Navs to host Game 1 of playoffs Wednesday night

Starting pitcher Junior Mendez went seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts in the Navigators' 6-3 win on Monday night.

For the second straight year, the North Shore Navigators will represent the NECBL Eastern Division as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs following Monday’s 6-3 victory over the Sanford Mainers at Fraser Field.

As a result, the Navigators will have home-field advantage in the opening playoff series against Sanford. Game 1 of that matchup will take place Wednesday night (6:15 p.m.) at Fraser Field as the Navigators’ title defense officially begins.

Sanford, which had won earlier yesterday afternoon to remain in line to overtake second place, was shut down by Navigators starter Junior Mendez (Southern New Hampshire) for the second time in the matter of a week. After throwing five scoreless innings against Sanford last Tuesday, Mendez followed up with seven scoreless innings last night in which he allowed four hits with five strikeouts.

All-Star closer Miles Landry (Baylor) came on in the ninth to get his fifth save of the season, as the scoreless inning capped what was essentially a perfect regular season for the right-hander. The sophomore from Houston did not allow an earned run in 22 innings pitched out of the pen.

The Navigators broke a scoreless tie in the third inning on an RBI single by Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) and added another later in the frame on Eric Jagielo’s (Notre Dame) sacrifice fly.

Matt Boulter (Southern New Hampshire), who had a three-hit night, reached base four times, scored twice and also drove in a pair, made it 3-0 in the fourth when his single scored Eric Williams (Columbia).

In the sixth, Boulter and Cody Dent (Florida) each had a two-out RBI single to extend the lead to 5-0, although the Mainers scored three times in the eighth against Navs reliever and Peabody native Joe Gruntkosky (St. Joseph’s). North Shore tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half after Boulter doubled and scored on a Matt McGovern (Boston College) single.

Pregame – Mainers @ Navigators

The Game
Both the Navigators (21-20) and Mainers (20-21) have already clinched playoff spots and will square off against each other in Round 1 of the playoffs, but tonight’s game will determine which team will receive the second seed and home-field in the Eastern Division postseason scenario. North Shore currently owns a 3-2 advantage in the season series, so a Mainers’ win tonight will even the head-to-head records as well as the overall records. Sanford also owns the secondary tiebreaker, which is combined record versus first-place opponents. The Navigators are just 1-7 this season against Newport and Holyoke, while Sanford is 2-6 combined against the two clubs. Thus, tonight’s winner will get home-field advantage in Wednesday night’s Game 1 of the Eastern Division Semifinals (assuming Holyoke holds onto first place in the West).

Starting Pitchers
NS – RHP Junior Mendez (3-1, 3.18)
SAN – RHP Eric Stevens (2-2, 3.34)
Right-hander Junior Mendez (Southern New Hampshire) gets the ball tonight for North Shore in this crucial matchup with playoff implications. Mendez turned in his best performance of the season his last start, allowing just two hits over five scoreless innings in a 7-0 win over Sanford on July 26. The SNHU freshman and New York native has a 3-1 record and 3.18 ERA in 12 games (five starts) on the season. Opposing Mendez is Boston College sophomore Eric Stevens, who will make his seventh start of the season. The righty won his last time out, allowing two runs – one earned – over six innings in a 7-2 victory at Danbury. Stevens had a 2-1 record and 4.38 ERA in 27 games (six starts) for the Eagles this spring.

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

NECBL All-Star Dario Pizzano (Columbia) extended his hitting streak to 18 games last night, which marks the longest in the league this season. He is hitting .390 (30-for-77) with 14 RBI, 18 runs, and 10 multi-hit games in that span and is currently third in the NECBL with a .375 season average. The potential MVP has a chance at the batting title with a strong night at the plate tonight. He is also second in the league in hits (54), is tied for first in doubles (12), and has struck out just 13 times in 144 at-bats.

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Navs shut out Sanford

The North Shore Navigator shut out the Sanford Mainers 7-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Fraser Field as they enter the brief two-day All-Star break having won five of their last eight and are currently second in the NECBL Eastern Division.

The victory moved the Navs a game ahead of the Mainers in the standings, as a potential North Shore-Sanford postseason matchup may be taking shape. Starting pitcher Junior Mendez (Southern New Hampshire) threw five innings of two-hit ball to get his third win of the season. Mendez threw 40 of his 60 pitches for strikes and had six strikeouts on the afternoon.

He made way to four relievers, who allowed just one hit over four innings to complete the three-hit shutout.

North Shore broke a scoreless tie in the fourth to make it 3-0 on three doubles from Dario Pizzano (Columbia), Conner Mach (Missouri) and Chase Harrison (Cypress). Pizzano extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a 2-for-4 night and is hitting .413 (26-for-63) over that stretch. The Saugus native also currently leads the entire NECBL with a .385 average.

