Navs unable to complete comeback in Laconia

Down 8-0 after five innings, the North Shore Navigators nearly pulled off an improbable comeback last night in Laconia before ultimately succumbing to the Muskrats 10-8. North Shore scored six times in the eighth and ninth innings combined to make it a ballgame, and also stroked four home runs in the contest. The only issue lied in the Navigators’ opponent, as the Muskrats connected for six long balls of their own.

Saddled with an eight-run deficit, NECBL All-Star Clinton Harwick (Point Loma) hit a two-run shot – his first of two homers in the game – in the sixth inning off Muskrats starter Justin Wiley. Wiley, who got the victory after allowing just two runs on four hits, was removed from the game at the conclusion of the sixth, much to the pleasure of the Navigators’ offense.

Laconia scored twice in the seventh to again make it an eight-run game,  but the Navigators got those runs back on back-to-back solo shots in the eighth from Harwick and another North Shore All-Star, Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame), to make it 10-4.

North Shore’s success with the long ball continued in the ninth. After Harwick reached on an error with two outs that should have ended the game, Jagielo plated Matt McGovern (Boston College) with a double before Dario Pizzano (Columbia) to the plate. Pizzano, an All-Star starter and reigning NECBL Player of the Week, followed up with a three-run homer to make it a two-run game at 10-8.

Conner Mach (Missouri) then singled with nobody on to bring the tying run to the plate, but Laconia brought in reliever Williams Prince, who got Eric Williams (Columbia) to pop out to short to end it.

Harwick went 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI, while Jagielo, Mach, and Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) each had two hits.

 

Pizzano named NECBL Player of the Week

Dario Pizzano received NECBL Player of the Week honors for the second time this season on Sunday.

LYNN, Mass. – Navigators outfielder Dario Pizzano (Columbia/Saugus, Mass.) was named the NECBL Player of the Week on Sunday. The league’s leading hitter is now up to .393 (46-for-117) on the season and hit .500 (13-for-26) with a home run, five RBI and eight runs scored this past week to garner the honors.

On Friday, he went 4-for-6 with two walks, two runs, and four RBI, including a three-run homer in a doubleheader sweep over the New Bedford Bay Sox.

Pizzano was also named Player of the Week in the first week of the season back in early June. The sophomore will start in right field for the Eastern Division in Wednesday’s 2011 NECBL All-Star Game at Fraser Field in Lynn (6:15 p.m.).

He currently owns a 12-game hitting streak and is hitting .440 (22-for-50) with eight RBI and 11 runs scored in that span. Among the NECBL ranks this season, Pizzano is first in on-base percentage (.458), tied for first in hits (46), tied for first in doubles (10), tied for fourth in slugging (.543) and is fourth in runs (24) while striking out just nine times in 117 at-bats.

Navs take two from Bay Sox

Mike Dunster (left) and Dario Pizzano both hit key home runs in Friday night's 9-8 win over New Bedford. The Navs also defeated the Bay Sox 4-1 in the completion of a suspended game on Friday.

The North Shore Navigators won a pair of ballgames over the New Bedford Bay Sox on  at Fraser Field, moving to 19-16 on the season in the process. The afternoon game featured a 4-1 victory in what was the completion of a suspended game from July 8. The nightcap was highlighted by an offensive outbreak from the North Shore offense, although the Navigators were forced to hold off a late rally by New Bedford in a narrow 9-8 victory.

In the nightcap, Dario Pizzano’s (Columbia) three-run homer in the fourth inning put the Navigators on top 7-3 before Michael Dunster (Clemson) added a two-run shot of his own in the fifth to make it a six-run game. Dunster’s blast at the time looked to serve merely as insurance, but it proved to be the most pivotal moment of the ballgame after New Bedford scored five times in the seventh and eighth innings to make it a one-run game.

The Bay Sox plated two on a pair of hits and an error in the seventh before carrying that momentum into the eighth. New Bedford got to reliever Brad Schnitzer (Butler) in the eighth for three runs on three hits and an error, although the lefthander ultimately got centerfielder Brett Botsford to strike out swinging, stranding the potential tying run at second in the process.

NECBL All-Star Miles Landry (Baylor) came on for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up his team-leading fourth save of the year.

Dunster finished 2-for-4 with a double in addition to the home run, while Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) and Matt McGovern (Boston College) both had two hits and two runs scored apiece.

Now at a different venue, the afternoon tilt was resumed with two outs in the bottom of the fifth in a scoreless ballgame with Jagielo on third as a result of a triple that was lost in the fog earlier this month at New Bedford’s Paul Walsh Field. Play was halted at that point due to the conditions.

Hunter Rivers (Jacksonville State) had previously thrown four hitless innings against the Bay Sox before the game was suspended back on July 8 before rotation mate Crayton Bare (Baylor) picked up where he left off yesterday in Lynn. Although he lost the no-hit bid in the sixth, Bare allowed just one run on four hits over the final five innings to secure the first of two victories on the day.

