Webster Scores Two Touchdowns - Crushes Brockport
7/29/2009

Rarely, can one find any luxuries in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Players, coaches, managers, and even owners must make do without fancy clubhouses and the luxury transportation afforded big leaguers playing the same sport. Facing a pivotal matchup with cross-county rival, Brockport, Dave Brust called upon one of his few luxuries.

When Brust heard that lefty Steve Golbranson (So. NH U) would get the start, he called upon assistant Bob Shaffer to toss batting practice. It’s a luxury when an amateur team has a former left-handed division one college pitcher on the staff.

The results speak for themselves.

The Webster Yankees pasted seven runs on the board in the first and pounded 17 hits en route to a 14-4 win over the Brockport Riverbats, Sunday. Five Yankee hitters had multiple hits on the afternoon.

“I was a little late showing up for BP,” said Shaffer. “I could tell they were focused. Everybody was standing there waiting for me. As I got warmed up, they were patient for me to throw strikes. Then they lit me up like a Roman Candle. I guess they carried it into the game.”

Webster batted around in the first and never looked back from there. Nate Koontz (Ball State) and Steve Muoio (Georgia C&S) delivered back-to-back one-out RBI singles and the rout was on. Shawn Bailey (SUNY Cortland) crossed the plate first and Rhett Goodmiller (Central Michigan) came home on Muoio’s hit.

Matt Jacobs (UMass-Lowell), Mike Walraven (Hofstra), and Ricky Clark (Central Michigan) followed with RBI base raps.

The home nine chased Golbranson in the third with two runs. Geoff Dornes (R.I.T.) reached on a leadoff error. One out Clark walked. Koontz slashed a two-out single as Webster took 9-3 lead.

Webster put pairs on the board in the fourth and fifth. Ollie Bertrand (Monroe CC) and Jacobs led the fourth with back-to-back doubles. Dornes and Walraven combined for RBI singles.

Koontz and Muoio led the fifth with singles. Dornes worked a bases-loaded walk to score Koontz. Walraven plated Muoio with a sacrifice fly to center.

Goodmiller scored in the eighth on a ground ball by Bertrand to finish the scoring.

Bryant Guilmette (UMass-Lowell) worked three and two-thirds for his first win of the season. The lefty struck out one and retired eight consecutive batters from the fourth to the sixth.

Scott Brothers (Ball State) started one day after throwing two innings in relief yesterday. The right hander struck out one and walked one.

Tyler Scott (Toledo) worked two scoreless frames and Jacobs tossed a scoreless ninth.

The win thickens the race for the final spot in the NYCBL West Division. Five teams vying for the final three spots are all within one win of each other.

At this point, it’s one day at a time,” said Brust.

Webster hosts a pivotal doubleheader against Allegany County on Monday. Coming into play Sunday the Nitros and Yankees stood tied. First pitch is set for 4pm at Basket Road Field.

Paul Gotham
Pickin' Splinters