Teammate Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) also extended his hitting to 16 games with an RBI single in the fifth. He is hitting .424 during that span and has nine multi-hit performances throughout the streak.

To no surprise, both Pizzano and Jagielo will be taking part in  All-Star festivities at Fraser on Wednesday at Fraser Field as the team hosts the annual event.

The Navs added another later in the fifth on an RBI single by Matt Boulter (Southern New Hampshire) before tacking on a run in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Pregame: Mainers @ Navigators

The Game
The Navigators will take on the Sanford Mainers today in a crucial matchup with potential playoff implications. North Shore and Sanford both enter this afternoon’s matchup 4.5 games back of the first-place Newport Gulls, meaning the two teams will battle today for what may help decide the second seed in the Eastern Division postseason scenario. As things are currently aligned, the Navigators and Mainers are solid bets to square off against each other in the East Quarterfinals, but because the season-series is also deadlocked at 2-2, this afternoon’s game could be a serious factor in determining home field in the first-round of the playoffs. Sanford will also visit Fraser Field in the regular-season finale next Monday. The Mainers are coming off a 10-3 win over Old Orchard last night, while the Navigators lost on a walk-off passed ball in Newport.

Starting Pitchers
NS – RHP Junior Mendez (2-1, 3.72)
SAN – RHP Jonathan Balentina (0-2, 4.30)
Right-hander Junior Mendez (Southern New Hampshire) gets the start this afternoon for North Shore after being tagged with his first loss of the season his last time out against Newport on July 21. He allowed four runs – three earned – on eight hits over five innings and is 2-1 in four starts with a 5.40 ERA since being inserted in the starting rotation on July 3. For the Mainers, Jonathan Balentina starts this afternoon versus Mendez. The redshirt freshman from the University of Maine has a 0-2 record with a 4.30 ERA on the year and got the no-decision in his last outing in a 3-2 loss at home to Keene. In that one, he allowed two runs on four hits over 6.1 innings pitched with six strikeouts and three walks.

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

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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.

Mach (2 HRs) powers Navigators to victory

The North Shore Navigators snapped a four-game losing streak on Friday with a 9-5 win over the Keene Swamp Bats, who currently own the best record in the NECBL. Third baseman Conner Mach (Missouri) had two home runs and five RBI as the Navs pounded out thirteen hits in the ballgame.

The Navs moved back to the .500 mark (14-14) with the victory.

Mach stroked his first long ball – a two-run homer – in the second inning for a two-run advantage before Clinton Harwick (Point Loma Nazarene) extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the third. Harwick had a 3-for-5 night to raise his season average to .308.

Keene proved resilient through, scoring three times in the third to tie it before both teams traded runs in the fourth to make it 4-4. But Mach connected for his second homer of the night – this time a three-run shot – in the fifth to put the Navigators on top for good as part of a five-run frame.

Dario Pizzano (Columbia) and Chase Harrison (Cypress) both went 2-for-4, while the All-Star candidate Pizzano also scored twice and had two RBI. He is now hitting an absurd .372 on the season.

Starting pitcher Junior Mendez (So. New Hampshire) allowed four runs over five innings to get the win, moving him to 2-0 on the season. Four relievers combined to allow just one run on two hits over four innings of work, while Miles Landry (Baylor) threw a perfect ninth to maintain his 0.00 ERA on the season.

Navigators take over first place after wild win

Saulyer Saxon (left) had three hits and Eric Williams had a deciding two-run single in the ninth for an incredible 8-7 victory on Saturday.

The Navigators were down 3-1 entering the seventh on Saturday night before scoring seven times over the final three innings en route to an incredible 8-7 victory over the Sanford Mainers. The two teams entered the contest tied for first in the NECBL East, meaning the Navigators now own a one-game lead in the standings. Eight of the nine Navigators in the starting lineup hit safely in the come-from-behind win.

North Shore scored three times in the top of the seventh to take a 4-3 lead, although the Mainers retaliated with four runs in the bottom half against reliever Bobby Dean (URI) to retake the advantage at 7-4. But in the ninth, North Shore’s Cody Dent (Florida) and Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State) led off with singles before Eric Jagielo (Notre Dame) had a single of his own to load the bases, although an error by Sanford moved each runner up 90 feet and allowed Dent to score to make it a two-run game.

After an intentional pass to Dario Pizzano (Columbia), Conner Mach (Missouri) was hit by a pitch to plate another run. Eric Williams (Columbia) followed with a two-run single to plate the tying run in Jagielo and the go-ahead run in Pizzano to take an 8-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Matt Alvarez (Boston College) then came on for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to nail down his second save of the season. The potential All-Star owns a 0.00 ERA and now has 20 strikeouts in a mere 13 innings pitched (a 13.8 K/9 ratio). Nolan Corr threw a perfect eighth inning with a pair of strikeouts to earn the victory on the mound.

