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Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Pitcher Michael Molta covers the plate and tags out Cody Silva attempting to steal home for the final out of the Whalers’ win over Provincetown 7-4 last Wednesday. It was the first win of the season for the squad.
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By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
The baseball team has proven to be full of scrappy players who won’t lay down whey they fall behind. Now they have the wins to show for it.
After opening the season with two losses, the Whalers won two games this week to even their record at 2-2. Nantucket defeated Provincetown at home 7-4 last Wednesday and followed it up with a come-from-behind victory at Chatham 4-3 Thursday.
Head coach Nick Duarte sees the fire in his young team as the Whalers build confidence with each win.
“I think they are getting that confidence now where they know they should win and they can win,” Duarte said, eyeing upcoming games against Pembroke and Bishop Connolly. “If they are not careful, they are going to be in trouble. We are going to give them a good game. We are scrapping with these tight games and they are showing me, it doesn’t matter what the situation is, they never give up.”
The Whalers take a break for spring vacation this week, but will be back in action Wednesday at Sturgis.
Michael Molta set the tone for the Whalers with a dominant complete-game performance on the mound Thursday against Chatham. The sophomore hurler pitched seven innings, allowing only two hits and two earned runs, while striking out 13 batters.
“He was excellent. He was in control the whole game,” Duarte said. “He was effectively hitting his spots and his change-up was devastating to the big hitters.”
Trailing 3-2 in the sixth inning, the bottom of the order came through in a big spot for the Whalers. With two outs and runners on base, Tim Marsh stepped to the plate. The sophomore catcher went to battle, engaging in a 15-pitch at-bat against the Chatham pitcher. Marsh finally got hold of one and drilled it to center field over the pitcher’s head, scoring Taylor Hughes to tie the game.
Back at the top of the lineup, Chris Welch knocked in the ultimate game-winner, plating Troy Sullivan with a single to center field.
In the first inning Nick Lombardi staked the Whalers to the 1-0 lead with an RBI single to get things started. The Blue Devils evened the score on a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.
Welch and Lombardi each finished 2-for-4, Eric Lowell had one hit, three walks and scored two runs and Marsh was 2-for-3 in the game.
Against Provincetown at home last Wednesday, the Whalers fell into a hole early. The Fishermen plated three runs on two hits in the first inning against Lowell on the mound.
The Whalers showed some resilience, responding immediately in the bottom of the inning. Welch and Molta reached on singles in front of Lombardi, who plated Welch with a single and Andrew Benson, who reached on an error that scored Molta.
Nantucket took the lead in the second inning, capitalizing on Provincetown’s fielding troubles. Marsh reached on an error and scored from third when the shortstop tried to get the out at home on a ground ball by Lowell. Lowell later came around to score on an overthrow by the catcher on an attempted steal.
Lombardi took the mound in the third inning and shut down the Fishermen with seven strikeouts and no hits through four innings. The Whalers opened up some breathing room with runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Hughes and Sullivan reached on singles and scored in the fifth, and Molta scored on a ground-out by Zach Moran for the final run of the game.
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