Webster Sweeps Allegany County

If nothing else, Dave Brust’s Webster Yankees proved they learned their lesson. After a nine-game losing streak where they left the tying run stranded 90 feet away on three different occasions, the pinstripes struck twice in the late innings Monday night.

The Yankees used a pair of come-from-behind efforts for a doubleheader sweep of the Allegany County Nitros, 4-3 and 6-5 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Basket Road Field. In doing so, the Yankees vaulted to second place in the NYCBL West Division.

Matt Jacobs (UMass-Lowell) slashed a one-out triple off the fence in left center field 399 feet from home plate delivering Steve Muoio (Georgia C&S) and Ollie Bertrand (Monroe CC). Jacobs scored the eventual winning run on a ground ball by Geoff Dornes (R.I.T.)

Michael Craig (St. John Fisher) scattered seven hits while fanning four en route to his fifth win of the campaign.

Webster took the lead in the second. Jacobs and Dornes worked a pair of one-out walks. Using the hit and run, Mike Walraven (Hofstra) advanced the runners with a ground ball to the right side of the infield. Ricky Clark (Central Michigan) staked the Yanks to the lead with a single to right field.

Webster added a run in the fifth. After reaching first on a fielder’s choice, Clark stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Shawn Bailey (SUNY Cortland) brought home the run with a ground ball to the second baseman.

Bryant Guilmette (UMass-Lowell) struck out five of the nine batters he faced in the seventh and eight stanzas.

Lincoln Rassi (Toledo) worked the ninth for the save.

Vincent Malzahn (St. Thomas Aquinas) capped a four-run Nitro fourth with his second home run of the day. The blast measured at least 450 feet.  

Ryan Chenoweth (Ball State) plated Muoio in the sixth inning of the opener. On the throw home to get Muoio, Chenoweth was caught in a rundown between first and second. Jacobs alertly scooted to the dish with the eventual winning run.

Matt Jimenez (Mercyhurst) scattered six hits over eight innings for the win.

“His breaking ball looked like a ping pong ball up there,” said Brust.

Jimenez stumbled in the second when he allowed three runs on two hits including a home run by Malzahn. After the Nitro first base man took a first pitch change-up out of the park, Jimenez could only smile and make adjustments from there.

“They were hitting my change,” said the right hander. “I figured I go away from that and use my slider and curve a little more.”

Starting with the final out of the second, Jimenez retired the next ten batters he faced.

“You gotta be willing to shake things up,” said Jimenez. “I had to do what I could to get out of there.”

Tyler Scott (Toledo) worked the ninth for the save. The right hander struck out two of the three batters he faced.

Nate Koontz (Ball State) went 2-4 with two RBI in the opener. Clark led the first being hit by a pitch. After stealing second, Clark advanced to third on a ground ball by Rhett Goodmiller (Central Michigan). Koontz followed with a single to center field plating the first run.

Goodmiller led the charge in the third with a one-out triple to right center. Koontz followed with a single to center for the home nine’s second run.

Webster improved to 21-18 and took significant strides towards earning a playoff berth. Webster travels to Elmira for another double dip. First game is scheduled for 5pm.

Pickin’ Splinters