Webster Doubles Up Niagara

(Niagara Falls, N.Y.) Dave Brust’s Webster Yankees travelled west Thursday night seeking to recapture their winning ways. After takings five games in a row, the pinstripes dropped two of three including a shutout loss to Elmira Wednesday.  For one night at least the home nine got back on the good side.

Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire U.) and Monte Marrocco (UMass-Lowell) paced a 16-hit attack, and Kyle Raleigh (Ball State) earned his first win of the campaign as Webster downed the Niagara Power 8-4 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Sal Maglie Stadium.

Webster took a 2-1 lead in the fourth and went on to paste runs on the board in the fifth, sixth and seventh.  Blake Beemer (Ball State) slapped a one-out hit up the middle and advanced to third when Matt Francis (U of R) singled to right field. Chase Grissom (UNC Pembroke) chopped a ground ball to the right side of the infield plating Beemer, and Boulter delivered with a two-out single to right for the lead.

Webster never looked back.

Ollie Bertrand (Flagler) led the fifth with a single and advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Marrocco. Johnny Brill (Rollins) walked, and Wes Winkle (Ball State) singled to load the bases. Beemer worked a bases loaded walk and Grissom plated Marrocco and Brill with a two-out single to left center.

Webster put the game out of reach in the sixth. Winkle brought home Bertrand and Marrocco with a base hit to right field. The Yanks added a run in the seventh. Marrocco doubled to left sending Boulter to the dish.

Grissom and Winkle finished with three and two RBI respectively.

The Webster offense did the job scoring twice as many runs, and the gloves took care of their end of the deal. On two different occasions the Yankee defense extinguished Niagara threats with a timely double play.

In the fifth, with runners on first and second, Bertrand worked a “tag ‘em out – throw ‘em out” double play from third. Bertrand repeated the feat in the sixth. This time touching third before throwing across the infield where Beemer made a nice scoop at first.

“Strike outs are fascist,” said starting pitcher Raleigh. “Ground balls are more Democratic. In high school that’s all I cared about was strike outs. Ground balls get you through the inning quicker.”

Webster’s defensive prowess was not limited to the infield. Both Winkle and Brill ended innings with strikes to the plate from the outfield. Winkle threw out Daniel Hall (De Anza) in the first. Brill got the job done in the third hosing Derrick Glenn (Post) at home.

Raleigh allowed  two runs over five and two-thirds for the win. Pat Corrigan (Mercyhurst) came on in the sixth and struck out the first batter he faced to end the threat. Tim Johnson (St. John Fisher) faced one batter in the ninth and induced a double play -Marrocco to Boulter to Beemer – for the win. Johnson earned his third save of the summer.

Webster improves to 10-8 with the win. The Yankees travel to Geneva for a tilt with the Red Wings. Jason Gardner (Tusculum) takes the ball for Webster. Out-of-town fans can listen to the game on TEAMLINE .