GAME 1
Newport, R.I. — Scorching temperatures and not a cloud in the sky was the backdrop for a doubleheader at Cardines Field with the Gulls playing host to the Upper Valley Blue Sox. For the first time all season the Gulls had two consecutive off days and it was greatly needed to refresh bullpen arms. On the mound in game one for Newport was Pittsburgh’s Aidan Coleman matched by Salve Regina’s Andrew Wertz.
Coleman worked around a walk and a single in the first inning striking out Andrew Estrella. The Gulls bats got firing when Dixon Williams fired a double off the right field wall. Williams would score on a throwing error and Gulls led 1-0 through 2 innings. Gulls second lead off man Niko Brini would get the 3rd inning started with a single up the middle, the top of half of the Gulls order got aboard with an error, walk and single respectively and 1st basemen Matt Ossenfort launcher a grand slam to open the scoring and make it 6-0 Gulls. The launch party would not stop there as Carmelo Musacchia barreled a high fast ball and sent the ball over 400 feet and off the roof of Coach Coombs house in left center field. A 7 spot in the 3rd inning to make it 8-0 matched only by Aidan Coleman’s scintillating opening 4 innings fanning 7 and allowing 1 run.
The 5th inning was more of the same for the Gulls as they found themselves with the bases loaded and Tyler Hare roped a double around the warehouse in right field to score 2 more runs to make the score 10-1. Valley would tack on a home run in the bottom of the 5th as Johnathan Hogart took Coleman to deep left field for a solo shot to make it 10-2.
Scoreless and fast moving 6th and top half of the 7th set up Quinnipiac’s Mason Ulsh for the save, he would not allow a base runner striking out one to finish. 7 innings played in 2 hours and 1 minute left an hour and a half to relax and recharge before the 6:35 first pitch in game 2.
GAME 2
The high temperatures continued to fall and the sun set down the 3rd base line long shadows cast over Cardines field. The shortened 7 Inning game called for a bullpen day for the Gulls and head coach Mike Coombs trotted Mississippi State’s Colby Holcombe onto the mound. The big right hander normally stationed out of the bullpen was tasked with following up the 10-2 victory earlier in the afternoon.
Matched on the other side by the junior out of Boston College John Kwiatowski. Both pitchers got through the first inning without issue, Johnathan Hogart got the top of the 2nd started with a pair of singles, a 2 RBI double cleared the bases but it did not stop there as 2 more doubles and a home run resulted in an 8-0 score line. The Blue Sox would tack on another run to make it 9 to nothing.
The Gulls bats failed to make the same noise as they did that very same afternoon. Only registering 3 hits throughout the day. Despite 2 separate bases loaded situations the Gulls mustered 3 runs in the 5th. A weather advisory struck in the top half of the 6th as a thick fog laid out across Cardines field, outfielders fighting their way for fly balls and a grounder disappearing as it hit the outfield grass. The umpires converged and called the game to be paused. Simply delaying the inevitable, after a rousing rendition of “Piano Man” by the Gulls belted over the speaker it was determined that the game would be ended, 9-3 the final.
