Dukes
defeat Twisters 5-1 to improve to 5-1 in 2008
(TORRINGTON, CT)- The Dukes
used stellar pitching and a few timely hits to defeat the reigning
Southern division champion Torrington Twisters 5-1 last night at
Fuessenich Park.
The game was scoreless after the first three innings as fans at
Fuessenich Park witnessed a pitchers duel between Twister Andrew
Triggs (USC) and Duke Michael Ness (Duke). Triggs only lasted four
innings yielding six hits as the J.T. Musso (BYU) RBI single in the
4th was his only blemish. An error by left fielder Aaron Barrows
(Eastern Kentucky) plated Jason Martin (San Jose State) in the top
of the fifth off of reliever Danny Beck (USC) to give Pittsfield a
two run cushion.
That was all starter Michael Ness would need as he had another
splendid outing throwing six innings of two hit ball shuting out the
Twisters. Ness handed the ball to reliever Jack Bender (Georgetown)
in the 7th inning with a 2-0 lead. Bender was the closer on last
year's Dukes team and signed a contract earlier in the week to join
Pittsfield. His second pitch of the night was crushed over the left
field wall for a solo home run by Chase Austin (Elon).
The home run cut the deficit to one and the score would stay 2-1
into the 9th inning when the Dukes' bats came alive. Robert Chimpky
(Utah) entered the game in the 9th and the Dukes took advantage late
with a two out rally. After retiring J.T. Musso and Perry Silverman
(Canisius), Jason Martin singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI
single by Craig Hertler (San Jose State).
With a 3-1 lead, Tyler Stampone (William & Mary) drilled the 2-1
offering from Chimpky out over the left field fence for a two run
home run, the second of his young season, to give Pittsfield the 5-1
lead.
In the bottom half, Manager Mike Marron turned to Adam Knight
(Georgia State) for the third straight night, this time in a
non-save situation. Knight blew a one run lead in the top of the
ninth inning against Manchester on Wednesday night at Wahconah Park,
the lone loss on the Dukes' record. This time around, Adam Knight
shut the door retiring all three hitters he faced including two
strikeouts.
The Dukes' pitching staff only faced three batters over the minimum
holding the struggling Twisters' bats to only three hits. Jason
Martin finished 2 for 2 with two runs in the victory with two stolen
bases, giving him a team high 4 on the season.
The Dukes (5-1) lead the Southern Division and will travel to North
Adams tomorrow night to play the SteepleCats for the first of six
games this season in the Battle of the Berkshires. The probable
starter will be Jake Sabol from Central Michigan, and this will be
his first start of the year in the 2008 NECBL season.
For the Twisters, they drop to 2-2 on the season following their
home opening loss to Pittsfield. They will have Friday off and they
will host the Danbury Westerners (1-5) at Fuessenich Park with Brett
Miller (SDSU) as the probable starter.
