Extra-Inning Loss Motivates Shoremen

By Gabrielle Devaud
Elm Staff Writer

The Shoremen baseball team fell to 0-1 after a 7-3 loss to Neumann University in their season opener last Saturday afternoon. The Knights scored four unearned runs in the top of the 11th inning to break a 3-3 tie en route to a 7-3 win in 11 innings.

Junior captain Ryan Normoyle does not believe this loss reflects the ability of his team. He said, “I think that for the first game of the season we played pretty well. We stayed competitive through 10 innings and our pitching was outstanding. We made too many errors, but with more game reps we will be able to clean up that aspect of our play.”

In the second inning, Neumann scored twice to take a 2-0 lead. Washington responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 2-2. Sophomores Sean Connole and Tyler Cotterell both drew walks, and Normoyle laced a double to left-center to drive them both in to tie the game.

Neumann scored in the top of the eighth to take a 3-2 lead. In the bottom of the eighth, the Shoremen responded with a run of their own to level the game at 3-3. Junior John Rolewicz singled up the middle to lead off the inning. He scored on a two-out single down the right field line by freshman Nick Marinelli.

The Shoremen had a golden chance in the bottom of the ninth to win the game as Connole hit a triple to centerfield with one away. But he would be stranded at third as Cotterell grounded out to second and Normoyle flew out to deep left field.

In the top of the 11th, the Knights tacked on four runs to increase their lead to 7-3 before their side was retired. In the bottom of the 11th with two outs, freshman Ian Remington kept the inning going with a single up the middle. The next batter, Connole walked. Cotterell hit a dribbler down the third base line that stayed in fair territory, as his single loaded the bases and put the tying run at the plate. However, the Neumann pitcher struck out the next WC batter on a full count pitch to end the game.

For the Shoremen, Normoyle went 2-for-6 with two RBI’s, while Marinelli went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Sophomore Kyle Aldrich took the loss and falls to 0-1.

After their first loss of the season Normoyle believes, “…the team is not looking at this game as a measuring stick for how we will do. Obviously we are not happy about losing, but games this early in the season don’t end up carrying much weight in the end. We were basically looking to play hard, competitive baseball, and we did. So we can take a positive like that and build from it.”

The Shoremen return to action at home this Saturday with a double header versus CCNY starting at 12 p.m.

March 4, 2011
Volume LXXXI Issue 17