Wayne County Life

Submitted by Newark Pilots

Photo courtesy of Steve Plopper

The Newark Pilots (14-20) swept the Adirondack Trail Blazers (14-20) in a Sunday doubleheader at Colburn Park. The Pilots took the first game 3-1 while shutting out the Trail Blazers 7-0 in the nightcap.

 Game 1

With two runners on and no outs, Chad Adams (Saint Rose) broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth. Adam’s single to center field brought in Josh Ludwig (University of Rochester) and Jeff Edwards (Valparaiso), the eventual winning and insurance runs for the Pilots.  

The Trail Blazers’ only run came in the fourth when Alex Simone (West Alabama) scored from third on a throwing error by a Newark outfielder.

Newark responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Adams reached base and advanced to second on an error by Adirondack’s pitcher Chris Parsons (0-3, Mohawk Valley C.C). Max Rosing (Cortland) brought Adams home on a single to center field, tying the game at 1-1.

Adirondack’s starter Parsons went five full innings, allowing one run before leaving with a no-decision. Joe Borelli (1-4, Farleigh Dickinson) pitched one inning giving up two runs on three hits.

Joe Pokrentowski (2-1, Saint Rose) is credited with the win while reliever Jimmy Wagner (Ithaca) gets his third save. Newark pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, six of which came from starter James Mills (Young Harris).

Riley Moonan (Farleigh Dickinson) and Matt Chaidez (Cal State Stanislaus) had two hits apiece for the Trail Blazers. Adams had a game-high two RBI.

Game 2

Newark pitcher Ryan Gray (2-1, Trinity) shutout the Trail Blazers, pitching a complete  seven inning game, securing the Pilots’ second victory of the evening. Gray allowed only three hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. He retired the Adirondack side in order in the fourth inning on three consecutive strikeouts.

 Jacob Russell (University of Kentucky) gave the Pilots a lead which they would never surrender on a bases-clearing triple. After driving in three runs on the three bagger down the right field line, Russell then scampered home on a throwing error as the Trail Blazers tried to gun him down at third.

The Pilots tacked on another run in each the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Sam Fox (Pomona-Pitzer) scored on an error in the fourth although the Pilots didn’t record a hit in the frame. Coleman Lukas (Pomona-Pitzer) singled in Russell during the fifth, increasing the lead to 6-0.

Shane Allen (Northeastern), who manned third base for the Trail Blazers in Game 1, pitched the sixth inning for Adirondack in Game 2. After the Pilots loaded the bases, a wild pitch from Allen allowed Jeff Edwards (Valparaiso) to score the seventh run. 

Chris Rheaume (0-2, Ave Maria) is slated with the loss, allowing six runs with six walks in 4 1/3 innings for the Trail Blazers. Russell finished with two of Newark’s five hits. He drove in three runs and scored twice.

Newark will get a day off on Monday before hosting the Cooperstown Hawkeyes Tuesday night, 7:05 at Colburn Park. Adirondack’s next game is at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds against the Western Division leading Watertown Rams.