MacKenzie’s complete game
four hitter leads Dukes to victory
By: Michael Radomski
(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Alex
MacKenzie (Canisius) went the distance for a complete game four
hitter as the Pittsfield Dukes defeated the Danbury Westerners 2-1
at Wahconah Park.
MacKenzie and the Dukes would fall behind 1-0 in the top of the
first inning when Bobby DiNardo (Fordham University) scored Kevin
Jackson (University of Maine) on an RBI groundout. MacKenzie would
allow just three hits the remainder of the ballgame, striking out
three in the process.
Westerner starter Nick Jones (St. Gregory’s University) would keep
the Dukes off the board in the first but Pittsfield would rally with
two outs in the second inning. Back to back doubles from Jake
Rosenbeck (Buffalo) and Billy Messer (Slippery Rock) would tie up
the game at one as Messer blooped the ball to left field as
Rosenbeck would come around to score.
Rosenbeck would commit three of the four Dukes’ errors in the field
behind MacKenzie, but the Canisius student athlete continued to work
out of trouble. Danbury would have a runner on base in seven
different innings during the game, but MacKenzie held the Westerners
scoreless the rest of the way.
In the fifth inning, Jones would run into trouble after getting the
first out. Back to back walks to Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) and
Domenic DiRicco (Cornell) would give the Dukes runners at first and
second base. Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) would follow with an RBI
single, scoring Edmondson and giving Pittsfield the 2-1 lead.
A single from Jayson Langfels (Eastern Kentucky) would load up the
bases and chase Nick Jones from the game. Travis Ratliff (Cortland
State) would come in and get Rosenbeck to hit a liner to short.
Michael Olt (UCONN) made the lunging grab and then threw back to
second base to double up Adams and end the threat.
MacKenzie continued to pitch well and stayed in to pitch the ninth
inning as well. T.J. Thomas (San Diego State) reached on an error
from Rosenbeck, but was thrown out at second on a sacrifice bunt
attempt from Kyle Mahoney (High Point). MacKenzie would then retire
the next two hitters to close out the game and earn his first
complete game of the season.
With the 2-1 victory, Pittsfield improves to 14-11 on the season and
stays just a half game behind the first-place Newport Gulls.
Pittsfield will host Newport on Sunday at Wahconah Park in a makeup
game from June. Mike Woytek (Wright State) is the probable starter
for the Dukes in the five o’clock contest for first place.
Danbury drops to 6-20 on the season with the loss and the Westerners
are off on Sunday but will travel to Lowell on Monday to play the
All-Americans. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 with Dennis
Accomando (UCONN) as the slated starter.
The Dukes will also host the Torrington Twisters next week for a
doubleheader on July 18th beginning at six o'clock. The Twisters and
Dukes will play two games, each scheduled for seven innings, and
then STAR 101.7 FM and WBRK AM 1340 will sponsor the fireworks show
after the second game.
Fans can listen to the game to and all Pittsfield Dukes games on the
NECBL Broadcast Network by going to the site at
http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=6301&eventcode=5
Tickets are still available for Dukes’ games at Wahconah Park.
Tickets can be purchased at the Dukes box office at 105 Wahconah
Street or by calling 413 447 DUKE (3853).
