The Gulls came back to beat Vermont 8-6
July 25, 2015 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - In the rematch of a tightly contested game at Recreation Field, the Newport Gulls toughed out another win at home to come closer to a playoff berth. The Gulls (23-11) defeated the Vermont Mountaineers 8-6 at Cardines Field Friday.
Newport got on the board first and often against Mountaineers starter Joey Rocchietti in his first game of the summer. The Gulls scored runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings, going up 6-0. Reed Gamache came up big early, knocking in three of the runs.
Gulls pitcher Quinn Brodey breezed through his first four innings, but started to fade in the top of the fifth. Vermont managed three straight singles in the inning and two batters ended up scoring and cutting into the lead.
In the seventh inning, Jack Parenty hit a pinch-hit home run to right field, leading to a bit of controversy at Cardines Field.
Following the home run, Manager Mike Coombs was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, leading to a turning of the tides in the home dugout.
Following the ejection, home plate umpire Charlie Campbell issued warnings to both benches as tensions rose.
Shortstop Liam Sabino said the team wanted to have Coombs's back after he was thrown out, leading to a vocal dugout.
"We love Coombs and we all have each other's backs," Sabino said. "He put effort towards us and had our backs and we had to have his."
The next inning, the Gulls broke down. Gamache made two errors at third base leading to three unearned runs, tying the game up at six apiece.
Hitting Coach Al Leyva said that the ejection didn't directly lead to Newport's breakdown.
"What happened was you kind of saw the game slipping away," Leyva said. "And it did. The momentum changed. It was the trickle-down effect and that sometimes happens."
Newport charged back in the bottom half of the inning as the hot-hitting Max Beermann launched a double to centerfield and was brought home on a Sabino single for the eventual winning run.
Sabino has struggled with the bat since joining Newport, but said he hasn't been under any extra pressure because of it and stepped in just focused on driving in the run.
"I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit and drive him in," Sabino said. "He did his job so I was trying to do mine, too."
The Gulls will travel to Holyoke for a game against the Valley Blue Sox at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Rob Masse and Mike Lord will be on the call for the game on the NECBL Broadcast Network.
Newport plays a double header in Danbury on Monday, and hosts the Plymouth Pilgrims at Cardines Field on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Gulls will play a split-ballpark double-head against the Ocean States Waves. First pitch for the July 30 twin-bill is at 2 p.m. at Cardines Field; Game Two will being after 6:05 at Old Mountain Field in Wakefield, R.I.
For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 25, 2015
- Mountaineers lose to Bay Sox 4-1 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Swamp Bats lose 2-0 to Muskrats in a Pitchers' Duel - Keene Swamp Bats
- The Gulls came back to beat Vermont 8-6 - Newport Gulls
- Waves outlast Pilgrims, 6-3 - Ocean State Waves
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