Pizzano had a three-hit showing in the start-and-stop victory, as did Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire), who finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Pregame – Bay Sox @ Navigators

The Game
The Navigators defeated New Bedford 4-1 earlier this afternoon. The game was suspended back on July 8 at New Bedford due to fog before being picked up today at Fraser Field.

Starting Pitchers
NS – LHP Michael Johnson (2-4, 3.09)
NEW – RHP Sean Fitzgerald (2-2, 2.76)

The Lineup
Clinton Harwick ss
Matt McGovern cf
Eric Jagielo lf
Dario Pizzano rf
Conner Mach 3b
Matt Boulter 1b
Chase Harrison c
Michael Dunster 2b
Blake Berger dh

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Navs drop another to Newport

Eric Jagielo (left) and Dario Pizzano extended their respective hitting streaks in Thursday night's 9-6 loss to Newport.

The North Shore Navigators suffered a 9-6 setback to the Newport Gulls at Fraser Field on Thursday night, marking North Shore’s fourth straight loss against the divisional rival. The Navigators also missed a chance to grab a share of first-place having entered last night’s action just a game back of the Gulls back in the standings.

Things got interesting in the eighth inning, as the Navs quickly cut into a 7-2 deficit to make it a one-run ballgame. Newport starter Ryan Strufing walked Matt McGovern (Boston College) and Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) to begin the frame, setting the stage for Dario Pizzano (Columbia), who singled home McGovern. A pair of errors by Newport shortstop Jack Reinheimer led to two more runs before an RBI groundout by Chase Harrison (Cypress) made it 7-6.

The Gulls added two more in the ninth after Jeff Mellilo tripled and later scored on a single by Rand Ravnass, who had a 5-for-6 night. Conrad Gregor added another run on a sac fly to center.

Strufing went seven-plus innings, allowing five runs on seven hits but still managed to get the win.

The Navigators scored the first run of the ballgame in the first on an RBI fielder’s choice by Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) but managed just four base runners over the next four innings while Newport went to work with the bats.

The Gulls scored twice in the third and fourth innings against North Shore starter Junior Mendez, who allowed four runs – three earned – on eight hits over five innings to take the loss.

All-Stars Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) and Pizzano did however manage to extend their respective hitting streaks in the loss. Jagielo doubled to lead off the sixth, extending his hitting streak to 11 games, while Pizzano also lengthened his hit streak to 10 games with a 2-for-4 night. He raised his average to .378 in the process, which is second-best in the NECBL.

Pregame: Gulls @ Navigators

The Game
The Navigators have won four of their last five after last night’s 10-9 walk-off victory in the 10^th inning over the Mystic Schooners. Meanwhile, the Newport Gulls have dropped three straight following last night’s 5-4 setback in 10 innings at Danbury. As a result, North Shore is even with the Gulls in the win column and just a game back of Newport for first-place in the Eastern Division. Newport does own a 3-1 record against North Shore in 2011.

Starting Pitchers
NS – RHP Junior Mendez (2-0, 3.38)
NEW – LHP Ryan Strufing (0-1, 6.00)
Right-hander Junior Mendez (So. New Hampshire) will make his fourth start of the season tonight. He currently has a 2-0 record with a 3.38 ERA in 10 appearances this summer. In his last outing, he allowed four runs on 10 hits over five innings but still got the victory in a 9-5 win over Keene. Lefty Ryan Strufing makes just his second start of the season tonight at Fraser for the Gulls. His first start came all the way back on June 10 in Newport against the Navigators, who roughed him up for six runs – four earned – on six hits over just two innings in a 12-1 victory. Strufing has made four appearances since then, but all have come out of the bullpen.

The Lineup
Cody Dent ss
Matt McGovern rf
Eric Jagielo lf
Dario Pizzano dh
Conner Mach 3b
Eric Williams 1b
Clinton Harwick 2b
Chase Harrison c
Saulyer Saxon cf

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Hit streaks galore for Navigators

From left to right: OF Eric Jagielo, OF Dario Pizzano, OF Saulyer Saxon, and 3B Conner Mach.

All-Star outfielder Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) extended his hitting streak to 10 games last night with a 2-for-5 showing and is hitting .500 (20-for-40) with six RBI, nine runs, and seven multi-hit games in that span. Meanwhile, fellow All-Star Dario Pizzano (Columbia) extended his personal streak to nine games with a 2-for-6 night on Wednesday and is hitting .400 (16-for-40) over that stretch. Jagielo’s .342 average is tied for seventh in the league, while Pizzano’s .374 clip is good for second in the NECBL.

Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) went 4-for-6 last night with four RBI – including the game-winning hit in the 10th inning, and third baseman Conner Mach (Missouri) also went 4-for-5. The feat marks the first time in Navigators history two players had four hits in the same game. Saxon is hitting .429 (9-for-21) over a four-game hit streak to raise his season average to .299. Mach is hitting .440 (11-for-25) with two home runs over a six-game hit streak to bring his season average to .321.

Navs walk off with victory behind Saxon

Saulyer Saxon delivered the game-tying hit in the ninth before connecting for the game-winning single in the 10th.

Centerfielder Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) was the hero in Wednesday’s 10-9 walk-off victory over the Mystic Schooners, going 4-for-6 with four RBI while delivering both the game-tying hit in the ninth and the game-winner in the 10th.

Things looked bleak for the Navigators after Mystic sent 11 men to the plate in a six-run third inning, but they scored twice in the eighth and three more times in the ninth before winning it extras. In the 10th, Saxon came to the plate against Mystic reliever Anthony Kliniske, who did not do himself any favors by hitting a batter and walking two others with two outs. Saxon worked the count full before lining a single through the right side for the victory.

The walk-off was the Navigators’ fourth at home this season, and the win moves the team to just a game back of the Newport Gulls, who are in town tonight (6:15 p.m.) at Fraser Field with first place in the NECBL Eastern Division on the line.

Down three runs in the ninth, the Navigators seemingly had no plans of going down without a fight. They opened up with three straight base hits against reliever Matt Doyle – the third an RBI single by Clinton Harwick (Point Loma) to make it a two-run game. A passed ball allowed the tying run in Harwick to move into scoring position for Saxon, who lined a two-run single into left center to tie it.

Saxon was actually one of two Navigators to have a four-hit night, as third baseman Conner Mach (Missouri) went 4-for-5 with two runs scored.

The bullpen was superb once again, allowing just one run over five innings of work. All-Star alternate Miles Landry (Baylor) threw two scoreless to get the win and also had a pair of strikeouts.

All-Star Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a 2-for-5 night, while fellow All-Star Dario Pizzano (Columbia) extended his personal streak to nine games with a 2-for-6 showing. Jagielo’s .342 average is tied for eighth in the league, while Pizzano’s .374 clip is good for second in the NECBL.

Pregame: Schooners @ Navigators

The Game
The Navigators will host the Mystic Schooners tonight at Fraser Field having won three of their last four. They had a 5-3 comeback win last night over Old Orchard and picked up a game on the first-place Newport Gulls, who were taken down 18-4 last night at Keene. North Shore currently sits in third place and is now two games back of the Gulls and one back of the second-place Sanford Mainers. Mystic was off last night after losing 4-3 to Laconia in 12 innings on Monday night. The Schooners are currently on the outside-looking-in in the Western Division playoff picture.

Starting Pitchers
NS – RHP Dan Slania (0-3, 4.13)
MYS – RHP Sahill Bloom (1-0, 1.00)
Right-hander Dan Slania (Notre Dame) makes his fifth start of the season tonight. In his last outing, he was hit with the loss despite allowing just two runs over five innings. He is 0-3 in four starts since joining the rotation on June 25. Opposing Slania will be Mystic righty Sahill Bloom, a sophomore from Stanford. In three starts, Bloom has allowed just two earned runs – both of which came during his last outing over five innings in a 6-4 loss to Newport.

The Lineup
Cody Dent ss
Matt McGovern rf
Eric Jagielo lf
Dario Pizzano dh
Conner Mach 3b
Eric Williams 1b
Clinton Harwick 2b
Blake Berger c
Saulyer Saxon cf

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Eighth-inning rally leads to victory

Chase Harrison went 2-for-3 with three RBI in Tuesday night's win.

The North Shore Navigators scored three times in the eighth inning on Tuesday night for a 5-3 victory over the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide. The win marks the team’s third in its last four games and also keeps North Shore’s record perfect against Old Orchard at 5-0.

Down 3-2, the Navigators were pleased to see Old Orchard make the call to the bullpen in the eighth inning after struggling against Tide starter Joseph Swindells, who went seven strong innings. But Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) and Dario Pizzano (Columbia) greeted reliever Jim Dimon with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out.

After a strikeout, Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire) hit a chopper back to Dimon, who was unable to handle the ball cleanly, allowing Jagielo to dart home and tie the game at 3-3. Chase Harrison (Cypress), who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, followed with a single to plate Pizzano to take the lead. An error by Tide shortstop Riley Palmer allowed North Shore to tack on an insurance run.

Closer Matt Alvarez (Boston College) lowered his ERA to 1.65 in a perfect ninth to pick up his third save of the year whole Nolan Corr (Wheaton) threw a scoreless eighth to get the victory. They were both part of a bullpen that one-hit the Tide  over four scoreless innings.

Pizzano went 3-for-4 in the win to raise his average to .376 on the season, good for second in the NECBL.