Westerners Collect Opening Day Win
Published on June 11, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Danbury Westerners News Release
The Danbury Westerners opened the 2011 NECBL season by defeating the Mystic Schooners 13-7 on a beautiful night at Rogers Park. This was the first game the Westerners were able to compete together, but the team played very well, providing opening day fireworks with their bats.Eric Luksis of Manhattan College started the game and picked up the win for the Westerners. Luksis did fall victim to the long ball early, though, giving up a two-run home run in the first and another two-run shot in the fourth.
The Westerners were able to respond, however, as third baseman Anthony Hajjar of Fairfield University hit a two-run homer of his own in the bottom of the second inning and shortstop Kyle Convissar from the University of Maryland did the same in the fourth.
The Schooners took the lead in the top of the fifth inning, but the momentum would soon change as Westerners centerfielder Tanner Krietemeier of the University of Nebraska made a leaping catch at the outfield fence to end the inning. Krietemeier then singled to lead off the bottom of the inning and promptly stole second. This would end up sparking a three-run inning for Danbury as they took a 7-6 lead.
That lead was in jeopardy in the sixth when Krietemeier made another great catch at the wall, this time to rob a home run and keep the Westerners' slim advantage. As Krietemeier had done in the fifth, he followed up his great defensive play with clutch hitting in the sixth. He hit a two-out double to increase Luksis' lead to 8-6.
Although Luksis gave up six earned runs in six innings, he allowed just seven baserunners and struck out six Schooners.
From that point, the Westerners never looked back as they scored eight runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.It was truly a team effort as the entire starting lineup for Danbury produced at least one hit.
Derrick Sylvester of Southern New Hampshire University, Nick Williams of the University of Tennessee and Walter Wijas of the University of Kentucky combined to give up just one hit in the last three innings to seal the victory. The player of the game, Krietemeier, said of the night, "As a team we did a great job. This is a great atmosphere, a great place to play, and this is a nice win."
The 1-0 Westerners play again today, June 11, as they welcome the North Adams SteepleCats to Rogers Park.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 11, 2011
- Navigators Home Opener Postponed - North Shore Navigators
- Bats vs. Bay Sox Cancelled Tonight - Keene Swamp Bats
- Westerners Collect Opening Day Win - Danbury Westerners
- Steeplecats Drop Season Opener to Vermont - North Adams SteepleCats
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