Gulls take care of Blues for game 1 win in semifinals

The quest for the Fay Vincent Cup rolls on as the Newport Gulls and Bristol Blues faced off in game 1 of the semi finals series at Cardines Field in Newport on Sunday Night.

    In a matchup of the 2023 NECBL championship series, the Blues who finished the season 24-18 good enough to top the West division had revenge on their mind as they looked to come into Cardines and steal home field advantage to come back to Bristol for game 2 on Monday evening.

But it would be the Gulls getting off to a fast start as Gulls starting pitcher Kade Shatwell (Austin Peay) made quick work of the top half of the Blues order in the top of 1st tallying a strikeout and forcing 2 pop ups. The Gulls bats would quickly add support after leadoff man Niko Brini (Wofford) and Andrew Duncan (Florida State) would reach on a single and a walk respectively,  2024 NECBL batting champion Dixon Williams (East Carolina) would reach on a fielder’s choice that would result in all runners reaching safely. Tyler Minnick (Middle Tennessee State) stepped up with the bases loaded and nobody out but grounded into a double play; however, Brini would score on the play.

Bristol quickly answered back in the top of 2nd as Gavin Gregor (Bryant) would reach via a single to right and advance on a bunt. When Gregor was on 2nd would have Shatwells full attention dancing back and forth taking large leads, the eventual pickoff throw from Shatwell sailed high and wide allowing Gregor to take 3rd easily. Some nifty baserunning allowed Newport to score a run when Skye Selinsky would be caught stealing but not before Gregor would pass home plate and the inning would end knotted at 1-1.

Shatwell would then not allow a run for the next 3 innings in what would eventually end up being his best start of the season throwing a season high 109 pitches going 8 innings striking out 4. 

The Newport bats continued their hot streak scoring 10 runs or more in all of their playoff games and it would start with an Andrew Duncan solo blast to deep left center field tailed on for his 2nd home run of the playoffs while also registering a hit in 10 of his last 11 games. The Gulls would then add 3 more in the bottom of the 4th as Niko Brini launched a ball over the right field fence for a 3 run blast which would be just his 2nd homerun in 2 years with the Gulls but also his first at Cardines Field. The Gulls had opened the scoring up to 5-1 at the end of the 5th.

But as Shatwell returned the mound for his 5th inning of work and the Gulls took their defensive positioning Cardines field got hit with torrential rain, the grounds crew quickly hit the field to cover the pitchers mound and batters box with tarps as the teams headed back to their dugouts, to keep the crowds entertained during the rain delay Drew Delucia (Franklin Pierce) held a karaoke session performing “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi as well as Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain), the rain eventually slowed down enough to resume play and the microphone pulled out of Delucia’s hand the game restarted and Shatwell returned to his form. Completing another scoreless inning tallying another strikeout. 

Blues starting pitcher Jimmy Gilleran (Stonehill) would be pulled after 5 innings going 4 innings allowing 5 runs. He would be replaced by Johnny Ruggiero (Merrimack) in the bottom of the 5th, Ruggiero would pitch just 1 inning allowing a leadoff walk to Dixon Williams who would later score on a Nolan Stevens (Mississippi State) fielder’s choice making the score 6-1 through 5 innings. 

Bristol would cut into that lead as Dean O’Neil (Maine) would rip a double scoring 2 but that was as close as Bristol would get throughout the game as Newport continued to expand their lead scoring runs in all but the 2nd and 8th innings. 

The Gulls would put the game out of reach in the bottom of 7th after Randy Seymour (Michigan State) would fire a 2 RBI double counting his total to 25 on the season, Jack Doyle (Northeastern) would add another 2 RBI double scoring Seymour and Matt Ossenfort (NC State) to stretch the lead to 12-3. 

Shatwell would return to a standing ovation in the top of the 8th after a series of tough at bats he would retire the side a fitting end to his night. As he would slip his sweatshirt back on and walk to the bullpen to finish his night “let’s hear it for Kade” rang out over the Cardines Field speakers another standing ovation reached fever pitch Shatwell waved and tipped his cap to the fans down the left field line. He jogged the rest of the way to his fellow pitchers who were clapping as he arrived hugs and high fives were exchanged he had given everything that he had and more, and earned every clap, cheer and whistle that he got. 

Mason Ulsh (Quinnipiac) would be the cleanup man in the top of the 9th to slam the door for the Gulls as he would enter for his 8th appearance of the season, the former Bristol Blue had a comfortable lead and could work as he pleased. A string of Blues hits would allow Bristol to tack on 2 more runs that would end up being academic. Ulsh would finish the job forcing a groundout to the sure handed WIlliams at 3rd who fired it to Ossenfort to finish the game 12-5 the final. Game 2 Will be on Monday, August 5th at Muzzy Field in Bristol. If necessary game 3 will be back at Cardines Field on Tuesday the 6th.