Nighthawks Split with Stars

The determination of the Newbury College baseball team was shown as they split yesterday’s late afternoon-early evening double-header against Dominican University. After falling in the first game 12-6, the Nighthawks answered with an 8-6 come-backer in the second.

The Nighthawks fell into an early hole, loading the bases with no one out in the bottom of the first inning. Dominican catcher Christopher Anderson cleared the bases lining a single into right field, driving in shortstop Jonathan Basinski. The Stars were on their way to putting up a crooked looking seven, knocking Newbury starter Alex Chetelat out of the ball-game.

In the face of adversity, Newbury did not back down. Freshman Shawn Marcelle came on in relief of Chetelat and minimized the damage, getting first baseman Sean Bolton to strike out swinging to end the frame. Marcelle and the rest of the Nighthawk bullpen were solid in relief, keeping the Stars at Bay while the Newbury offense slowly clawed their way back.

Newbury got a run back in the top of the third when they sparked a mini-rally. Second baseman Daniel Kovner rocketed a one-out, double into the right centerfield gap to bring the order back around to the top with right fielder Matthew Clawson. Clawson lined a single back where it came from as Kovner came around to score from second base for the first Nighthawk run.

After Dominican scored five times in two straight innings, the Nighthawks were not going to lay down, trailing by 11. They did not quit and continued to battle outscoring the Stars, 5-0 in the last three innings of game one.

They continued to show their toughness in game two of the double-header after finding themselves down by two after two. Small ball and heads up play knotted up the ball-game in the bottom of the frame.

Chetelat opened up the frame, reaching on a hit by pitch, and advanced to second on Basinki’s error on a ground ball hit by his Newbury counterpart Russell DeMatties. The Nighthawks had two on with no one out and were threatening to score. Following a sacrifice bunt from Joey Herer, Chetelat came into score on a pitch in the dirt by Dominican starter Casimir Zwiazek for the first Nighthawk run. Next batter left fielder Michael Dean grounded out second but in the back door came DeMatties to tie up the contest.

It became a back-and-fourth battle for the next three innings until Newbury finally had enough and put up a four spot in the bottom of sixth. For the second time in the game, Chetelat opened up an inning, in which the Nighthawks scored, reaching base. DeMatties lined a single and advanced to second on an error by Bolton as Chetelat came around to score, cutting the Stars lead to one with no outs. Two batters later, Dean drove in DeMatties lining a single up the middle to tie the game at four.

Back-to-back walks to third baseman Justin MacCutcheon, who pinch-hit for Joe Guidi early in the ball-game, and Kovner to load the bases, spelt the end of the day for the Stars’ Chris Conway. Conway, who pitched two innings of solid relief, was greeted rudely with a rocket to right off the bat of Clawson, driving in Dean, to give Newbury their first lead. The Nighthawks added an insurance run when Kyle Schiavone walked with the bases loaded, two batters later, forcing home Kovner.

Newbury improves to 3-1 on the young season with the split as they look to make it four games today against Monmouth (Ill.).

- Photo by: Samantha Yanofsky