Mountaineers even title series
Toolbox
By KRIS MARTIN CORRESPONDENT - Published: August 10, 2009
MONTPELIER — Nothing like stretching it out the hard way. The Vermont Mountaineers survived to play another day, defeating the Newport Gulls 4-3 in game two of the New England Collegiate Baseball League finals. The teams are now tied 1-1 in the best of three series with a champion to be crowned tonight in Newport.
A little suspense, some anxiety and a whole lot of controversy will be what the game is remembered for. Rarely does a dropped third strike provide a walkoff outcome, but with the game tied 3-3 and tensions already running high thanks to a tight strike zone, Nick Martinez swung and Ethan Paquette crossed the plate as Martinez scampered to first base and the ball squirted away from Newport catcher Mike Melillo.
Melillo, believing that Martinez had fouled the ball off was obviously upset at the umpire's call and the frustration led to a bizarre exchange between the two teams, as players and coaches rushed the field to exchange hostile barbs. Newport manager Mike Coombs was ejected and will be unavailable for game three tomorrow due to a mandatory one-game suspension from the league.
"It was definitely a unique strikeout," Martinez said. "I've never even been up in a situation like that before in my life. I was waiting for a fastball, and instead I got the slider, a good pitch to strike me out on, one I'm usually a bit anxious for. We almost had a bit of an argument right there in front of home plate. We're a great hitting, great all-around team. As soon as Jayson walked I knew it was a tie ballgame and I wasn't trying to be a hero. I just wanted to hit the ball on the ground and force them to make a play on it."
Fortunately for the Mountaineers, Newport reliever Matt Brantham had some trouble finding the strikezone in the ninth, walking three straight batters after Steven Felix doubled to lead off the inning. Mountaineers catcher Jayson Hernandez worked his way to first base via the walk to tie the game at 3-3, setting up Martinez' walkoff strikeout.
"We hit the ball good today but just couldn't get that clutch two-out hit," Hernandez said. "The first two strikes I took, I just froze up, I didn't pull the trigger. The umpire was consistent all game with a really tight strike zone. We'd work it to two strikes and then bust them inside on the black for the punchout but we just weren't getting it. Fortunately for us, neither were they."
Vermont starter Brad Altback pushed through five and two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking three, with Newport's Will Roberts going six innings with five strikeouts of his own. The Gulls' Aaron Westlake contributed a monster homerun to lead off the top of the second inning, and it would stand until TJ Middlestaedt managed to drive in the Gulls' second run when he tripled in the eighth, driving in Greg Garcia. The Gulls added a third run on a Westlake sacrifice fly.
Vermont got back in the game in the bottom of the eighth, with Martinez picking up an RBI on a fielder's choice and Jantzen Witte driving home Kevin Vance with a single.
"I thought Newport played their tails off," Mountaineer manager Troy Moock said. "They got a great start and did everything they needed to do in order to win. They shut us down two or three times with the bases loaded. Brad kept us in it and Andrew Benak and Kevin Vance were solid out of the bullpen. The kids won this one on emotions; they didn't want to go home. It's not how they envisioned the summer ending, and they're still playing one game, one pitch a time. We kept pressing and didn't give up."
The three-game NECBL championship series wraps up tonight in Newport.
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