By Trey Didio
SHERRILL, NY — Silversmiths’ pitchers Kevin Carpentier (Finger Lakes Community College) and Josh Webb (Utica) struggled the last time the Syracuse Salt Cats came to visit Noyes Park a few weeks ago. It was not the case on Saturday.
The Sherrill Silversmiths won game one 6-2 behind a great game from Carpentier. They won the second game 6-4 after Webb allowed just one hit in four innings of relief.
Carpentier gave up nine runs on seven hits in four innings that previous meeting against the Salt Cats. He bounced back from that outing with a complete game, allowing two runs on just two hits while striking out six.
“I worked on my mechanics all week and control that I didn’t have last time,” the tall right hander said.
One of the hits he allowed was a two-run homerun in the second frame to Syracuse designated hitter Colton Montgomery (Georgia College & State University). Carpentier did not allow another base runner until the sixth inning. He changed speeds a lot and got ahead in counts, which resulted in only walking two batters.
Sherrill still needed some offense, however. They broke through in the third. Second baseman Ryan Paige (Niagara) walked with one out and advanced to second on a Mike Bunal (Binghamton) single. Shortstop Mike Escanilla (Maryland Eastern Shore) hit what looked like could have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, an errant throw from Syracuse second baseman Bud Morton went out of play, allowing Paige to score.
One batter later, an RBI-single from Ka’ai Tom (Fort Scott CC) knotted up the game at 2-2.
The Silversmiths picked up where they left off in the next inning, as Nate Eastman (Finger Lakes), after walking, came around to score on a Mark Sherlock (Marywood) single.
“We put together great at bats and we never gave in. Nothing really changed (after falling behind) and we played the game as if it were 0-0,” Sherrill manager Dennis Duffy said.
Those three runs proved to be all Carpentier would need. The Silversmiths added three more insurance runs, but Carpentier was the story of the first game. He picked up the win as Patrick Boyle (Wooster) received the loss.
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The Silversmiths got back to a .500 record after following game one with another victory in a seven-inning shortened game. This time it was Sherrill who jumped ahead 2-0 early as they scored two runs on an RBI-single from Zack Kessinger.
The Salt Cats answered right back with two runs in both the second and third innings. Following the third inning, however, was where the Syracuse bats were silenced.
In stepped Sherrill relief pitcher Josh Webb. Webb only managed to get one out last time against the Salt Cats before being pulled. This time it was different as he only allowed one base runner over the final four frames to pick up the victory.
Manager Dennis Duffy mentioned the amount of recent rainouts and how the bullpen was fresh. His decision to put Webb in the game turned out to be the winning combination.
“I really focused on getting ahead with the first-pitch fastball and curveball,” said Webb, who played high school ball for Vernon-Verona-Sherrill.
Again, the Sherrill bats stepped up for the pitching staff. A three-run rally in the fifth inning gave the Silversmiths a 6-4 lead that turned out to be the final score. Ka’ai Tom reached base on an error by Syracuse first baseman Zach Carlino (Mt. Union College). A single by Kessinger pushed Tom to third and Matt Ederle (Rhode Island) followed with an RBI single.
Third basemen Connor Breslin hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field to plate Kessinger. Skylar Geissinger added an RBI single of his own that scored Ederle for the game’s final run.
“Getting back to .500 was definitely a goal of ours today. We saw an opportunity after game one but obviously we have to take it one game at a time,” skipper Duffy said.
Webb picked up the well-deserved victory while Connor Nolan (Le Moyne) took the loss after giving up the three runs in the fifth inning.
Sherrill (4-4) has won four games in a row after dropping the first four contests of the young season. The Salt Cats dropped to 4-3. They look to pick up win number five against the other Syracuse team, the Junior Chiefs, at 4:00 pm Sunday, June 16. Sherrill travels to Rochester on Monday, June 17, to take on the Ridgemen.
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