NEWPORT, R.I. – Overcast skies and blustery conditions loomed over batting practice as the Newport Gulls prepared to take on the North Shore Navigators at Cardines field. The UMass Dartmouth senior Adam Maher was called upon to extend the Gulls winning streak to a league leading six consecutive.
By the time of the 6:37 PM opening pitch the clouds parted, Cardines field was showing off its best colors.
Matching Maher on the mound for the Navigators was Northeastern senior Brett Dunham in what was his second start of the season. Both pitchers worked quickly and efficiently in the opening frames with only three balls put in play through the first three innings. Maher was brilliant, fanning seven in his five and a third innings pitched, Dunham matched his opponent pitch for pitch until the Northeastern product finally blinked in the 4th. UConn’s Niko Brini lined a double off the wall in the bottom of the fourth to open the scoring for the Gulls. The Navigators put a run on board in fifth as Maher finally exited to applause from the Cardines crowd. As the game moved into the middle stages the story became the Gulls not converting on their opportunities as they left over fifteen runners on base in the game.
The Gulls were able to tack on a run in each the sixth and seventh innings, getting a reliable performance from Gulls debutant Cal Randall out of UCLA, going an inning and a third striking out two. The Gulls led by a score 4-1 heading into the eighth inning looking at extending their winning streak to six consecutive games. In what was a fast moving game with the first six innings taking just over an hour, the eighth inning took over thirty minutes itself. What began as a leadoff walk to Maine’s Will Burns, before they knew it the Gulls looked at the scoreboard in right center field and saw a 4-4 score. The lead was lost, but with an opportunity to limit the damage, North Shore opted to pinch hit Brady Dever and the sophomore from Brown launched a homerun deep into the Newport sky, still rising as it flew over the 30 foot fence in right field. Brown admired his no doubter launching his bat nearly ten feet in the air. The umpires discussed and both teams were issued a warning despite manager Mike Coombs disagreements. The damage was done; the scoreboard read 8-4 after a seven-run inning. The Gulls comeback attempts fell short as they fell to the North Shore Navigators 8-4.
