NEWS

An explosive 10-run fourth inning led by Kolby Branch’s (Baylor) three-run homer propelled the Newport Gulls to a 16-6 victory and a Final Four sweep of the Danbury Westerners. Newport will host the Bristol Blues in game one of the Championship Series on Sunday night at 6:35 p.m.

 

#1 Newport Gulls 16 - #7 Danbury Westerners 6

 

DANBURY, Conn. - The Newport Gulls (4-1) completed a Final Four sweep of the Danbury Westerners (2-2) with a 16-6 victory at Rogers Park on Saturday night.

 

Kolby Branch (Baylor) went 3-for-5 on the night with three hits, four RBIs and four runs scored to lead all hitters. Branch was one of five Gulls to record multi-hit performances, joining Luke Beckstein (Northeastern), Slate Alford (Mississippi State), Billy Butler (URI) and Kolton Freeman (Dartmouth).

 

Each team traded a run in the second inning, as Kolby Branch advanced to second on an error by the pitcher and later scored from third on a balk to give the Gulls a 1-0 lead. Danbury quickly responded with a run scored by Daniel Labrador (Stetson) after Jakobi Davis (Cornell) reached base on an error by the third baseman.

 

Danbury added two more runs in the third inning with a leadoff single by Drew Wyers (Stetson) and a two-run homer by Bobby Zmarzlak (Maryland College Park) to bring home Wyers. Zmarzlak led all Westerners with 10 home runs in the regular season and six RBIs during their playoff run. 

 

Newport regained the lead with an explosive 10-run fourth inning, starting with seven consecutive singles including a two-run single by Michael Anderson (URI) to bring home Kolby Branch, Billy Butler, Matthew Schark (Southern Illinois Carbondale), Luke Beckstein and Jacob Burley (Brown). Following a walk by Tyler Hare (Georgia Tech) and a single by Slate Alford, Kolby Branch delivered with a three-run homer to cap a 10-run inning with nine total hits.

 

The Gulls added two insurance runs in the fifth inning and two in the eighth to take a commanding 16-6 lead, highlighted by Tyler Hare’s two-run homer to bring home Michael Anderson in the fifth.

 

Nick Boyle (Xavier) was credited with the win after striking out six and allowing two hits and three runs across three relief innings. Garret Simpson (Wright State) and Nate Leibold (California Los Angeles) combined for three scoreless innings to secure a 16-6 victory and series sweep for Newport.

 

Newport will advance to the Championship Series to face the Bristol Blues with game one set for Sunday at Cardines Field at 6:35 p.m.