Newport Takes Down Danbury, Extends Win Streak to Nine!

The Newport Gulls hosted the Danbury Westerners on Wednesday night at Cardines Field. The home team came into the contest sitting at 13-7-1, winning their last 8 contests.  

The Gulls started the night off hot, as Devan Zirwas (Coastal Carolina) walked, and later scored on a Tristan Salinas (Rutgers) RBI Double. Newport held a 1-0 lead after the first frame, but Danbury would respond quickly with a 3-run homerun from Jack Edmunds. These would be the only 3 runs allowed from Gulls starting pitcher, Mason Christopher (Seton Hall). Newport creeped back in the bottom half of the 2nd inning, when Cole Johnson (Louisville) peppered a double to right center field, scoring Cade Brown (UCF).

Fast forward to the bottom of the 5th inning, where the Gulls still trail 3-2. Brandon Larson (USC) started the party with a base knock, scoring Salinas after a Westerners error. This early mistake led to a domino effect of runs, as Colby Wallace (East Carolina)  would come across on a wild pitch, and Caeden Cloud (Kentucky) would clear the bases with a towering double off of the top of the left field fence. Cloud would later score on a Zirwas single. The Gulls finished the frame with 6 runs, and suddenly led 8-3 after 5 innings.

David McSweeney (Northeastern), who was credited with the win, went 3.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing no baserunners in 11 batters faced, and striking out 5 batters. Newport is at the top of the NECBL with 259 team strikeouts, 43 ahead of the 2nd place Martha’s Vineyard Sharks.

Danbury would come across to score once more in the contest when Jack Lutte rounded the bases with a 2-run blast. Another Gulls hit parade in the 8th gave them extra insurance. Salinas started the rally with a solo homerun of his own, followed by RBIs from Cade Brown, Cole Johnson, and Caeden Cloud.

Newport would close out the final inning, winning with a score of 13-5. They picked up their 9th straight win, and creeped up to only 2.0 games back from the first-place position in the Southern division. They will load the ferry today, and head to Martha's Vineyard, looking to pick up where they left off.