The Newport Gulls opened the 2023 season with a 5-3 win against the Mystic Schooners in New England Collegiate Baseball League action on Tuesday night at Dodd Stadium.
The Gulls didn’t waste any time as they jumped out to an early first inning lead. Kolby Branch (Allen, Tx/ Baylor University) reached on an error and later scored on an RBI triple by Dakota Jordan (Canton, MS/ Mississippi State University). A couple of batters later, Jordan’s college teammate, Slate Alford (Madison, AL/ Mississippi State University) made it 2-0 as he drove Jordan home after reaching on a fielder’s choice.
In the second inning, the Gulls added to their lead as Jacob Burley (Hollister, CA/ Brown University) scored Matthew Schark (St. Charles, MO/ Southern Illinois University) on an RBI groundout. Kolton Freeman (Laguna Beach, CA/ Dartmouth College) later reached on a walk but was stranded at second base to end Newport’s half of the second inning. After two innings, the Gulls led 3-0.
Newport kept the scoring going in the third as they registered another run. After back-to-back singles by Jordan and Aaron Downs (Starkville, MS/ Mississippi State University), Billy Butler (Foster, RI/ University of Rhode Island)lifted a sacrifice fly to center field which ended up scoring Downs.
In the bottom of the third, the Schooners got a couple of runs back on an Alexander Luccini two-run double that plated Bobby Marsh and Anthony DePino. After three innings of play, the Gulls still led 4-2.
In the sixth inning, the Gulls scored another run on a groundout by Jordan which scored Freeman after he reached on a double.
The Schooners made things interesting in the ninth inning, but the Gulls ended up holding on to win 5-3. Mystic scored on an RBI single by Matthew Brinker but Santhosh Gottam (Flower Mound, TX/ Brown University) was able to close the game to secure the first win of the season for Newport.
Nolan Pender (Louisville, KY/ Bellarmine University) earned the win as he went six strong innings for Newport, registering 11 strikeouts and allowing two runs on five hits.
Gottam, who relieved Pender in the seventh, earned the save. He pitched three innings and gave up one run, while allowing two hits and striking out three.
The Gulls will return to action on Wednesday, June 7th, for their home opener in Newport, R.I. to take on the Bristol Blues at historic Cardines Field. Gametime will be at 6:30. You can watch online on the NECBL Broadcast Network.