By Paul Casey Gotham
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. – Any rumors of the Webster Yankee demise have been greatly exaggerated. After limping through a six-game stretch which witnessed them lose four games by two runs or less, the Yankees took to the road Friday night and re-captured a little of their swagger.
Bryant Guilmette (U Mass-Lowell) gave up just two earned runs over six and two-thirds while the Webster offense pounded out 18 eights hits to defeat the Niagara Power 12-6 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Sal Maglie Stadium.
After trailing early, the pinstripes pasted runs on the board in five of the last seven innings. Cory Goeggleman (Waynesburg State) got the Yanks on the board in the third when he came home on a sacrifice fly to center field by Tyler Grogg (Toledo). Wes Winkle (Ball State) scored when a ball was mishandled by the Power catcher.
Webster added a run in the fourth when Ollie Bertrand came home when an error was committed on Winkle’s single to center.
The Yanks put the game out of reach with four in the sixth. Grogg had the big hit – a single up the middle scoring Goeggleman and Matt Francis (U of R). The home nine scored four more in the eighth. Matt Boulter (So. New Hampshire) tripled plating Grogg and came home on a single by Bertrand. Francis capped the inning with a two-out single bringing home Bertrand and Evan Wexler (Niagara).
“Obviously, we swung the bats very well,” said head coach Dave Brust. “But this is about guys making adjustments.”
Brust went on to speak about the little things that make a difference.
“Guilmette has really matured into a quality college player. He goes out and throws strikes. That’s what we need.”
“A guy like Blake Beemer (Ball State) does a lot of little things. He has quality at bats and does a lot defensively. He’s a gutsy, courageous player.”
With the win, Webster improves to 15-16 on the season. The Yanks sit just a half-game begin the Alfred Thunder for the fourth and final playoff spot in the NYCBL’s West division.
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