Webster Tops Allegany County

Saturday night’s New York Collegiate Baseball League match up at Basket Road Field pitted the West Division’s second-place Allegany County Nitros and the first-place Webster Yankees.

Coming off a pair of rainouts, Webster skipper, Dave Brust, had concern for his team’s performance in this pivotal game.

The Yankees responded with a 13-hit outburst en route to an 8-4 victory.

Steve Muoio (Georgia C&S) and Ollie Bertrand (Monroe CC) led the way with three hits apiece and Rhett Goodmiller (Central Michigan) scored three times while driving in two as the Yankees won their tenth game of the season.

Webster sent eight batters to the plate in a four-run fifth and never looked back from there.

Matt Jacobs (UMass-Lowell) led with a walk before Goodmiller earned a pass when hit by a pitch. Thomas Kufel (Mercyhurst) dropped a sacrifice bunt, but Nitro starter, A.J. Dusablon (S. N.H. University) sent the throw down the first base line allowing Jacobs to score, and Goodmiller to move to third.

 Jason Edwards (Toledo) delivered two more runs with a single into right field. One out later, Muoio brought home Edwards with his first of two doubles on the night.

 Webster tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Ryan Chenoweth (Ball State) opened the frame with a triple to deep left center. One out later Goodmiller plated Chenoweth with a seeing-eye single into right field.  After Kufel and Goodmiller executed the hit and run, Edwards singled into center bringing home Goodmiller for the 6-3 lead. Edwards has seven hits over the last three games.

Allegany County closed the gap the in the top half of the seventh. Martin Gordon (Francis Marion) worked a leadoff walk.  With the hit and run on, Gordon advanced to second before stealing third.  The center fielder came home on a ground ball in the infield.

Webster added insurance runs in the seventh. Bertrand led with a single and moved to second on Chenoweth’s single. Goodmiller plated Bertrand with a two-out base rap. After moving to second on a wild pitch, Goodmiller stole third and scored on an error.

“I went up there looking to be patient,” said Goodmiller. “I worked the count just looking for a pitch that I could put the bat on the ball.”

Brian Pullyblank (So. Illinois) struck out six and walked three for his second win of the season.  The right-hander held the Nitros hitless for the first three innings – running his streak to 12. Pullyblank tossed a no-hitter in his last outing on June 19 ^th . Allegany County’s run in the fourth was the first surrendered by Pullyblank this season – a string that lasted 17 innings.

Bryant Guilmette worked the ninth striking out two of the three he faced.

“We’re playing good baseball,” said assistant coach, Bob Shaffer. “That’s the second-best team in the league, and we outplayed them. Our hitters are coming around.”

Webster hosts Alfred on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1pm at Basket Road Field. Michael Craig (St. John Fisher) will get the start for the home nine.

Pickin’ Splinters