North Shore's four run
ninth inning extends Pittsfield losing streak
By: Michael Radomski
(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) - The
visiting North Shore Navigators battled all night long with the
Pittsfield Dukes and pushed four runs home in the top of the ninth
inning for a 6-3 victory at Wahconah Park.
Dukes starter Kyle Vazquez (Franklin Pierce) pitched seven strong
innings for Pittsfield striking out seven North Shore hitters and
only yielding two runs.
Sean McNaughton (BYU) hit a two run triple in the 3rd inning to give
the Navigators a 2-0 lead, but it was only short lived. In the
bottom of the inning, Pittsfield would score three runs on no hits
as North Shore starter Mike Adams (Franklin Pierce) would walk four
hitters and hit two before being taken out for reliever Ryan Krull (Bellarmine
University).
Krull would enter with the bases loaded, two outs, and the
Navigators down by a run, but he got Billy Messer to strike out and
end the inning. The left-hander would pitch 3 2/3 innings in relief
holding the Dukes scoreless and giving his team the opportunity to
stay in the game.
Vazquez and Krull would go toe to toe until the 8th inning when
Dukes reliever Zach Anderson (Buffalo) entered the game. Justin
Little (Mesa State College) hit a one out single and Tyler Kuehl
(Point Loma Nazarene) moved him to second with two outs. Pinch
hitter Jay McConnell then walked to load up the bases but was picked
off at first base by J.T. Musso (BYU). Musso threw down to first and
first baseman Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) McConnell out to end the
inning. It was one of four such innings in which a Navigator was
thrown out trying to advance to end an inning.
The Dukes failed to add to the lead in the 8th, and sent out Jack
Bender (Georgetown) to close the game. Nick Belcher (East Tennessee
State) lined out on the first pitch, but Bender would walk the next
two hitters. A passed ball allowed the runners to each move up one
base respectively and Bender then intentionally walked Ryan McCrann
(Fordham) to load up the bases with one out.
The Pittsfield defense would play in as pinch hitter Chad Zurcher
(University of Memphis) hit a ground ball to 3rd and Jayson Langfels
(Eastern Kentucky) would throw home to Musso for the force out. With
two outs, Little would hit a ground ball to the right side hole that
Craig Hertler was able to field and throw over to first but Matt
Adams had trouble finding the bag on the play. Base umpire Steve
Sanderson ruled Little safe as the Navigators tied the game at
three.
Kuehl would then follow with an RBI single to give North Shore the
4-3 lead knocking Bender out of the game. With the bases still
loaded, reliever Mike Woytek (Wright State) would enter the game and
give up a two run double to McNaughton. The ball then trickled away
and Kuehl tried to score as well but was thrown out at the plate to
end the four run inning.
North Shore would take the 6-3 lead into the ninth, and closer Chris
Prescott (St. Joseph's University) would hold the Dukes scoreless to
secure the victory.
With the win, North Shore improves to 9-5 on the season and they
will host the Manchester Silkworms with Adam Herter (Point Loma
Nazarene) as the probable starter. For Pittsfield, the Dukes have
now lost seven straight games and will travel to New Hampshire to
play the Keene Swamp Bats tomorrow night at seven. Matt Giusti
(Stonehill College) is the probable starter.
