The Newport Gulls celebrated America’s semiquincentennial Friday night at Cardines Field, but the Ocean State Waves spoiled the party with a three-run ninth inning to hand the Gulls a 4-3 loss before a crowd of 2,311.
The Waves grabbed an early lead in the first, when Max Farrell singled through the left side to score Thomas Meluskey. Newport answered with three runs in the third. Caeden Cloud singled to score Gus Gandy, and Ryan Novak followed with a two-run double to right-center that brought home Cloud and Maddox Haley, putting the Gulls ahead 3-1.
The lead held into the ninth, backed by a strong start from Will Taylor, who struck out nine over four innings, and scoreless relief from Will Allen and Zane Stahl. But the Waves broke through in the final frame. Cameron Papetti tied the game with a two-run homer to center that also scored Adonis Medina, and Zach Plasschaert followed with an RBI single down the right-field line to score Justin Hackett, putting Ocean State ahead 4-3.
Gandy led the Gulls with two hits, including a double, while Novak drove in two runs and Cloud added a hit and an RBI. Newport managed just five hits and stranded 12 runners. Mickey McClaskey (1-1) took the loss, allowing three runs in the ninth, while Trey Telfer (1-1) earned the win with two scoreless innings in relief for Ocean State.
The loss dropped the Gulls to 14-9-1, 9-6-1 in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, while the Waves improved to 8-16, 5-12. Newport is scheduled to send Jake Lenahan to the mound in its next game.
