By Joshua Kummins
BROCKTON — In a Futures Collegiate Baseball League game that featured just nine combined hits between the two teams, the Brockton Rox edged past the North Shore Navigators by a 2-1 final score on Wednesday night at Campanelli Stadium.
The Navs slipped to 6-5 on the season with the loss, while Brockton improved to 3-5 following its second victory in three games, achieved in a brisk two hours and 15 minutes.
Designated hitter Logan Bravo (Harvard) and second baseman Jonathan Luders (Seton Hall) each recorded two of North Shore’s five total hits. Catcher Ryan Turenne (Maine) had the other knock and scored the team’s lone run.
The Rox nabbed a quick opening run in the first inning as center fielder Joel Lara (Franklin Pierce) was hit by
a pitch to lead off the game and scored on third baseman Buddy Dewaine’s (Central Connecticut State) infield grounder after shortstop Jake Gelof (Virginia) singled.
Brockton starter Will Greer (Bucknell) faced the minimum over his first two innings, but the Navs were able to knot the score in the top half of the third. After shortstop Juan Manuel (New Mexico JC) reached on an error and Turenne singled to right in the next at-bat, Luders ripped a run-scoring double inside the left field line.
Cedric Gillette (Merrimack) bounced back after allowing Brockton’s first-inning run and delivered the longest pitching performance of North Shore’s season, tossing five innings of three-hit, one-run ball to keep the Navs in a close game all throughout. The Andover native struck out a season-high six batters in his second straight start against the Rox, including two in two different innings.
The Navs had just four baserunners after scoring their lone run in the third inning and were unable to capitalize in the seventh after left fielder Sean Lawlor (Maine) drew a leadoff walk in the first plate appearance against Rox reliever Josh Lajoie (St. John’s).
Ricky Alexy (Southern New Hampshire) and Patrick Hannon (Franklin Pierce) combined to pitch three scoreless innings out of North Shore’s bullpen to keep the game tied heading into the ninth. The left-handed Hannon fanned three and didn’t allow a hit over two full frames.
The score remained 1-1 until the Rox walked off with the win in a final frame that began with designated hitter David Driscoll (Williams) drawing a leadoff walk against Navs reliever Peter Sakellaris (Virginia Tech). After left fielder JP Knight’s (Tufts) bunt single moved Driscoll ahead, a throwing error on catcher Jake Miller’s (Franklin Pierce) grounder to first base brought pinch runner Colin Plante (Maine) home with the deciding run.
Lajoie held the Navs hitless over the final three innings and struck out three to earn his first win of the summer.
The Navs return home to Fraser Field on Thursday night to host the Worcester Bravehearts for the second time this season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
