Mystic Defeats Newport at the Shipyard
MYSTIC, CT. - The Newport Gulls were hoping to right the ship against the Mystic Schooners after a thrilling win on Wednesday, July 16th, vs. the Ocean State Waves. However, the depleted pitching staff found itself in a hole that turned into a canyon in the middle innings.
Newport's offense started with a leadoff single by Matt Bolton (Binghamton) off the arm of Mike Poncini. Bolton would steal second, but a popout by Dre Lewis (Manhattan) and two strikeouts from Michael Gupton (Memphis) and Colby Wallace (East Carolina) got Poncini out of the inning.
C.J. Bott (UCLA) started his second game of the season and looked to improve upon a tough start last Saturday, July 12th, vs. the Ocean State Waves. Two singles to start the home half was exactly what Bott was not looking to surrender. Still, he was able to limit the damage after a wild pitch, limiting the Schooners to one run after a Davis Johnson sac-fly and Lewis' back picking David Mendez at third to get out of the inning.
The Gulls were aggressive in the second, trying to jump on Poncini early in counts, but to no avail. A Kyle Branch (Oklahoma) two-out single was followed by a Josh Castellani (Clemson) fly out to keep Newport off the board. Mystic continued an onslaught of baserunners loading the bases after a single and two walks. Bott got two strikeouts, but a wild pitch scored Mystic's second run. Casen Murphy (Louisville) replaced Bott after the second punchout and got Mikey Torres to line out to end the inning, and Newport escaped, only down 2-0.
Ryan Novak (MiamiOH) reached on to start the third after an error from the shortstop, Anthony Belisario, gave way to the top of the order. Newport could not do much with Novak after a lineout, fielder's choice, and groundout to first ended the top of the third. Murphy got a quick out number one before walking Maddix Delana and hitting Davis Johnson in the helmet. He was able to keep the Schooners off the board after a fielder's choice to the middle infield and a flyout to right field, to keep the deficit at two.
Poncini would deal, getting Newport down in order in the fourth. Murphy went out for his final inning of work searching for another scoreless frame. It started on the right track for Murphy, getting slugger Christian Scanlon to strike out before a Randy Seymour (Michigan State) throwing error got Newport into a shaky spot, especially after a single from the 9-hole Belisario. Torres would pop out, and although Newport was close to getting out of the inning, a two-out walk to David Mendez loaded the bases. Could Murphy and the Gulls luck their way out again? Short answer: no. Maddix Dalena hit a single up the middle and rolled right by Gupton in center field. The hit and miscue cleared the bases, but Gupton and the Gulls were able to throw Dalena out at third, but the damage was done, and Newport trailed 5-0.
The Schooners starter would finally falter after two, one-out walks to Castellani and Novak. Bolton ripped his first triple of the season down the right field line, and both runners scored to get Newport on the board and with momentum. A sharp lineout by Gupton and Dre Lewis chopper to first stranded Bolton at third, but Newport was able to scratch a pair across and looked to quiet the Schooners.
Tristan Bristow (Vanderbilt) looked to continue his recent success, and after an opening strikeout, it seemed he would do so. Unfortunately, the command struggled, and Bristow would walk four of his next five batters, giving Mystic their sixth run, and was pulled for Jack Cropper (Northeastern) with two outs and the bases loaded. Cropper, who is working on a shoulder injury, had similar results to Bristow, unable to find the zone. Cropper would walk his first three hitters and give up a two-run single before getting out of the inning on a lineout to Matt Ossenfort. The Schooners put up a six-spot and took a commanding 11-2 lead.
Newport's offense failed to respond, and through the final four innings, Newport managed only two hits while striking out six times against Schooner relievers Nick Coniglio and Thrasher Steed. Cade Connolly (Michigan) entered in the 6th inning. In innings six and seven, Connoly saw seven batters and retired five straight. Connolly faced some trouble in the eighth after two walks kicked off the frame, but the Wolverine settled in and retired the next three hitters.
A two-out Kyle Branch (Oklahoma) single delayed the inevitable in the 9th, and Castellani would strike out to end the game, 11-2. The Gulls drop to 21-14 and 13-12 in Southern Division play as they head into the all-star break. A Bristol win puts Newport two games behind the Blues in the standings, but Newport gets a much-needed break to try and reset.
Newport will resume regular season play for its final nine games on Tuesday, July 22nd, in Montpelier, Vermont, for its second and final match against the Vermont Mountaineers.
