Gupton Blasts Two Homers for Newport- Keene Pitching Shines in NECBL Semifinals
Martha’s Vineyard Sharks vs Newport Gulls
NECBL SOUTHERN DIVISION FINALS GAME ONE
Final Score: Newport 14, Martha’s Vineyard 7 (Newport leads series 1-0)
Newport, RI – The Newport Gulls started the second round of the NECBL with a bang, toppling the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks 14-7. The victory was helped by two massive innings. Aidan O’Connell (Duke) got the start for the Gulls, lasting five innings and throwing five strikeouts. The Sharks countered with William Wallace (Pomona-Pitzer), who lasted 2 innings and struck out two batters.
The Sharks were the first to get on the board in the third inning with a ground rule double by Landon Scilley (Liberty), which drove in one run. Gio Colasante (Harvard) added another run with an RBI single.
The Gulls broke through in the bottom half of the inning with an offensive explosion, adding five runs to their total. The inning was highlighted by three RBI singles, one by Matthew Bolton (Binghamton), another by Colby Wallace, and the last one coming in the latter half of the inning from Adam Agresti (St John's). Randy Seymour (Michigan State) capped off the inning with a double that drove Agresti across home plate. Wallace was able to score on a wild pitch that found its way past the catcher.
Newport continued to pile on the runs in the fourth inning, bringing the score to 10-2. Michael Gupton (Memphis) cleared the base paths with a monster hit that found its way over the outfield wall for three runs. Not to be outdone, Adam Agresti added one more home run, driving in two runs and adding more RBIs to his stat sheet. The Gulls were able to add one more in the sixth inning, a solo home run from Gupton, to bring the score to 11-2.
The Sharks were finally able to find the cracks in the Newport defense in the seventh, which had shut them out since the third inning. Carter Bentley (Northeastern) smacked a line drive to center field, which allowed two of his teammates to scraper home. In the eighth inning, the Sharks struck again. This time, with a Blake Binderup (Texas A&M) three-run moonshot, dragging the game to four runs.
The Gulls stretched their lead out once more in the bottom half of the eighth inning. Agresti added a fourth RBI to his total on a four-pitch walk, and then two more runs were able to come home following an error by the left fielder. Those two runs were able to secure the win for Newport as the Sharks could not find a way through.
O’Connell was given the win for the Gulls while Scott Borgmann (Wilmington) was handed a loss.
The series now shifts to the Vineyards as both teams head there for game two on Tuesday night with the Gulls looking to return to the championship with hopes of winning back-to-back titles.
Sanford Mainers vs Keene SwampBats
NECBL NORTHERN DIVISION FINALS GAME ONE
Final Score: Keene 6, Sanford 2 (Keene leads series 1-0)
Keene, NH – With the Fay Vincent Sr Cup Playoffs down to just four teams, the North Division top seed SwampBats hosted the two seed Mainers for game one of the NECBL Northern Division Finals.
SwampBats Starting Pitcher Aydan Decker-Petty (Liberty) collected six total strikeouts in three innings pitched before the top of the third, when Domenico Tozzi (Coastal Carolina) hit a two-run home run with two outs to put the Mainers up 2-0 early in the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Andrew Bell (Duke) got hit by a pitch to lead off, and was driven in by Ty Mainolfi (Dayton) on an RBI triple, putting the SwampBats on the board, down 2-1. Michael O’Brien (Arkansas-Little Rock) later drove in Ripken Reese (Kent State) on a fielder’s choice to tie the game up at two apiece.
In the bottom of the fifth, the SwampBats started a walk party when TJ Schyuler (Indiana) walked in Jack Herring (East Carolina) to give Keene the lead at 3-2. Chandler Tuupo (Charleston Southern) followed up by walking in Marshall Lipsey (Florida Atlantic) to add another run and make the score 4-2. Andrew Bell (Duke) then got hit by a pitch, scoring Connor Peek (Georgetown), increasing the score to 5-2 Keene.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ty Mainolfi (Dayton) squared down a perfect bunt, the ball rolling right along the foul line in fair territory for a single. Ripken Reese (Kent State) followed up by driving in Mainolfi on a double to increase the SwampBat lead to 6-2.
SwampBats’ pitching was able to hold things together, with Mikey Fernandez (UMiami) racking up five strikeouts over 4.2 innings pitched and allowing no runs. In the top of the eighth, Ben Dean (Duke) came in to pitch with two outs and two runners on, earning a clutch strikeout to keep Sanford from scoring. On top of that, Dean dominated in the top of the ninth, racking up two strikeouts to earn the save and secure the win for Keene.
The series heads to Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine, for game two tomorrow at 6:35 pm. The Mainers look to keep their season alive, while Keene is only one win away from a trip to the 2025 Fay Vincent Sr Cup Finals and the NECBL North Division Title.
You can view the box score here.
