Waves squeak by SteepleCats on foggy Friday

June 28, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Ocean State Waves News Release


WAKEFIELD, R.I. - Mike Gerber's two-run double proved to be enough as Ocean State held on for a 2-1 victory over North Adams on a foggy Friday night at Old Mountain Field.

The victory gives the Waves (9-8) a series split with the SteepleCats (8-9). North Adams saw their four-game winning streak halted in defeat.

In a game played under a steady fog, the Waves were able to get on the board immediately in the first. Caden Bailey drew a one-out walk, Christian Muscarello followed with a double inside the bag at third and Gerber scored both as he laced a 3-0 pitch into the gap in left-center.

A pitcher's duel followed between Ocean State starter James Bessell and North Adams starter Scott Squier. Bessell stranded a runner on second in the first, struck out a batter to strand a runner at third in the second that was part of a string of nine-straight set down. Dom Severino stunted the stretch with a one-out double in the fifth and advanced to third on a wild pitch but Bessell got a strikeout and a pop to short to end the threat. North Adams finally got to Bessell in the sixth as a double-steal with runners on the corners and two outs worked successfully, scoring Kevin Martir from third.

Squier was just as dominant for the SteepleCats. He allowed at least one hit in each of the first five innings but struck out back-to-back batters after a Muscarello one-out double in the third and worked out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the fifth with a pop out and a ground out. Squier closed his night by retiring the final eight Waves he faced.

Ocean State preserved its lead thanks to a marvelous defensive play from Evan Ocello in the seventh. With two outs and a runner on first, Jacob Huckabay ripped the first pitch from Austin French to right but Ocello raced after it, caught it and then flipped over the right field wall for the final out.

North Adams had another chance to tie the game in the eighth but Tom Bammann would get the Waves out of trouble. Martir greeted Bammann with a one-out single to put two runners on but the right-hander got a fly ball to left and a strikeout to end the threat. He then came back out to toss a scoreless ninth and earn his first save of the summer.

In earning his second win of the year, Bessell allowed just one run on four hits and struck out five over six innings. French tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief and Bammann struck out three in 1.2 scoreless frames.

Offensively, Muscarello, Gerber and Ryan Sweenor each finished with a pair of hits. Muscarello extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his first-inning double.

The Waves are back at Old Mountain Field on Saturday night when they host Newport. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 28, 2013


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