NEWPORT, R.I. – Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader against the North Adams SteepleCats saw the Newport Gulls overcome an early deficit to get the win in dramatic fashion. After the SteepleCats took a 4-1 lead in the opening inning, the Gulls chipped away to close in on the deficit before a two-run seventh proved to be the difference.
With North Adams serving as the “home team” for Game 1, Newport batted first to begin the game and starting pitcher Tyler McKinstry walked Andrew Duncan (Florida State) before hitting Nolan Stevens (Mississippi State) with a pitch to start things off. After Tyler Hare (Wofford) flew out to left, Dixon Williams (East Carolina) flew out to center field but that was enough to bring home Duncan and give the Gulls an early 1-0 lead.
However, that lead wouldn’t last long as the SteepleCats quickly responded in the bottom of the first. In what turned out to be the only troublesome inning for Kade Shatwell (Oklahoma City) in his start on the mound for Newport, Aedan Anderson recorded a double followed by a single from Jake Kulikowski to score the first run and tie the game. Moments later, a groundout from Caden Dulin brought home Kulikowski to give North Adams the lead. Then, with two outs, an error in the infield allowed DJ Perron and Max Palinski to cross home and gave the SteepleCats a 4-1 advantage.
Shatwell settled in nicely after that and Newport’s offense eventually managed to put some pressure on North Adams. That began in the fourth inning when Jack Doyle (Northeastern) led off with a single. Thanks to a walk and fielder’s choice, Doyle eventually made it to third and a sacrifice fly from Andrew Duncan (Florida State) drove Doyle in to make it 4-2.
In the following inning, the SteepleCats lead shrunk even more when Dixon Williams (East Carolina) connected for a solo blast to make it 4-3. McKinstry finished out the frame on the rubber for the SteepleCats but was replaced by Jonathan Peterson, who pitched a scoreless sixth. Kade Shatwell also wrapped up his outing in the fifth, only putting one player on base after the first inning. Colby Holcombe entered in the sixth when Newport was trailing at the time.
Heading into the seventh and final inning, the Gulls needed a run to extend the game and they got more than that. After Nolan Stevens grounded out, a Tyler Hare single and an error on contact made by Dixon Williams put runners on the corners. That was followed up by a Jake Burley (Wake Forest) single to score Hare and tie the game. Then, a sacrifice groundout to the right side from Matt Ossenfort (NC State) enabled Williams to score and gave Newport a 5-4 lead. Holcombe came in for a second inning of work in an attempt to secure the victory and did just that by retiring the side in order to give Newport the 5-4 win in Game 1.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Drew Blake (Oklahoma St) took the mound for the Gulls while Tanner Duke (Baylor) started for North Adams. Both teams accumulated a single hit in the first inning, with Newport leaving the bases loaded. Max Palinski (Ohio State) started the second inning with a single but tried to stretch it to a double and was tagged out. After Cade Dulin (Pittsburgh) was walked Jayder Raifstanger (St. John’s) hit a double that put runners at second and third base.
Steeplecats catcher Derek Paris (UMBC) hit a single that scored Dulin, but that was the only damage done in the second inning. Duke settled in and cruised through the bottom half of the second inning. A single by Max Palinski created another chance for North Adams. Dulin smashed a home run out to center field that gave his team a 3-0 lead. Blake was consistent in the first few innings but struggled against the middle of the order. He struck out Raifstanger to stop the bleeding.
The Gulls were able to answer in the bottom of the third inning as Nolan Stevens (Mississippi St) fouled off seven pitches in the bat but hit a solo home run. A questionable base-running decision by Dixon Williams (East Carolina) with two outs led to the end of the inning. He was attempting to steal third but was caught by the pitcher.
Blake struck out one batter in the fourth inning and cruised through the inning quickly. Matt Ossenfort (NC State) was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fourth and was visibly upset at the pitcher. A single by Greg Bozzo (Northeastern) and another hit by pitch on Luke Orbon (St. John’s) created a bases-loaded situation for the second time in the game. Niko Brini (Wofford) and Andrew Duncan (Florida State) struck out, creating a high-pressure situation for Stevens. He hit a single to score two runs and tie the game at 3. The inning ended 3-3.
The fifth inning breezed by with neither team recording a hit. Both starting pitchers finished their nights strongly. Drew Delucia (Franklin Pierce) entered the game for the Gulls, striking two batters out en route to an easy sixth inning. Left-hander William Gervase (Wake Forest) entered the game for North Adams.
He struggled to throw strikes early as he walked Orbon. Brini attempted a bunt but could not advance the runner, making it safely to first himself, despite the out at second. Duncan and Stevens earned walks to load the bases for the third time. A walk to Tyler Hare (Wofford) gave the Gulls a 4-3 lead.
John Hacker (Marist) came into the game, but it didn’t matter as Newport tacked on 4 more runs in the inning. Williams hit a two-run single, and Carmelo Musacchia (Northeastern) hit a ground rule double that scored two more. The Gulls took an 8-3 lead into the seventh and final inning. Delucia remained in the game and appeared ready to close it out. Two quick outs set him up nicely to do so, but a single to Jake Kulikowski (Miami) and Luke Mistone (Murray State) put him in a tricky situation.
All Delucia needed was one more out. An infield single by Palinski created a bases-loaded situation for the Steeplecats with two outs, down 8-3. Delucia battled with Dulin until a ground out ended the game. The Gulls won the second game 8-3, completing the doubleheader sweep and getting them to 18 wins on the season.
North Adams will return home for a game against Vermont, while the Gulls travel to North Shore to take on the Navigators, on Saturday.
