Dukes rally, hold on late for 1st playoff win over SteepleCats
by: Michael Radomski
( PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – The Pittsfield Dukes defeated the North Adams
SteepleCats in their first ever playoff game 4-3 at Wahconah Park
and take a 1-0 lead in the best of three series.
The game was originally postponed for an hour and thirty-eight
minutes due to rain in the area, but the two teams held out hope as
Dukes starter Michael Ness (Duke) matched up against SteepleCat
starter Tim Boyce (Univ of Rhode Island) on the mound.
North Adams would score first in the top of the second inning on an
RBI single from Derek Shaw (Florida Gulf Coast). With the 1-0 lead,
Tim Boyce came into the game with a 0.95 ERA and 7-1 record and
continued to pitch well. Boyce would hold Pittsfield to just three
hits and pick up three strikeouts over his first four innings of
work.
In the top of the fifth, T.J. Greig (Malloy College) would increase
the lead with a 2 run double and put North Adams ahead 3-0. Boyce
would retire the side in the fifth inning, and North Adams would
threaten again in the sixth.
With one out, Ryan Delgado (Chaffey College) drew a walk, and Greg
Van Horn (Brookdale CC) reached on a two base throwing error by Jake
Rosenbeck (Buffalo). With runners at second and third, Dukes manager
Mike Marron decided to bring the infield in. Shaw would then hit a
grounder to second, and Craig Hertler (San Jose State) threw home to
retire Delgado for the second out. Ness would then retire Mike
Donato (UMASS) on a groundout to end the threat.
In the bottom half of the 6th, the Dukes would mount a comeback.
Jason Martin (San Jose State) led off the inning with a single, and
Craig Hertler followed with an infield single to but two runners on
with no one out. Boyce would then strike out Jayson Langfels
(Eastern Kentucky) but hit Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) to load up the
bases.
Jason Krizan (Dallas Baptist) hit a slow rolling RBI groundout to
second to score the Dukes’ first run of the game and Matt Adams
(Slippery Rock) would tie the game at three with a two-run single to
center field. Jake Rosenbeck, who struck out in his first two
at-bats, would then double home Adams and give Pittsfield the 4-3
lead.
Ness would retire the side in the 7th and work his way into the 8th
inning with the lead. Jonny Smith (Niagara University) led off the
inning with a double, and a sacrifice bunt from Sean Parker (CCSU)
would move the runner up to third with one out. Closer Zach Anderson
(Duke) would then enter the game for Ness to strikeout Delgado and
retire Van Horn on a groundout to end the inning.
In the ninth inning, Anderson would stay in the game but get into
some more trouble after getting the first out. Donato reached on a
single and Ryan Semeniuk (Wake Forest) drew a walk to put two
runners on base with one out. John Malloy (La Salle Univ) would then
hit a foul pop up to left field for the second out of the inning.
Greig then hit a groundball to first, and Krizan flipped to Anderson
covering for the third out to secure the victory.
The Pittsfield Dukes would win game one of the series 4-3 and take
the 1-0 lead in the best of three matchup. Michael Ness gets the win
after going 7 1/3 innings and allowing three runs (all earned) on
seven hits. Tim Boyce took the loss in the contest pitching seven
innings, yielding four runs (three earned) in his second loss of the
season, both of which have come against the Pittsfield Dukes.
The series will continue Tuesday night at Joe Wolfe Field in North
Adams at seven o’clock. Craig Crumbly (Florida Gulf Coast) will
start for the SteepleCats. Crumbly is 3-1 with a 3.44 earned run
average on the season. He will be opposed by Kyle Vazquez (Franklin
Pierce) for the Pittsfield Dukes. Vazquez was 4-0 this season for
Pittsfield with a 1.99 ERA.
Fans can listen to all Pittsfield Dukes games on the NECBL Broadcast
Network by going to the site at
http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=6301&eventcode=5
