Casey Kalenkosky led the Muskrats with 34 RBI which was second in the NECBL behind 2010 MVP Effrey Valdez of Lowell. He also led the team with 22 walks and 11 doubles. Kalenkosky’s 22 walks were 6th best in the NECBL and his 11 doubles placed him 4th overall. Kalenkosky’s numbers are more impressed given he missed the Muskrats final 8 games with a lower back injury.

Jarett Miller added another accolade to his resume by being named to the NECBL Second Team for starting pitcher. Miller’s season could have been one for the record books had it not been cut short by injury. Miller was named the starting pitcher for the NECBL All Star Game and led the league in strikeouts before landing on the disabled list. Miller went 3-1 and struck out 44 hitters in 33 innings of work. Miller’s 1.64 ERA was fourth best in the NECBL. The most impressive number for Miller was he allowed 21 hits but all of them were singles. In 33 innings he did not allow any opposing hitter to get a double, triple, or home run.

Tyler Joyner another NECBL All Star was also named to the Second Team for starting pitcher. Joyner finished the season with a 2-2 record but lead the NECBL with 53 strikeouts. Joyner’s 1.97 ERA was 9th best in the league.

“Our congratulations go out to these 3 players, they were truly deserving of these nominations,” said General Manager Noah Crane. “It is great for our organization to have our players recognized in this fashion in only our first season.” Casey Kalenkosky will play for the Texas State University Bobcats after spending 2 years at Cisco College. Jarett Miller will pitch for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro after a two year career at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster. Tyler Joyner will return to East Carolina for his sophomore season.

The loss was just the sixth of the season at home for Laconia, who qualified for the final playoff spot on the final night of the regular season, with a win at Sanford.  Top-seeded Newport will await the winner of the Sanford-North Shore series, which is tied 1-1.

NECBL strike out leader Tyler Joyner (East Carolina U) was sharp for the Muskrats.  In his six innings of work, he allowed one earned run.  He limited Newport to two hits, while only walking two and striking out seven.  But it was one troublesome inning that gave Newport the lead and saddled Joyner with the loss.

Zac Elgie (Kansas) led off the top of the second with a tower blast over the hill in left field.  But, in a questionable call, the ball was ruled foul.  Elgie would then strike out, but the inning was just starting for Newport.

Brendon Kelliher (George Washington) then singled, followed by a Connor Harrell (Vanderbilt) walk.  Kevin Quaranto (Sienna) stepped to the plate and rolled the ball over to John Polonius (Genesee CC) at second base, who went to second to start a double play that would have ended the inning.  But the throw was wide of shortstop Anthony Iacomini (South Carolina) and went into center field, allowing Kelliher to score on the error and Harrell to advance to third.

His rhythm broken, Joyner unloaded a wild pitch that allowed Harrell to score.  The two Newport runs were the only offense the game would see until the ninth inning, when Kelliher launched a solo shot over the fence off Muskrats reliever Nick Kirsman (Judson).

Gulls starter Mark Appel (Stanford) was masterful over seven and 1/3 innings.  He walked two, surrendered five hits and struck out a season-high eight hitters.  Featuring a fastball that touched 94 mph, Appel combined with relievers Mike Francisco (Villanova) and Seth Simmons (East Carolina U) to get the shutout win.

The Muskrats squandered their limited offensive chances against Appel.  In Appel’s longest, toughest inning, the Muskrats left the bases loaded on a Derek Trent (East Tennessee St) pop-out.  Evan Marzilli (South Carolina) led off the sixth inning with a single, and used his speed to reach third, but was also stranded there.  In a key spot in the seventh inning, Ryan Lewis (Columbus St) was thrown out trying to steal third.

Joyner finishes the season with a 2-3 record, an outstanding earned run average of 2.05, and the league lead in strike outs with 61.  The Muskrats finish their first season with a 20-24 record.

Boxscore

The game was billed as a pitcher’s duel between Newport ace and NECBL ERA Leader, Tony Bucciferro, and Laconia’s Jordan Harrison (North Central Texas), who had a sub 1.00 ERA in 5 starts. Harrison’s worst pitching performance of the summer came at the wrong time for the Muskrats. Newport scored first with two hits plating Zac Elgie, to give the Gulls the early 1 run lead. The Muskrats answered when Rhode Island native and College World Series Champion, Evan Marzilli (South Carolina) homer to deep right field. Fellow Gamecock, Anthony Iacomini (South Carolina) was on base for Marzilli after lacing a single to left.

The Muskrats lead would be short lived as the Gulls scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 3rd to go up 3-2. The Gulls scored another run in the 4th and knocked Harrison out of the game. Harrison was replaced by reliever Garrett Jewell (Southern New Hampshire) who could not hold back the Gulls offense. Newport scored 2 runs in the 6th and 1 more in the 7th, all off of Jewell. Jimmy Revan (South Carolina) also pitched in the game, tossing a scoreless 8th, striking out 2. Other than Marzilli’s home run, the lone bright spot on offense for the Muskrats was Tom Rombilus (New Haven) going 2 for 3 on the night.

