Undefeated Dukes blow late lead and lose 5-4
By: Michael Radomski
(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) - The undefeated 4-0 start for the Pittsfield
Dukes ended today after the visiting Manchester Silkworms plated 2
runs in the 9th off closer Adam Knight (Georgia State) to win it.
The Dukes started the scoring off in the bottom of the first with a
bases loaded sacrifice fly by Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) but that's
all Manchester starter Nick Noblit (American International) would
allow in that frame.
The Silkworms would answer in the top of the second inning with two
runs. Michael Bourdon (Fairfield) lined the ball off of Duke starter
Alex MacKenzie (Canisius) and over to short. Tyler Stampone (William
& Mary) fielded and overthrew home, yielding two runs to score. The
umpires than called for a brief sun delay, the 1st one at Wahconah
Park this season.
The doubles king, Perry Silverman, battled back for the Dukes with a
two run double in the 4th to regain the lead 3-2 for Alex MacKenzie
who stayed in the game and went six strong allowing three runs.
Pittsfield would add the go-ahead run in the 7th as Chris Edmondson
(Le Moyne) had an RBI single to push the Dukes ahead.
Reliever Zach Anderson pitched two solid innings for Pittsfield in
relief of MacKenzie and turned the ball over to Duke closer Adam
Knight (Georgia State) in the 9th with a 4-3 lead.
Ryan Piacentini (Trinity College) reached on an error by Jayson
Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) at 3rd to leadoff the inning but was
picked off by Knight at first for the first out of the inning. The
Silkworms were resilient and continued to battle. A.J. Rusbarsky
(Seton Hall University) drew a walk, followed by a single by Matt
Grosso (Notre Dame). After a strikeout, pinch hitter Zach Hudson
(Middle Tenn St) delivered with an RBI single to right field scoring
Rusbarksy and tying the game. The next hitter Mike Gallic (Marist
college) also had an RBI single and gave the Silkworms the 5-4 lead.
For the bottom of the ninth inning, Manchester turned to their
closer Brandon Otto (Le Moyne) who retired Perry Silverman (Canisius)
, Jason Martin (San Jose St) and Craig Hertler (San Jose St) 1-2-3
to close out the ballgame.
With the 5-4 win, the Manchester Silkworms split the home and home
with the Pittsfield Dukes and improve to 2-2. With the loss,
Pittsfield ends its 4-game winning streak and suffers its first
setback of the 2008 NECBL season.
Tomorrow, Manchester will host Newport as the Gulls come to town for
a seven o'clock contest and the Dukes will travel down to Torrington
with Michael Ness (Duke) as their projected starter.
