By: Shannon Bickert

The Schooners fell 7-1 in five innings to the Gulls due to inclement weather on Saturday, July 4. The loss moved Mystic to 14-9 on the summer.

Mystic’s starter, Chris Hernandez (Cal St. Fullerton), and Newport’s starting pitcher, Jake Lenahan (Holy Cross) both opened with strong 1-2-3 first frames.

The Gulls batted around their lineup in the second, scoring seven runs on five hits, including two homers. Ryan Novak (MiamiU) led off the second with a single up the middle, and Caeden Cloud (UK) reached on an error. Colby Wallace (ECU) loaded the bases with the second hit of the frame, a base knock up the middle. Mason Ligenza (UPitt) took advantage, smacking a grand slam to right field, giving the Gulls the 4-0 lead. Adam Broski (Michigan St) kept the line moving with a single, and Gus Gandy (Samford) wore a pitch, setting up Tristan Salinas (Rutgers) for the second long ball of the inning, a three-run blast.

The Schooners brought their first baserunner aboard, Anthony Belisario (Portal), with a two-out walk, but Lenahan held Mystic scoreless.

After a shaky second inning, Hernandez bounced back with a three-up, three-down third inning.

The Schooners strung together two hits to get on the scoreboard in the third. Joel Collado (URI) led off with a triple to right field. Justin Best (Manhattan) plated Collado on an RBI single to right. Best swiped his sixth stolen bag of the summer. Lenahan stranded the runner in scoring position, as the Schooners chipped away making it a 7-1 game.

Ligenza and Salinas each recorded basehits against the new Mystic arm, Liam Chamberlin (Portal), but the Gulls were unable to bring across another run against the bullpen arm in the fourth.

Victor Frederick (SJU) took the bump for the Gulls in the fourth and tossed a three-up, three-down inning.

Newport knocked two hits in the fifth but a Chamberlin pickoff helped Mystic escape the inning unscathed.

The Schooners were unable to capitalize with two on in the fifth. Thomas O’Connell (UVA) led off the bottom of the frame with a rip through the left side, and was replaced on the basepaths on a fielder’s choice by Collado. Best put runners on the corners with his second hit of the game, but the Schooners came up empty-handed.

Inclement weather did not allow the game to continue, forcing the game to end after five.

The Schooners are back in action at the Shipyard on Monday, July 6 for First Responders Night. Mystic hosts the North Shore Navigators. First pitch from Ed Harvey Field is set for 6:30 pm.