Three-Run Sixth Powers Mountaineers to Game 1 Win, 4-1, Sunday Night

Published on August 4, 2013 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
North Adams SteepleCats News Release


MONTPELIER, Vt. - Tied at a run apiece in the bottom of the first, No. 2 seed Vermont scored three runs on four hits and starter Trey Oest made it hold the rest of the contest, as the host Mountaineers dropped third-seeded North Adams, 4-1, in Game 1 of the NECBL West Semifinals on Sunday night at Montpelier Recreation Field.

Looking to stave off elimination tomorrow night at home, the SteepleCats (22-23) will return to the friendly confines of Joe Wolfe Field hoping to extend their best-of-three series in a win-or-go-home situation, while the Mountaineers (25-20) move to within a victory of advancing to the West Division Finals.

On Sunday night, the game was decided in the bottom of the sixth; after North Adams tied the contest in the top half of the frame, the Mountaineers responded with four consecutive singles to drive in three runs, and Oest went the rest of the way for the complete game performance.

The Virginia right-hander, who had gone 17 2/3 scoreless innings against North Adams before finally yielding a run, dominated again on Sunday, allowing just one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks to pick up the victory for the Mountaineers.

For the visitors, junior *Anthony Mannuccia (Hartford)* took the loss after surrendering four runs - two earned - over 5 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking one while giving up five hits. Most of the damage against the righty came in the sixth, while three SteepleCat relievers kept the Mountaineers scoreless the rest of the way.

After the SteepleCats threatened against Oest in the top of the third inning, the hosts capitalized on North Adams' inability to strike in the home half of the inning. After Matt MacDowell laced a one-out single up the middle, a hit batsmen put two runners on base for Thomas Roulis, and the Vermont shortstop rolled one up the middle and then watched an errant throw from the outfield allow MacDowell to score the first run of the game, giving the Mountaineers an early 1-0 lead.

Two innings later, however, North Adams finally managed to get to Oest for back-to-back base hits that tied the game. The onslaught began with *Brad Anderson (Pepperdine), *who pegged a one-out double off the left field wall, and a batter later, junior *Cody Doyle (Cal State L.A.)* smacked a base hit into right field that drove in Anderson, tying the contest at 1-1 heading to the bottom of the sixth.

But right on cue, the Mountaineers responded with a three-spot to give them a lead they would not relinquish. With one out, Mark Podlas benefitted from an error to reach, and that began a stretch of four consecutive singles - three with runners in scoring position - that proved to be the difference in the contest.

Kevin Krause singled in the first run in that sequence before Kyle Smith did likewise an at-bat later; then, AJ Ryan drove a single to left field that scored one final run, rounding out that productive stretch for the hosts that saw them go ahead by three runs after six inning of play.

That offensive outburst was more than enough for Oest, who went on to retire the final 10 batters he faced en route to the victory to open the series for the Mountaineers.

Game 2 of the best-of-three West Division Semifinals is set for Monday, Aug. 5, back in North Adams. First pitch from Joe Wolfe Field is slated for 6:30 p.m.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 4, 2013


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