Newport Clinches Playoff Spot

The Newport Gulls punched their playoff ticket with authority, dismantling the Bristol Blues 10-2
to improve their record to 24-15-1, Bristol dropped to 20-20. With the win, Newport completed
the season sweep of their southern division rivals, finishing 5-0 against their Connecticut
adversaries.

Victor Frederick (St. Johns) shoved six innings for Newport, getting his third win of the season. Frederick
struck out five, only giving up two hits and two unearned runs. John Mass (FAU) got the ball for the
final three innings and schooled Bristol’s lineup, holding them hitless and only walking one,
striking out six Blues.

Scout Updike started for Bristol and was fantastic through three innings but faltered in the
fourth. After mowing through Newport’s lineup the first time through, the floodgates opened
quickly for the Gulls. Ryan Jaros (Rutgers), Devan Zirwas (Coastal Carolina) and Ernie Echevarria (UPenn) all delivered RBI hits, and
the explosive inning was punctuated by Gus Gandy’s (Samford) second grand slam of the NECBL season.
Newport entered the fourth in a scoreless tie and left with an 8-0 lead.

Bristol tacked on their only two runs in the sixth, and the Gulls added two more in the eighth
thanks to a Bristol error and a base hit from Mason Ligenza (Pittsburgh).

The Gulls sit at second in the south division and third in the NECBL playoff race