Over the first six frames, the Navs offense had managed just one run on three hits, but second baseman Michael Dunster (Clemson) led off the seventh with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch, taking third on a balk and scoring on a groundout to make it 3-2. To follow, Saxon, Matt McGovern (Boston College), Jagielo, and Pizzano all singled consecutively to plate two more runs and take the lead.

But the Navigators gave it right back in the bottom half, as Dean allowed a hit, three walks, and a hit by pitch in addition to an error by Dunster that led to four runs and North Shore coughing up its newly-established lead. But the Navs, as they have done on many occassions this season – specifically at home, showed their resiliency and mounted the miraculous comeback in the ninth.

Sanford starting pitcher Tommy Lawrence allowed just one run on three hits over the first six innings prior to the Navs’ outbreak in the seventh, but Mainers relievers allowed seven runs – all earned – on nine hits over just three innings of work.

Navs starter Junior Mendez (So. New Hampshire) allowed three runs on four hits and five walks over five innings.

Saxon led the way with three hits and two runs scored offensively out of the leadoff spot, while Jagielo and Mach both had two-hit performances. Two thirds of the North Shore lineup recorded at least one RBI in the victory, which marks a feat that seemed relatively unthinkable given how the first six innings of the ballgame had gone.

The Navigators have now won six of their last eight games to take over first place in the Eastern Division. North Shore is off on Sunday before traveling to Newport on Monday night.

Navs’ bats produce fireworks

Peabody native Pat Holleran went 3-for-5 with three RBI in Sunday's win.

Local neighbors surrounding Fraser Field provided plenty of actual fireworks on Sunday night for the Navigators game, but North Shore’s offense also provided plenty of sparks in a 10-2 win over the New Bedford Bay Sox.

The Navigators (11-8) exploded for a season-high 17 hits in the victory and now sport a four-game winning streak in addition to sole possession of first-place in the NECBL’s Eastern Division.

Four players – Saulyer Saxon (Oklahoma State), Eric Jagielo (Notre Dmame), Clinton Harwick (Point Loma) and Pat Holleran (Tusculum) – all had three-hit performances in the win, while starting pitcher Junior Mendez (So. New Hampshire) got his first victory of the season with five innings of two-run ball.

Holleran and Dario Pizzano (Columbia) both had three RBI, while Matt McGovern (Boston College) and Saxon also drove in a pair apiece.

Holleran got the Navs on the board with an RBI single in the second, but a solo blast by New Bedford’s Colin Gay in the third tied it up. North Shore extended its lead to 3-1 in the fourth on an RBI single by McGovern and a run-scoring double by Jagielo. The Navigators then really opened things up with six runs on five hits in the fifth inning.

North Shore returns to action on Independence Day in Laconia. They are off Tuesday before returning home to Fraser Field for 6:15 p.m. games on Wednesday and Thursday night.

Pregame: Bay Sox @ Navigators

The Game
The Navs are now in a tie for first-place in the Eastern Division with the New Bedford Bay Sox, who will be at Fraser Field tonight. As recently as Friday, the Navigators narrowly trailed two teams in the standings and sat in third place, but their magical 6-5 walk-off win on Friday night enabled them to overtake the Newport Gulls and also even things up with the Sanford Mainers. To boot, both Newport and Sanford lost Saturday night while the Navs extended their winning streak to three, meaning both teams are now in fact a game back of North Shore.

Starting Pitchers
NS – RHP Junior Mendez (0-0, 0.00)
NB – RHP Kyle Putkonen (0-0, 0.00)
Right-hander Junior Mendez (Southern New Hampshire University) will get his first start of the season tonight for the Navigators. The freshman has not yet been scored upon in seven appearances out of the bullpen spanning nine innings. Mendez went 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 games for the Penmen this spring. Kyle Putkonen goes tonight for the Bay Sox in what will be his third start of the season. The Samford junior went 7-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts this season.

The Lineup
Saulyer Saxon cf
Matt McGovern dh
Eric Jagielo lf
Dario Pizzano rf
Clinton Harwick ss
Michael Dunster 2b
Chase Harrison 1b
Pat Holleran c
Matt Boulter 3b

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Navs lose 2-0 in North Adams

The Navigators dropped a 2-0 decision to the North Adams SteepleCats at Joe Wolfe Field on Sunday night. The Navs left the bases loaded in the eighth inning as North Adams pitching scattered seven hits on the evening. Clinton Harwick (2-for-2,2 BB), Eric Jagielo (2-for-3, BB), and Blake Berger (2-for-3, BB) each had multihit games for the Navigators.

Starter Crayton Bare allowed two runs on three hits over three innings pitched before giving way to three Navs relievers. Those relievers – Junior Mendez (2 IP), Brad Schnitzer (2 IP), and Miles Landry (1 IP), combined to throw five hitless innings to keep the game in hand. Navs pitching has now allowed just four hits the last two games after one-hitting the Newport Gulls on Friday in a 12-1 blowout win.