By Doug Smith
And now reality resumes for the Niagara Power. After a week of carefully choreographed weirdness in which the team played but one New York State Collegiate League game (and won it, 6-5, in 13 innings), the Bolts plug back into the official schedule tonight at 7 vs. the Olean Oilers.
In a situation not unlike the major league opening, in which Seattle and Oakland played American League games in Japan and then resumed their spring-training schedule, the Power went from rain-off to walkoff to day-off to drive-off to rain-off again to last night’s international matchup with the Bulls of Burlington, ON.
Niagara won, 7-3, as Manager Garrett Shively fielded a lineup greatly different from that which survived last Saturday’s opener. “We had some moments,” Shively said, but third-baseman Tyler Shweigert had about eight of them.
Up five times, Schweigert walked twice, singled twice, tripled, stole two bases, drove home two runs, scored three times and made three sensational plays at third base, including a nosedive to corral a foul ball in the sixth.
Frank Polino also had three Power hits and three RBI, including a game-breaking two-run double in the third against the perennial front-runners of the Ontario Senior League.
Shively also assigned some of those moments to pitcher Bo Lucas, on the mound for the first time in more than a year after an injury. With a wide sweeping curveball, Lucas allowed four hits and one run, unearned, striking out seven and walking three.
Thereafter, walks and the occasional error made it interesting for a nice crowd of 257. Power first baseman Patrick Worthen stretched wide to haul in an off-line throw with two out, bases loaded in the Bull sixth, and made a similarly unlikely grab in the ninth.
Shively had the green light locked on; Power runners stole nine straight bases before Schweigert got flagged down in the eighth with the issue decided. Leadoff speedster Shakeel Newton was walked twice, hit twice, stole two bases and scored three runs.
Shively has tapped Clearwater Christian pitcher Will Kirby for tonight’s start. It’s “pro night” with anyone wearing a professional-team jersey – or one from a local college – granted a one-dollar admission discount.
POWER POINTS: The Power played a 13-13 tie at Geneva Tuesday night, then endured a rainout Wednesday at Adirondack, although Shively said the camaraderie achieved made it all worth the trip…
A rainbow dipped into right field in the third inning and showers fell just as the game ended…Jaymon Hammel’s double in the fourth hugged the foul line like a sailor on shore leave.
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