Dukes rally from 5 run
deficit for 4th straight win
By: Michael Radomski
(DANBURY, CT) - The
Pittsfield Dukes rallied from behind for the third straight game for
a 9-8 victory against the Danbury Westerners at Rogers Park.
Danbury sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning off
Dukes starter Matt Giusti (Stonehill College). An RBI single from
Vinny Ganz (William Patterson) gave Danbury the 1-0 lead, and an RBI
groundout by Brad Pippa (Stetson) would extend the lead to two. Back
to back home runs from Michael Olt (UCONN) and Kyle Mahoney (High
Point) gave Danbury the 5-0 lead after one inning. The two run home
run from Olt and the Mahoney solo homer came on consecutive pitches
out to left center field.
The 5-0 lead would shrink in the top of the second inning as the
Dukes would score two runs off of Westerner starter Brian Craig
(Dominican College). Back to back RBI groundouts from Jake Rosenbeck
(Buffalo) and Billy Messer (Slippery Rock) would close the gap to
three but Danbury would add another run in the 2nd to take a 6-2
lead.
The score would stay that way until the top of the fourth inning
when Pittsfield continued to close the gap. Following a leadoff walk
to Jason Krizan (Dallas Baptist), Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) hit a
two run home run to left field, his fourth of the season, to cut the
lead in half.
Danbury would add a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI
single from T.J. Thomas (San Diego State), the last Westerner hit
until the eighth inning.
In the fifth, the Dukes would complete the comeback with a three run
inning as Pittsfield would bat around against Craig and Jonathan
Balentina (University of Maine). Following a fly out, Craig Hertler
(San Jose State) reached on a throwing error from Olt. After a
groundout from J.T. Musso (BYU), Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne College)
hit a three run home run, his third of the season, to tie the game
at seven and complete the five run comeback. A single and two walks
would knock Craig out of the game as manager Jamie Shevchik
(Keystone College) would bring in Balentina with the bases loaded
and two outs. Balentina walked Rosenbeck to give Pittsfield the 8-7
lead and struck out Messer to end the inning.
Pittsfield then took their first lead of the game in the sixth
inning on an RBI single from Musso that scored Domenic DiRicco
(Cornell) on the play. Giusti continued to pitch for the Dukes and
retired the Westerners in the sixth inning as he exited the game in
a position to win.
Jake Sabol (Central Michigan) came in to relieve Giusti to pitch the
seventh and eighth innings. After holding Danbury scoreless in the
seventh, the Westerners rallied in the eighth. A leadoff single from
Mahoney, and a sacrifice from Melvin Castillo (Eastern CT State)
would put a runner at second base with one out. Westerner catcher
Joe Witkowski (St. John's) then hit a grounder to third that Jayson
Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) would field and throw up the line to
first. The ball got away from Adams and into right field as Mahoney
would score the game-tying run from second base on the error. Sabol
would then finish the inning as both teams would head into the 9th
inning tied at 8.
In the ninth inning, Danbury reliever D.J. Stinsman (Dominican
College) would start his first full inning as Krizan reached on a
leadoff single. Adams then dropped down a sacrifice bunt in front of
home plate that Wiskowski fielded and threw into center field.
Krizan would stop at second as Pittsfield would have runners at
first and second base with no one out.
Langfels then attempted to drop down a bunt but Stinsman ended up
striking him out for the first out of the inning. Jason Martin (San
Jose State) would go in to pinch run for Krizan and score on an RBI
double from Rosenebck to right field. The double would give
Rosenbeck his third RBI of the game and give Pittsfield the 9-8
lead. Stinsman would retire the next two hitters to end the inning
and hold the deficit at one.
In the bottom of the inning, the Dukes would turn the ball to closer
Zach Anderson (Buffalo). With one out, Thomas would draw a walk but
Anderson would retire Pippa and Olt to secure the 9-8 win.
With the win, the Dukes have won four games in a row and increase
their record to 12-10 on the season. Pittsfield sits behind the
first place Newport Gulls (13-9) by one game, and will host the
Keene Swamp Bats at Wahconah Park on Wednesday. Kyle Vazquez
(Franklin Pierce) is the probable starter for Pittsfield on
Stockbridge/ West Stockbridge night at Wahconah Park. Vazquez will
bring a 2-0 record and a 0.98 ERA into the seven o'clock contest.
The Danbury Westerners have now lost six straight games as their
record drops to 4-18. The Westerners host the North Shore Navigators
on Wednesday with Dennis Accomando (UCONN) on the mound. Accomando
has a 1-3 record with a 7.12 ERA so far this season. Game time is
set for seven o'clock as well.