The Muskrats will turn to NECBL strikeout leader, Tyler Joyner (East Carolina), to keep their season alive. Joyner will match up against fellow NECBL All Star, Mark Appel, at Robbie Mills Field at 7PM. A Muskrats win on Tuesday night would force a game 3 in Newport on Wednesday at 6:35PM. The winner of this series will take on the winner of the Sanford & North Shore playoff matchup.

Game 1 Boxscore

The morning game was much closer than the 8-3 score would indicate. The visiting Gulls scored first with 1 run in the 1st inning off of Muskrats starter, Kyle Owings (Spartanburg Methodist). Laconia responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the 1st with a solo home run from John Polonius (Genesee CC). The Gulls scored 2 more runs in the 3rd to take the lead for good. The game was 3-2 until the 8th when Newport added 5 runs off a tiring Owings and a depleted Muskrats bullpen. The Muskrats had hoped to secure the final playoff spot before getting on the bus to Sanford but the Eastern Division’s top seed, Newport, did not accommodate.

Game One Box Score

The bus ride to Sanford was spent following the New Bedford and Lowell game that started at 5PM. When the Muskrats game with Sanford began the Bay Sox and All Americans were tied 1-1. With their playoff fate still in jeopardy the Muskrats did not help their situation early in the game. With a severe lack of pitching the starter in the Muskrats most important game of the season was infielder, Adam Kirsch (North Central Texas College). Kirsch was hit hard by the Mainers allowing 5 runs without getting out of the 2nd inning. To make matters worse the Bay Sox beat Lowell, meaning a Muskrats loss and a Bay Sox win would force a play-in game on Sunday.

After the Mainers chased Kirsch from the mound he was replaced by fellow infielder, Tom Rombilus (New Haven). Rombilus was brilliant pitching 5.2 innings allowing 4 hits and 1 unearned run. Using a vast array of junk, Robilus kept the Mainers off balance and allowed the Muskrats bats to chip away at Sanford’s 5 run lead. Laconia scored 2 runs in the 5th with hits by Kirsch, Rombilus, and Evan Marzilli (South Carolina). The 6th inning saw the Muskrats take the lead with a 4 run rally. Kirsch, Rombilus, and Marzilli again had hits that keyed the 4 run frame. Fittingly it was Rombilus who scored the game’s winning run on a Marzilli single.

The Muskrats added 2 insurance runs in the 7th to make the score 9-6. With the lead and their playoff hopes hanging in the balance the Muskrats turned to closer Nick Krisman (Judson). Krisman pitched 2 scoreless innings of relief, notching 2 strikeouts. The Muskrats finished with 17 hits, led by Adam Kirsch’s perfect 4 for 4 game. Evan Marzilli was 3 for 5 with an RBI, John Polonius was 2 for 4, Tom Rombilus was 3 for 5 with 3RBI and earned the win on the mound, Pat Epps (Central Connecticut State) went 3 for 4 with an RBI, and Rob Harding (Spartanburg Methodist) was 1 for 5 but had 3RBI.

Game 2 Box Score

In their inaugural season the Muskrats qualified for the NECBL playoffs as the 4th seed in the Eastern Division. The Muskrats will travel to Newport to take on the 1st place Gulls on Monday August 2nd at 6:35PM. Game 2 will be at Robbie Mills Field in Laconia on Tuesday August 3rd at 7PM. Game 3, if necessary, will be on Wednesday in Newport. The Muskrats finished the season at 20-22 and look to make a run at the Fay Vincent Cup.

NECBL Championship Schedule

On Thursday night the Muskrats triumphed over the Lowell All Americans, 7-3, with Mike White (Stonehill College) earning the win. This was the second time White has come up big for Laconia. White pitched a complete game, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 2. The complete game provided the Muskrats bullpen a much needed night off.  The Muskrats scored 1 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd, 3 in the 4th, and 1 more in the 5th to lead 7-1. Lowell tallied two runs in the 8th to make in 7-3 but that was all they could muster. The bottom of the order did the damage for Laconia in the game. Adam Kirsch (North Central Texas) and Ryan Lewis (Columbus State) were 2 for 4 and Kirsch had 2RBI. John Polonius (Genesee CC) was 3 for 4 with an RBI and continued to provide a much needed spark in the Muskrats lineup.

The offense stayed hot as the Muskrats pounded out 14 hits and plated 17 runs against Danbury on Friday afternoon. Laconia took a 5 run lead after the 1st inning. Danbury tied the game at 6-6 in the 5th and chased Muskrat starter Logan Munson (South Carolina). The Muskrats quickly responded with 3 runs in the top of the 6th and added 5 in the 7th and 3 more in the 8th. John Polonius (Genesee CC) continued his hot hitting with a 2 for 3 night with 3 runs scored, 3RBI, and 2 walks. Ryan Lewis (Columbus State) was 3 for 6 with 4RBI and Pat Epps (Central Connecticut State) knocked in 3 with a 2 for 4 game. Tom Rombilius (University of New Haven) and Rob Harding (Spartanburg Methodist) each had 3 hits. Garrett Jewell (Southern New Hampshire) picked up the win in relief and Jimmy Revan (South Carolina) pitched 3 innings of shutout relief.

Come out to Robbie Mills Field tomorrow, Saturday July 31st, and cheer on the Muskrats as they try to reach the playoffs in their first year of existence!