DeMatties Game One Walk Off Helps Nighthawks Split

Shortstop Russell DeMatties’ laser into the left center field gap, driving in first baseman Alex Chetelat in the bottom of the eighth inning gave Newbury College the walk-off, 3-2, victory in game of Saturday afternoon’s twin bill over Elms College. It was DeMatties second walk-off hit of his collegiate career – his first coming in 2010 when he launched his first collegiate homerun off the left field foul pole in the bottom of the 10^th inning in an 8-6 win over Becker College at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Mass.

The Nighthawks had the opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth and sixth. In the fifth they loaded the bases with two outs but Elms starter Curtis LeBeau got Chetelat to ground out to third to end the threat. Newbury had a two out rally again in the next inning with runners at the corners after a two-out walk to Joey Herer and a base hit by Daniel Kovner but third baseman Justin MacCutcheon ground out to end the inning.

Elms leftfielder Donald Morse gave the Blazers the early lead with timely two out hitting in the top of the first inning. Morse rocketing a double off the centerfield wall to drive in third baseman Nicolino Iavicoli, who kept inning alive for the Blazers lining a two-out single to center. He, then, got himself into scoring position swiping second.

Designated hitter Reynaldo Rivera led off the top of the second with a base hit into right. Newbury starter Christopher Ninteau retired right fielder Derek Leal and catcher Carm Bonavita for a quick two outs but the ninth batter found the hole between short and third, putting runners at the corner to bring the line up back to top. Shortstop Brendan Cordeiro worked a walk to load the bases.

Ninteau fell down in the count to centerfielder Stephen Fisher early before getting him to hit a high fly ball to Nighthawk centerfielder Kyle Schiavone to get out of the inning unscathed

The Nighthawks finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. MacCutcheon worked a one-out walk which seemed to rattle LeBeau as he walked lead-off hitter Matthew Clawson. Catcher Patrick Curry made the Blazers pay for back-to-back walks lining a scorching single into the gap in right center field to plate MacCutcheon to tie up the ballgame at one run.

After a double and single to lead off the top of the fourth, Elms was primed to take the lead but Ninteau had other ideas. The Lisbon, Conn. native caught Bonavita gazing at strike three then second baseman Andrew Kravontka foul-tipped strike three into Curry’s glove for two outs. Ninteau got Cordeiro to ground out to shortstop to end the inning stranding runners at the corners.

Elms took advantage of Newbury miscues in the top of the fifth inning to re-gain the lead. Fisher led off the frame reaching on an error by the third baseman. It appeared as if the error was not going to hurt as Ninteau responded with two quick outs but first baseman Hector Roche lined a base hit back where it came from to push across the second Blazer run.

In the home half of the inning, designated hitter Joey Herer reached on a single to left and advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Daniel Kovner. Two batters later after turning the order back around to top, LeBeau walked Clawson on four pitches before Curry found the hole between first and second for his third hit and second RBI of the day.

The Nighthawks kept the pressure on the Blazers as Clawson was safe at third on his seventh stolen base of season. It appeared to have flustered LeBeau for the time being as he walked Schiavone to load the bases, to bring Chetelat to the dish with the bases packed. Looking for lightning to strike twice – after hitting a grand slam against non-conference Rivier – he grounded out to third to end the threat for Elms.

Game two starter Travis Wade escaped early first inning trouble. After getting Cordeiro to fly out to left for the first out, Fisher and Iavicoli lined back-to-back base hits up the middle and advanced up a base on the throw. The Blazers were threatening to score with runners on second and third and only one out. But Wade induced a ground ball off the bat of Morse to MacCutcheon at third who threw home to get Fisher for the second out. Wade then struck out first baseman Hector Roche to end the first.

Newbury jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second when DeMatties drew a one-out walk and moved up a station on a single to right from Dean. Herer registered his only hit and RBI of the day lining a base hit of his own to right field to give the Nighthawks the 1-0 lead heading into the third inning.

The Blazers answered with a run of their own in the top of the third to tie the ballgame up at one but the Nighthawks were resilent and made their move an inning and a half later.

After two fast outs in the home half of the fourth, Kovner kept the inning alive for the Nighthawks with an infield single in the hole between third and shortstop. MacCutcheon followed in the next at bat lining a laser into right field which right fielder Alex King over-ran allowing Kovner to score to re-gain the lead for Newbury and as well as MacCutcheon into scoring position at third.

The Nighthawks made the Blazers pay for the extra chances as Clawson doubled off the base of the wall in right to plate MacCutcheon for the second run of the inning. Elms’ game two starter Nick Cordeiro induced a ground ball to short off the bat of Curry but Brendan Cordeiro threw the ball in the dirt allowing the Nighthawk catcher to reach, prolonging the inning. Schiavone ripped a single into right center to drive in Clawson  for the third and final run of the inning.

But it was not enough to take game two. The Blazers batted around in the top of the fifth inning and put up a seven spot. They grabbed another two runs in the ninth to seal game two, 10-6 and the split for Elms.

The split improves the Nighthawks to 12-11 on the season and 3-4 in the conference while the Blazers are 9-9 and 2-3 in the NECC. Newbury returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Chicopee, Mass. for the third and final game against Elms. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00pm.

- Photo by: Ric Teves