By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
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?Photo by Nicole Harnishfeger
Freshman pitcher Michael Molta tossed a no-hitter in a 19-1 win over Provincetown on Friday and followed that up with a five-inning, one-hit performance against the Fishermen on Tuesday as the Whalers coasted to the easy 17-0 victory.
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The varsity baseball team picked up two easy wins over Provincetown this week, 19-1 last Friday and 17-0 Tuesday. Sandwiched in between was an 11-2 loss at Mashpee on Monday.
The Whalers (3-3) were scheduled to host Sturgis at home yesterday in the final game before the spring vacation week, too late for this edition of Sports.
The Whalers were able to put up big offensive numbers in the wins over Provincetown, but continued to struggle with plays in the field in all three games this week.
“Our issue is we have to make the easy play. We are still struggling. The infield is starting to shape up and hopefully the outfield is just a week out,” head coach Art Crowley said.
In the second meeting with Provincetown, the Whalers scored six runs in the first inning and tacked on seven in the sixth to blow the game open.
“They put out some better pitching for us and it was a decent game through six. There were not as many walks,” Crowley said.
The Whalers picked up 19 hits in the game, including a 4-for-5 (3 RBI) day from Eric Lowell, 3-for-3 (3 RBI) from Evan Hourihan and a 3-for-4 (4 RBI) performance from Tomas Smaliorius. Eddie Moreau was 3-for-5 (2 RBI) as the designated hitter.
Freshman pitcher Michael Molta held the Fishermen to only three baserunners over five innings on only one hit, while striking out eight. Anthony Valero came on to close the door in two innings of work.
“Our defense got a chance to work. Michael Molta was great through five and Tony shored it up,” Crowley said.
Against Mashpee on Monday, the game was close until the sixth inning. Smaliorius drove home Hourihan with a single in the first inning to give Nantucket the 1-0 lead, but the Falcons responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning and three more in the second. In the fifth, Jamie Reid scored on an error to pull the Whalers within four at 6-2.
Third baseman Brian Reis got spiked in the hand on a stolen base attempt in the fifth inning and the injury took the Whalers out of the game mentally.
“There was blood everywhere. We pulled him out of the game, but that kind of put us out of sorts. Things kind of collapsed a bit. It was just one of those things,” Crowley said.
The Falcons scored five runs in the sixth inning to secure the 11-2 victory. Hourihan was 2-for-4 with a double from the leadoff slot, while Lowell, Smaliorius, Adam Spencer and Erik Hughes had one hit each.
Smaliorius pitched four innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits and three walks. Chris Welch came in to pitch the final two frames and allowed four earned runs on five hits.
Molta took the mound for his first varsity pitching appearance Friday at Provincetown and held the Fishermen hitless over six innings of work, while striking out 15 batters.
“We were pleased with his performance, but we need to see him against better competition. I have never seen a P-Town team this weak. I don’t think they put a ball into the outfield,” Crowley said.
The Whalers scored once in the first and added four runs in the second and fourth innings to take the 9-1 lead. Hourihan was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Lowell was 2-for-3 with an RBI at the top of the lineup. Welch knocked in three run with two sacrifice flies and a single.
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