CMBL Ends June With Full Slate

Red Sox 4 Mudcats 1. In a tightly contested game, the Red Sox prevailed over the ‘Cats. The Red Sox broke out in front with two runs in the first inning which the Mudcats quickly answered with one of their own. It remained 2-1 late into the game. In the sixth inning, the Mudcats loaded the bases and threatened but Red Sox pitcher, Brian Cardiero, who was brilliant all afternoon, pitched his way out of the jam without surrendering a run. Sox Pete Gittrich ignited his team by scoring a run in the next inning with his aggressive baserunning culminating in a headfirst slide at home for the third run. Pete also hit a long bomb over the rightfielder’s head for a triple later in the game, only to be stranded at third. In the bottom of the seventh, Travis Fortune made the defensive play of the game with a strong throw on a basehit to nail Mudcats’, Pat Hanley at the plate and end another Mudcat scoring threat. Red Sox Chet Nesley capped the scoring by going yard over the leftfield fence. Steve Vaughan and David Eason pitched well for the offensively-frustrated Mudcats.

The Carolina Mens Baseball League headed into the second half of its Inaugural Season with all six teams in action on Sunday, June 29th. The day kicked off with a thriller between the first place Red Sox and the stalking Break Time Brewers. The fans were treated to an outstanding game that culminated in a Shootout victory for the Brew Crew. Red Sox 6- Break Time Brewers 7. Red Sox Rick Parnell started and pitched well garnering double digit Ks in his 6 innings. The score was 2-1 Sox in the 5th when Red Sox SS Brian Cardiero and Brewer pitcher Doug Comes locked into a 12-pitch at bat which featured numerous foul pops but Brian stayed alive. Brian ultimately prevailed with a basehit and the Sox went on to plate 4 runs and take a 6-1 lead. The Brewers were relentless in clawing back into the game and Red Sox’ Rick Parnell re-entered the game to stop the comeback. But the Brewers were not to be denied.

Corey “Chief” Lewis, Jeremy Firmingham and Brian Adler sparked the offense while Scott Keenan, Dan Southerland and Evan Kurowski flashed the leather. The game went into a Shootout after the Brewers tied it in the bottom of the 9th. With Brewers’ Lee “Shootout” Shelton on the mound, the Red Sox failed to score n the 10th. Then, with Brewers’ Doug Comes on third, Dave Eason stepped to the plate. Like Roy Hobbs in the Natural, he broke his bat on the first pitch. He came to the dugout and pulled out a new “Wonderboy” and promptly drilled a basehit down the third baseline to drive in Comes with the winning run. Lee “Shootout” Shelton has been the winning pitcher in every Shootout held this season (3).

Club Batter Up 2 - Port City Mudcats 7. In the late game at Castle Hayne, the Mudcats prevailed in a lightning shortened game. ‘Cats Frank Kosh did it all in the victory. He pitched a couple of innings and crushed a line drive home run over the leftfield fence. Mudcats Tony Scott and Jay Hart sparked the offense with RBI hits.

Old Salts 13 - Seahawks 14. At Myrtle Grove, the Seahawks won a seesaw battle with the Old Salts. There were numerous lead changes in this contest which featured several stoppages due to lightning. The Seahawks won the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. 2B Walter Gajewski was stellar defensively and had several hits. Although their DP combo does not have the ring of “Tinker to Evers to Chance”, the Sawks trio of Bennett to Gajewski to Burns snuffed a few Old Salts rallies. Bob Bennett also smashed a tape measure shot off the utility pole in centerfield.

-Courtesy CMBL