Smith advanced to today's semis with a dramatic, come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Anaconda last night. Newburgh, the host team, qualified by topping Jurek 7-6 in yesterday's other game.
Newburgh entered this week's state tournament with the worst record of the eight participants at 19-13, and did not even qualify for its district tournament (it recieved an automatic berth because it's hosting). I think it's safe to say that Newburgh, regardless of this today's outcome, is a pretty good Cinderella story of for year's tournament.
Starting lineups:
Smith (30-4-1)
1. Kyle Richardson, CF
2. Ryan Kramer, SS
3. Nate Mallinder, P
4. Zack Ciccotti, C
5. Jason Nowicki, LF
6. Joe Melioris, 3B
7. Ryan Marquette, 1B
8. Eli Hendrington, 2B
9. Ryan Cooke, RF
Pitcher: Nate Mallinder, RHP
Newburgh (22-14)
1. John Pliego, SS
2. Bobby Bittles, 3B
3. John Degtoodt, 1B
4. Jack Crawford, DH
5. Tommy Hand, CF
6. Sean Leahy, LF
7. Vinny Mascoto, RF
8. Matt Kaldon, C
9. Joe Clarke, 2B
Pitcher: Steve Pickney, LHP
*Smith will be the visiting team for the first time all tournament. We have a six-umpire crew on hand for today's semifinal and championship games.
Top 1st: Richardson ripped a double over the head of the left fielder to lead off the game. Kramer singled to right, but was caught trying to advance to second on the throw to the cutoff (9-3-4-3) for the first out (Richardson went to third on the play). Mallinder hit an RBI single to left to score Richardson from third. Smith 1, Newburgh 0. Ciccotti reached on a throwing error by the pitcher on a dribbler down the third baseline (runners on first and second, one out). Nowicki flew out to left on the the first pitch he saw for the second out. Melioris grounded out 5-3 for the third out.
Bottom 1st: Pliego walked on four pitches to lead off. Pliego advanced to second on Mallinder's seventh straight ball on a passed ball that scooted away from Ciccotti. Bittles grounded out 6-3 for the first out (Pliego went to third). Degroodt hit an RBI single to right to tie the game. Newburgh 1, Smith 1. Crawford singled up the middle to put runners on first and second with one out. Hand hit into a 6-4 fielder's choice for the second out on a nice play up the middle by Kramer to snag the hard-hit grounder and flip the ball to Hendrington (who nearly turned the double play). Leahy grounded out to Mallinder to end the inning, stranding runners on first and third.
Newburgh 1, Smith 1
*Things are getting a bit heated in the stands between the Smith and Newburgh fans. The PA announcer just made an announcement asking the fans to "keep their cheering to their own team." He said he would "not hesitate to clear the stands" if negativity toward the opposing team persists.
Top 2nd: Marquette grounded out 4-3 for the first out. Hendrington reached on a bloop single to left that dropped safely between a diving second baseman and right fielder. Cooke singled to right on the first pitch and Hendrington went from first to third (runners on first and third, one out). Richardson hit a sac fly to the right fielder, allowing Hendrington to score from third, just avoiding the tag on a very close play at the plate. Smith 2, Newburgh 1. Kramer lined a two-out single to left (runners on first and second, two outs). Mallinder popped out to right for the third out.
*Here's Hendrington scoring the go-ahead run on Richardson's sac fly:
Bottom 2nd: Moscato walked to lead off. Kaldon popped up a bunt attempt to Ciccotti for the first out. Smith coach Tony Abone Jr. just ran out to the mound for a short conference with his pitcher and infielders. Clarke walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Pliego popped out (on the first pitch) to Ciccotti in foul territory for the second out. Bittle popped out to Cooke in right to end the inning.
