By: Caden Charpentier – Media Operations Coordinator
For the fourth time this season, Newport (23-11) held off North Shore (8-26) by a score of 7-6 in a Cardines classic. It is the seventh game this season that the Gulls have won by one run, and the third contest between the two divisional foes that was decided by a single run. The win brings the Newport winning streak to five games, and the streak at Cardines Field to 11 consecutive contests dating back to June 24.
Five Gulls arms entered to get the job done. Down by two runs heading into the sixth inning, Newport turned to Baylor right-hander Cole Stasio to shut down an offense that had been seeing the ball well at the plate all night. Stasio went three innings, allowing no runs, and just two hits while punching out a season-high seven batters giving the Gulls a chance to come back once again. He collects his first win of the season and has not given up a run in his last three outings. Garret Simpson came in to relieve Stasio and shut the door in the ninth, recording his
At the plate, Slate Alford’s seventh inning, go-ahead home run was the difference. The 416 foot blast to center field in the bottom of the seventh gave Newport a 7-6 lead. Alford went 2-4 from the plate and now has a multi-hit game in five out of the last six contests.
It was the fifth straight game that Newport collected double-digit hits. Every player that got into the contest except for two had a hit on Monday night. Luke Beckstein notched an RBI double off his Northeastern teammate, Jake Gigliotti. Bryan Broecker followed in the next at-bat with a pinch-hit, RBI double himself, the catcher’s first extra base hit and RBI with Newport.
Noah Martinez extended his hitting streak to five games, collecting two hits, and an RBI on a day he was selected to the NECBL Week 6 Honor Roll. Six different players for Newport had an RBI Monday, including Colton Ledbetter, who has at least one run batted in in five out of his last six games. Oregon catcher Jack Scanlon has found his form at the plate, now possessing a five-game hitting streak with his third double of the season in the eighth inning.
The Gulls extended their lead in the Coastal Division to two games. Next up Newport travels to face its rivals the Mystic Schooners at Dodd Stadium at 12:00 pm before it returns to Cardines Field for a massive doubleheader against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on Wednesday.
