Zach Letson – Team Broadcaster and Publicist

It was going to be difficult for Newport (22-11) to top Friday’s 16-1 win over the Danbury Westerners.

Little did anyone know what was in store the next night.

The Gulls scored early and often in a 19-0 victory on the road against the Blue Sox (15-19) at Mackenzie Stadium. Newport picked up its second shutout of the season, and its most runs scored in a game in over four years, all in one.

It began with a tone-setting first inning. The Gulls struck for three thanks to another fantastic night at the plate for Noah Martinez. After a seven-RBI night at the plate Friday, the First-Team All-NEC Selection struck for five more Saturday, beginning with a bases-clearing, three-run double in the first inning. Martinez’s two-RBI single two innings later made it 5-0.

The latter kickstarted another crooked number on the scoreboard. Bryan Broecker and Luke Beckstein notched RBI singles later in the inning, before the lineup turned over for a third time in three innings. In stepped Colton Ledbetter, who crushed his 10th home run of the summer to right field. The Week 5 NECBL Player of the Week stands alone as the first player across the league to hit 10 home runs. It polished off a nine-run inning and made it a 12-0 Newport advantage in the third inning.

It was more than enough run support for Gulls starter Collin Lowe. The Bryant ace extended his scoreless innings streak to 18 innings with four more shutout frames against Valley. Lowe has not allowed a run in his last four starts. The righty finished with four innings of work Saturday, yielding just three hits to go with six strikeouts.

Newport added another in the fifth with a run-scoring single from Kolton Freeman. The Dartmouth outfielder put together his best performance in a Gulls uniform with a 4-6 night, including two doubles and three RBIs.

Tyler Cortand, Ryan Ginther, and Seamus Barrett combined to pitch the final five innings for the Gulls and continued the dominant theme. The trio allowed just two hits and struck out 11, bringing the total to 17 K’s for Newport arms on the night.

Jake Burley delivered the icing on the cake with a two-run blast in the ninth for his second home run of the summer.

The 19-run win is the largest margin of victory Newport has ever had in the NECBL stat archive, which dates back to the 2002 season.

The Gulls next face the North Shore Navigators (8-23) Monday night on Newport Hospital Night. First pitch from Cardine Field is at 6:35pm.