Smith 2, Newburgh 1
Top 3rd: Ciccotti singled past the diving third baseman to lead off. Nowicki lined a single to left-center (runners on the corners, no outs). Melioris picked up an RBI on a 6-4 fielder's choice for the first out, bringing Ciccotti home from third. Smith 3, Newburgh 1. Marquette struck out looking for the second out. Hendrington popped up a bunt to the catcher on the first pitch for the third out.
Bottom 3rd: Degroodt led off with a single up the middle. Crawford walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Hand laid down a bunt that was turned into a 1-6 fielder's choice for the first out (runners on first and third, one out). Leahy ripped an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Degroodt from second. Smith 3, Newburgh 2. Hand tried scoring from first on the play, but was cut down 7-6-2 on a play at the plate (Leahy advanced to third on the throw home). Moscato was beaned to put runners on the corners with two outs. Kaldon grounded out 4-3 to end the inning.
Smith 2, Newburgh 1
Top 3rd: Ciccotti singled past the diving third baseman to lead off. Nowicki lined a single to left-center (runners on the corners, no outs). Melioris picked up an RBI on a 6-4 fielder's choice for the first out, bringing Ciccotti home from third. Smith 3, Newburgh 1. Marquette struck out looking for the second out. Hendrington popped up a bunt to the catcher on the first pitch for the third out.
Bottom 3rd: Degroodt led off with a single up the middle. Crawford walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. Hand laid down a bunt that was turned into a 1-6 fielder's choice for the first out (runners on first and third, one out). Leahy ripped an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Degroodt from second. Smith 3, Newburgh 2. Hand tried scoring from first on the play, but was cut down 7-6-2 on a play at the plate (Leahy advanced to third on the throw home). Moscato was beaned to put runners on the corners with two outs. Kaldon grounded out 4-3 to end the inning.
Smith 3, Newburgh 2
Top 4th: Cooke flew out to left for the first out. Richardson flew out to left for the second out. Kramer hit a two-out single to center. Mallinder ripped the first pitch down the left field line, past the diving third baseman, for an RBI double (Kramer raced all the way home from first). Smith 4, Newburgh 2. Ciccotti grounded out 6-3 for the third out.
.
*Smith has double-barrel action going in the bullpen with Mike Stevens and Dustin Colgan warming up.
Bottom 4th: Clarke reached on an error by Kramer as the shortstop bobbled the grounder and then couldn't make the throw in time to get Clarke. Pliego grounded out 4-3 for the first out on a chopper up the middle (runner on second, one out). Bittle grounded out weakly 4-3 for the second out (Clarke went to third). Degroodt (who has two singles in two at-bats) was intentionally walked (runners on first and third, two outs). Crawford flew out to right on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
Smith 4, Newburgh 2
Top 5th: Nowicki grounded out 6-3 for the first out. Melioris singled a groundball to left. Marquette blooped a single to right field to put runners on first and second with one out. Hendrington lined a single to left to load the bases with one out. Right-hander Todd DeGroot has replaced Pickney on the mound for Newburgh. DeGroot needed only one pitch to get out of the jam as Cooke grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the half inning.
Bottom 5th: Hand flew out to Richardson for the first out. Leahy ripped a line-drive double down the left field line. Moscato gounded back to Mallinder, who checked the runner back to second, for the second out. Kaldon reached on a throwing error by Hendrington that pulled Marquette off the bag. Leahy raced all the way home from second on the play and scored as Marquette throw sailed wide of Ciccotti for another error (Kaldon reached second on Marquette's throwing error). Smith 4, Newburgh 3. Clarke reached first and Kaldon scored from second on another error by Hendrington (a grounder scooted under his glove and into center). Newburgh 4, Smith 4. Pliego reached first and Clarke went to second on a third error by Hendrington as he bobbled a grounder and couldn't make the throw to first in time. Bittles lined it straight back at Mallinder who made a great catch to end the inning.
.
Newburgh 4, Smith 4
.
*All nine starters have at least one hit for Smith through five innings. Smith has a total of 13 hits compared to just five for Newburgh.
