Navs Break Late Tie for Thursday Win vs. Vermont

By Jason Glick

LYNN, Mass. — Knotted at five with the Vermont Mountaineers in a pivotal seventh inning, the North Shore Navigators were looking for a breakthrough, already down two outs. With first baseman Danati Fronduto walking, up came shortstop Maddix Simpson. On a 3-1 count, he mashed a ball over the left field fence to give the Navs a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Simpson's (Ohio State) two-run shot propelled the Navigators (11-12) to a 10-5 victory over the Mountaineers (8-15) in Thursday's New England Collegiate Baseball League action at Fraser Field. 

Catcher Anderson French (Dallas Baptist), Byfield native center fielder Hunter Kingsbury (Bryant) and Peabody native first baseman Danati Fronduto (San Jacinto) also nabbed at least two RBI. Hitting in the leadoff spot, Kingsbury went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases. Fronduto knocked in a season-high three runs as part of his 2-for-4 night.

On the mound, Wenham native starting pitcher Gian Gamelli (Notre Dame) tossed eight strikeouts while allowing just two hits through the first 4.2 innings. Left-hander Cameron Keaveney (Southern New Hampshire) earned the win in relief, while right-hander Thomas Mahoney (Northeastern) recorded the final five outs en route to his third save of the summer.

With two Vermont runners in scoring position in the top of the first inning, Gamelli, who struck out two to close the frame with three strikeouts. The left-hander followed that up with a pair of swinging strikeouts in the second. In the bottom half, left fielder Colin Lynch (Dayton) reached base on a walk.

Vermont shortstop Elliot Miles (Bryant) opened the scoring in the top of the third off left fielder David Alvarez's (Eastern Kentucky) single. Still, Gamelli, as he'd done all game, quieted the Mountaineers with strikeouts, reaching seven through three stanzas.

The Navs steered momentum in the third with five straight batters reaching base and three runs. First, second baseman Jack Rickheim (Harvard) walked. Then, right fielder Danny Flynn (Northeastern) reached first on a fielder's choice. Kingsbury singled to advance Flynn, who later scored off a Vermont error. 

After designated hitter Grant Hunter (Binghamton) walked, he and Kingsbury executed a double steal. Fronduto singled to advance them again, scoring Kingsbury. French delivered a two-run single through the right side, sending home Hunter and Fronduto for a 4-1 lead.

Vermont tried two pinch hitters in the fourth inning, but Gamelli and Co. took them out 1-2-3. In the bottom half, at least four straight batters reached base for the second straight frame. Third baseman Simmi Whitehill (Monmouth) was hit by a pitch, Rickheim reached on fielder's choice and Flynn walked. With Rickheim in scoring position, Kingsbury scored him on another fielder's choice to go up 5-1.

Although Gamelli's day ended during the fifth, he had one last strikeout up his sleeve. The Mountaineers narrowed the gap to two, as Miles advanced home and right fielder Alex Benevento (Brown) scored second baseman Matthew Minckler (Delaware). Revere native and former St. Mary's left-hander Jack Zimmerman (Dayton) finished the frame with a strikeout.

Zimmerman took out the Mountaineers 1-2-3 in the sixth, but they tied the game at five apiece in the seventh. Miles scored his third run of the day off a Minckler groundout and Alvarez doubled to score Benevento. Still, Keaveney entered in relief and dealt a strikeout to escape the inning.

The game broke open in the bottom of the inning. Following Fronduto's walk, Simpson mashed a ball into the Fraser Field parking lot in left field for a 7-5 lead. North Shore didn't take its foot off the pedal there. 

After Keaveney and Mahoney blanked Vermont in the top of the eighth, Rickheim and Flynn singled to start the frame. Rickheim scored on Kingsbury's second RBI, ringing a double to deep center. Kingsbury and Flynn then piled on a pair of runs to reach a 10-5 lead off Fronduto's single, putting the game out of reach. Mahoney finished the save in the ninth, retiring Vermont's first three batters.

The Navs return to action Saturday at Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine, against the Mainers. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.