SteepleCats Clip Gulls' Wings
NORTH ADAMS — Tim Boyce and Greg Robinson combined to shut down the Newport (R.I.) Gulls as the North Adams SteepleCats won their first game of the season against Newport 5-0.After pitching dominated the first three innings at Joe Wolfe Field, the SteepleCats cracked the scoreboard in the fourth. T.J. Greig led off with a single. After being sacrificed to second by Jonny Smith, Cody Stanley doubled into the rightfield corner, scoring Greig to make it 1-0 North Adams.
The SteepleCats would then benefit from some wildness from Gulls starter Chad Arnold as he would uncork four wild pitches over the next two batters allowing Stanley to score and make it 2-0 'Cats.
In the fifth, Ryan Semeniuk bunted his way on with two outs and moved to second on a throwing error from Arnold. After moving up on a ground out, Semeniuk came into score on a single to right from Jonny Smith for a 3-0 North Adams edge.
Nursing the lead through a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and a two-on, no-out spot in the eighth, the SteepleCats broke through with a pair of unearned insurance runs in the eighth on a single by Derek Shaw and an error by pitcher Kevin Moran to go up 5-0.
Tim Boyce (7-1) was fantastic going six innings, not allowing a run, lowering his ERA to 0.95 on the season. Greg Robinson worked out of the bases-loaded jam in the seventh and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings for his first save of the year. Chad Arnold (1-4) took the loss for Newport.
North Adams will now head down to face Berkshire County rival Pittsfield Dukes on Saturday at Wahconah Park before heading home for a doubleheader against Danbury (Conn.) Westerners on Sunday. Mitch Clegg (1-1, 3.26) will get the start for the SteepleCats tomorrow against the Dukes.
Wednesday's rained-out game against Danbury will part of a doubleheader Sunday evening at Joe Wolfe Field. First pitch will take place at 4, and the two games will be shortened to 7 innings.
Sunday will still Mayor's Night, sponsored by the city of North Adams and featuring Skyboro Sound. Mayor John Barret III will join Shirley Wolfe, widow of Joe Wolfe, in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch for the second game of the doubleheader.
