By CODY LOVE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Salt Cats are starting to heat up both at the plate and on the mound.
Cameron Jack (Fort Hood CC) dominated in his first New York Collegiate Baseball League start and got more than enough help from the Salt Cats offense as the Salt Cats topped the Jr. Chiefs 7-0 in an Independence Day Syracuse showdown at Onondaga Community College on Saturday night.
Jack allowed no hits through his first six innings of work.
Working with a lead after the first inning, he was able to be more relaxed on the mound.
“Playing with the lead is much easier,” Jack said. “I just took advantage of it until I allowed the one hit.”
Since he was used to bullpen work, the Salt Cats quickly took him out when the no-hitter was broken up in the seventh by an Alex Perry (Salve Regina) single.
Jack would earn the win, walking three and striking out four.
Myles Taylor (Coppin State) relieved him with nobody out and worked his way out of a bases loaded jam to end the inning.
He would pitch another inning (striking out three total), before Kyle Kuhr (Siena Heights) closed the game out by striking out the side in the ninth.
“They’re experienced guys that know how to pitch in situations,” Salt Cats manager Mike Martinez said. “Given that we were ahead makes them even stronger.”
The Salt Cats continued to look hot at the plate, building on their nine run performance in their last game, adding seven on Independence Day.
Evan Holland (Florida International) led the offense in hitting for a second day in a row.
He went 3-for-4 (bringing his hit total to eight so far for the weekend) and hit his second triple in as many games.
In the seventh he ripped a line drive gapper to left center field.
He rounded second cautiously, but quickly kicked up his speed and beat a throw to third to get in standing.
Tim Hunter (Tyler JC) also tripled for the Salt Cats in the sixth, picking up an RBI on the play as Holland scored.
It was a good day for the Salt Cats’ regular number two hitter (2-for-4, RBI), as he added a big hit to his usual small-ball style of play.
More typical of Hunter was his bunt single in the bottom of the third.
He has enough speed to frequently turn sacrifice bunts into hits.
“That’s just one of my specialties,” Hunter said. “It’s easier that we have turf here and I can just put it down and it’s going to roll.”
“I love playing small-ball, especially if guys are going to give me enough room for it.”
The play helped the Salt Cats get started in their three-run third inning, moving Holland to second.
Luke Tevlin (Binghamton) would load the bases with yet another bunt single, extending his hit streak to 13.
Two batters later, Jose “Manny” Colon (Rutgers-Camden) scored Holland on an RBI groundout.
The key hit in the inning came from Chris McGee (Binghamton), who lined a 2-RBI single into center field, scoring Hunter and Tevlin.
Starter Cory Poplawski (Salve Regina) was charged with the loss for the Jr. Chiefs, allowing five earned runs through five and a third innings.
With his team falling back to .500 with the loss, Jr. Chiefs manager Matt Colbert attributed his team’s performance to complacency and a lack of mental toughness. He called his players out in his post-game interview.
“We need to take a good, long hard look in the mirror and decide if we actually want to play,” Colbert said. “I’d prefer that those guys who don’t want to play just leave. They can go home.”
Tevlin went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Brian Bilello (Concordia) picked up his 11th RBI in the last eight games.
Patriotic music was played at the ballpark throughout the game in honor of Independence Day, culminating in a rendition of “God Bless America” followed by Frank Sinatra’s version of the “Theme from New York, New York” during the seventh inning stretch.
The Salt Cats (17-10) head to Oneonta on Sunday to start a four-game alternating home-and-home series against the Outlaws.
The Jr. Chiefs (14-14) are in action as well with a doubleheader against the Sherrill Silversmiths.
They will play four games in two days in Sherrill.
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