.
*Newburgh has stranded 10 runners on base (two each inning) through the first five innings.
.
Top 6th: Richardson walked to lead off. Richardson stole second on a 2-2 ball to Kramer. Kramer walked on the next pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Mallinder grounded out to the first baseman for the first out, moving the runners to second and third. Ciccotti hit the first pitch he saw for an RBI single, scoring Richardson from third (runners on first and third, one out). Smith 5, Newburgh 4. Crawford, a lefty who was the DH, has come on to relieve DeGroot on the mound. Nowicki greeted Crawford by lining an RBI single to left-center to score Kramer from third (runners on first and second, one out). Smith 6, Newburgh 4. Melioris struck out looking for the second out. Marquette grounded out 1-3 for the third out.
.
Bottom 6th: Degroodt singled to right-center to lead off. Crawford flew out deep to center (on the first pitch) for the first out. Hand flew out to center (on the first pitch) for the second out. Leahy ripped a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third with two outs. Moscato grounded out to Kramer on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
Bottom 6th: Degroodt singled to right-center to lead off. Crawford flew out deep to center (on the first pitch) for the first out. Hand flew out to center (on the first pitch) for the second out. Leahy ripped a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third with two outs. Moscato grounded out to Kramer on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
.
Smith 6, Newburgh 4
.
*Newburgh stranded two runners on base for the sixth straight inning. Seven of the 12 runners stranded have been in scoring position.
.
Top 7th: Hendrington grounded out 4-3 for the first out. Cooke grounded out to Crawford for the second out. Richardson struck out swinging for the third out.
.
*The top of the seventh marked the first half inning in which a runner has not reached base. It was also the first inning that Smith has not recorded a hit.
.
Bottom 7th: Kaldon flew out to left for the first out. Clarke got hit in the back to put a runner on first with one out. Pliego grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
.
Smith 6, Newburgh 4
.
Top 8th: Kramer grounded out 3-1 for the first out. Mallinder struck out looking for the second out. Ciccotti struck out swinging for the third out.
.
Bottom 8th: Bittles popped out to Marquette on a great play in foul territory for the first out. Degroodt grounded out 1-3 for the second out. Crawford hit a two-out double to right. Hand singled to right (runners on first and third, two outs), bringing Leahy, who is 3-for-4 with three doubles, to the plate. Smith just brought in Garrett Baker to relieve Mallinder. Mallinder moved to left field and Nowicki slid over to right (Cooke is now out of the game). Leahy popped out in foul territory to Melioris on a 3-1 pitch to end the inning and the threat.
.
Smith 6, Newburgh 4
.
Top 9th: Nowicki singled up the middle to lead off. Melioris struck out swinging for the first out. It just started raining. It's not quite pouring out, but it's coming down pretty steadily. Marquette struck out looking for the second out. Hendrington grounded out weakly to the first baseman for the third out.
.
*This is it. Newburgh needs to score two runs to extend the game and three to win. It will have its 7-8-9 hitters coming to the plate. Smith is three outs away from advancing to the state championship (for the second straight year) against Anaconda.
.
*The Smith fans have really gotten loud over the past inning. They're chanting "Let's go Smith Post" and "Garrett Baker."
.
Bottom 9th: Moscato grounded out 6-3 on the first pitch for the first out. Kaldon popped out to Marquette in foul territory for the second out. Clarke struck out looking to end the game.
.
FINAL: Smith 6, Newburgh 4
.
*Smith advances to face Anaconda in the state championship game that will likely not get underway until at least 3 p.m. Steady rain has turned into a downpour and it's going to take quite some time to get the field ready for play, and for each team's players to warm up. I'll start a new blog for the championship game.
2 comments:
Smith Pitching???
I loved when all the so called "experts" said Smith only had 3 pitchers.
Smith all the way!!!!!
GO Smithpost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Only nine more innings.
Post a Comment