home run in this kind of venue is unbelievable and really a dream come true.
"That's probably one of the biggest dreams any kid can have is hit one over the Green Monster you know," he said. "So I'm thankful for everything, the opportunity to play here. A lot of great players here today, great feeling."
Team USA's bats would not remain silent for long as Dominic Ficociello singled in Josh Elander from third base to tie the game at one apiece in the bottom of the second inning.
In the sixth inning Team NECBL jumped on Team USA Tom Windle as they scored two runs on back-to-back RBI singles by Mystic catcher Joe Hudson and New Bedford catcher Brandon Miller to give the NECBL a 3-1 lead.
The bottom of the sixth was almost very costly for Team NECBL as three consecutive errors allowed Tyler Naquin, from Texas A&M, to score making it 3-2.
That would be the final score as Team NECBL threw the kitchen sink and more at Team USA as all the pitchers on the NECBL's roster got the opportunity to throw off the mound in Fenway.
The winning pitcher was Keen hurler Jeff Thompson, the loss went to Windle and the save went to David Carroll in the end.
Following the game Jamieson said with the high caliber of pitching by both teams' mistakes would have to be capitalized on and they just didn't do that.
"You would expect it to be well pitched," he said. "I think we made few too many mistakes to give ourselves a chance to score runs at times. Then we made a couple of mistakes to create opportunities for them, and they were good enough to take advantage of it."
• Discuss this story on the New England Collegiate Baseball League message board...
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 27, 2011
- Team USA Defeats Team NECBL, 3-2, at Fenway Park - Valley Blue Sox
- Mystic Schooners Face Busy Week after Break - Mystic Schooners
- Team NECBL Defeats Team USA 3-2 at Fenway Park - Valley Blue Sox
- Swamp Bats Shine at Fenway Park in Team NECBL Vs. Team USA - Keene Swamp Bats
- Gulls Edge Steeplecats for 1-0 Victory - North Adams SteepleCats
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.
