By Bryan Clark
WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — The Wellsville Nitros (7-10) won their fourth straight home game with an 8-6 victory over the Niagara Power (6-5) in New York Collegiate Baseball League action, Thursday evening at the Wellsville Elementary School. Wellsville held Niagara to four hits in the game.
“You could tell the energy coming from the dugout today was great,” said Wellsville head coach Frank Jagoda. “It’s starting to come together for us. We’re playing fun baseball right now.”
Niagara scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Center fielder Shakeel Newton reached home on a passed ball that got by Wellsville catcher Chandell Sidwell. Right fielder Adam Taylor brought in left fielder Seth Eller as Nitros shortstop Riley Goulding threw him out at first base.
Wellsville cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second as center fielder Jason Webb picked up an RBI as designated hitter Pete Strommen scored. However, home plate umpire Josh Lemke ruled left fielder Trent Whitcomb out as he tried to tie the game, but arrived late at the plate.
The Nitros took the lead in the bottom of the third. Right fielder Montana Timmons singled, scoring third basemen Kory Wan. First baseman Michael Fries brought Goulding across the plate as Niagara shortstop Jamon Hammel threw him out at first base.
In the bottom of the fifth, Strommen hit a two-run home run, scoring Goulding and making the score 5-2.
“I was just trying to put a good swing on it,” said Strommen. “We really executed everything well today.”
The Power came back in the top of the sixth. Newton scored on a wild pitch by Nitros starter Cameron Langfels and Taylor reached home after Wan threw third baseman Nick Linne out at first base.
Wellsville responded in the bottom of the sixth with a Wan single that drove in Sidwell and a Goulding sacrifice bunt that allowed Webb to score.
Power shortstop Jamon Hammel doubled in the top of the seventh, bringing in second baseman Taylor Sears.
Wellsville added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Goulding hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Webb to score.
Despite a Sears solo home run with two outs in the top of the ninth, Niagara couldn’t rally to tie the game or take the lead.
Fries Goulding, Strommen and Wan each recorded two hits with Goulding and Strommen both batting in two runners. Sears was the only Niagara batter with multiple hits.
Langfels (2-1) picked up the win, pitching seven innings and striking out six batters while allowing two walks, three hits and five runs (four earned). Matt Fishman earned the save, allowing an earned run and a hit and recording two strikeouts in the eighth and ninth innings.
Niagara used seven pitchers. Starter Ken DeCook threw in the first and second innings, striking out three hitters and allowing an earned run, two walks and two hits. David Kaplan (0-1) picked up loss as he struck out a batter and gave up two earned runs and three hits in the third inning. Jonathan Knapp took the mound for the fourth and fifth innings, recording a strikeout and allowing two earned runs and three hits. DJ Schwab gave up two hits, two earned runs and a walk in the sixth. Brandon Mumaw struck out two hitters and allowed a hit in the seventh. Jordan Powell recorded an out in the eighth, giving up a hit, an earned run and a walk. Scott Voyles finished the eighth.
“R.C. Hubbard came to us today and said he was going through a little bit of a dead arm,” explained Power head coach Garrett Shively. “We decided to skip his start . We’re out of starting pitching as we already have two starters on the shelf. We had to go with the whole staff available today.”
Shively said he felt his team was lucky to stay close in the game.
“We were able to score on a few past balls, so we were at least aware on the base paths,” said Shively. “I don’t think we hit it particularly well and we didn’t field well.”
Jagoda praised his team’s resiliency.
“They got it in themselves to battle when they’re down,” he said.
“Hopefully we continue in that direction and keep playing the way we are.”
Niagara welcomes Athletes in Action at 7 p.m. Friday night. Wellsville hosts Hornell at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Strommen said the team anticipates playing home games
“Everybody is really excited,” he said. “We like to play here.”
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