By Justin Lada
UTICA, N.Y. — Sometimes in baseball you just have a night where you have to tip your cap to the opposing pitcher after a great performance. Both the Utica Brewers and Syracuse Salt Cats would have to tip their caps to each other, but ultimately someone has to lose.
Despite pitching a complete game, Sean Williams took the loss for the Salt Cats, dropping a 1-0 game to the Brewers in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Donovan Stadium Saturday night.
The only run Williams (Oklahoma State-Panhandle) let cross the plate ended up being an unearned run. Through the first three innings Williams faced just 10 batters, walking a batter with two outs in the first inning.
Matt Bahnick singled to lead off the fourth to break up the no-hitter. Kenny Durling sacrificed Bahnick to second, but Williams would retire Daniel De La Calle on a fly out for the second out.
With two outs in the fourth inning, the newest Brewer, Donnie Dewees hit a hot shot back to Williams on the mound. The 6’4 right hander knocked the ball down with his glove and had to get off the mound to the third base to field the liner. After the ball got away from Williams, he airmailed the throw to first base, which easily scored Bahnick, who was running with two outs in the inning.
Williams allowed just three hits over the final four innings, two runners reached third base thanks to a throwing error on an attempted steal by Eros Modena and a sac bunt in the 9th put Modena on third again. The Brewers would strand six runners, three of which were in scoring position thanks to Williams’ dominant performance.
Take away Williams’ throwing error and the game might have never ended, because as good as he was, Utica starter, Jordan Sechler one upped him.
The left hander went eight innings as well, not allowing a run on just four hits. He struck out four and walked just one.
While the Salt Cats only had five base runners, they shot themselves in the foot with a few chances they had.
Tyler Kirwan (UMass-Boston) led off the fourth inning with a single. The single broke up Sechler’s perfect game and it was also Kirwan’s first hit of the season. Sechler caught Kirwan going on first movement, and had him picked off going to second base.
Bud Morton (Moorehead State/Southern University) singled following Kirwan being picked off but tried to stretch a liner just up the right field line and was thrown out thanks to a perfect throw by Utica right fielder, Modena.
Andrew Medeiros (Westfield State) singled with one out in the fifth inning but was picked off at first on a close play.
Mike Mascari (Oneonta State/Oswego State) worked a two out walk in the sixth, but it was the only base runner the Salt Cats managed off of Sechler until a base hit in the eighth inning by Eddie Charles (Oswego State).
Charles would advance to third thanks to a sac bunt by Jimmy Napolitano (Rutgers-Newark) and a flyout. Pinch hitter Kevin Bailey (Alvernia University) couldn’t knock in Charles in the eighth with two outs, which proved to the Salt Cats last stand.
Marcus Crescentini shut the door in the ninth inning, saving it for the Brewers, who won their seventh straight game to take control of second place in the NYCBL East.
The Salt Cats will take on the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs for the second time in three days. First pitch will be at 7pm from Alliance Bank Stadium.
Corey Mingin, who will try to match his teammate’s performance (Oklahoma State-Panhandle), will make his third straight start of the season. In eight appearances Mingin is 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA.
Follow the Salt Cats on twitter for all in game updates or find us on Facebook for great pictures and exclusive stories.
SYR Salt Cats 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 4 3
Utica 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 x – 1 4 0
SH–J.Napolitano (0), B.Tanner (0), K.Durling (0). SB–E.Modena (7).
CS–T.Kirwan (1). E–C.Thompson (5), S.Williams 2 (4).
LOB–SYR Salt Cats 2, Utica 6.
SO--T.Kirwan, B.Morton, N.Carlson, K.Bailey, E.Modena, B.Tanner, D.De La
Calle, J.Bright 2, B.Pruett, J.Mateo. BB--M.Mascari, M.Bahnick.
BF--S.Williams 31 (154), J.Sechler 26 (155), M.Crescentini 3 (39).
P-S--S.Williams 117-69, J.Sechler 99-68, M.Crescentini 12-7.
T--2:06. A--440
Leave a Reply