In the final regular season game for the Gulls, they were tasked with ending the season on a high note in a 7 inning game against the Mystic Schooners.
Nick DiRito (UMASS Lowell) had an unorthodox outing getting his 1st start of the year in his 12th game. DiRito in his 1st start would have an amazing outing going 5 innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 walks, but shut down the offense with 6 strikeouts and no runs. DiRito would end up getting the win for his 2nd of the season.
Mitchell Dean (Louisville) would come in after DiRito but would struggle in this outing. The Schooners would load the bases to give the pinch hitter Drew Kron, who would hit a grad slam to make it a 7-4 game.
Mason Ulsh (Quinnipiac) would come in after the grad slam to stop the bleeding. Ulch’s final line would be 2 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 1 run (earned) while striking out 2.
After leaving the bases loaded in the first, the Gulls struck first in the 2nd inning. In the next at bat after a 1 out walk from Carmelo Musacchia (Northeastern), Jack Doyle (Northeastern) destroyed a ball to put the Gulls up 2-0. With the next 2 batters reaching base, Dixon Williams ripped a double down the 1st base line to score 2 more to make it a 4-0 game.
The inning after leaving 2 runners on base, Newport would strike once again in the 4th. An aggressive baserunning approach from both Duncan (Florida St) and Williams pulling off a double steal to start the inning. This would give Bozzo (Northeastern), who was just put into the game to pinch hit, to drive in both runs on a single to right field to make it a 6-0 game. The scoring in the 4th wouldn’t end there with a Randy Seymour (Michigan St) sac fly to score Bozzo, making it 7-0.
With the first pitch of the bottom of the 6th, Matt Ossenfort (NC State) would obliterate a ball into right center field to respond to the 4 spot from Mystic in the top half of the inning. This would be the only run in this inning but would make it a 8-4 game going into the 7th.
With a 8-5 win, the Gulls wrap up the season with their 27th win of the season. Newport’s final record is 27-16, making them 1st in the Coastal Division. The Gulls will have the 2nd seed in the playoffs and will face the 7th seed in a best of 3 on Thursday at Cardines with 6:35PM first pitch.