2009 NECBL playoffs

The 2009 NECBL playoffs was the postseason tournament of the New England Collegiate Baseball League for the 2009 season. It consisted of eight teams competing in three rounds of best-of-three series. In the championship round, Newport defeated Vermont 2–1 to win their fourth NECBL title.

Format

The 2009 NECBL playoffs consisted of three rounds, a Division Semifinal, Division Final, and Championship Series. Competing teams consisted of the four best-record teams from both the West Division and the East Division. These teams were seeded #1 through #4 according to their regular season record. In each division, the #1 seed played the #4 seed and the #2 seed played the #3 seed in the Division Semifinal round. The two winners of these series advanced to the Division Finals. The winner of the round captured the Division Championship, one for both the East and West divisions. The two division champions faced each other in the Championship Series to decide the NECBL champion. All rounds consisted of a best-of-three series in which the first game and third game (if necessary) of each series were played at the higher seed's home field and the second game was played at the lower seed's home field. If identically seeded teams from opposite divisions met in the Championship Series the NECBL tiebreaker rules would be utilized.[1]

Bracket
  Division Semifinals Division Finals Championship Series
                           
  1 Newport Gulls 2  
4 New Bedford Bay Sox 0  
  1 Newport Gulls 2  
East Division
  2 Sanford Mainers 1  
2 Sanford Mainers 2
  3 North Shore Navigators 1  
    1 Newport Gulls 2
  3 Vermont Mountaineers 1
  1 Keene Swamp Bats 1  
4 Holyoke Blue Sox 2  
  3 Vermont Mountaineers 2
West Division
  4 Holyoke Blue Sox 0  
2 North Adams SteepleCats 0
  3 Vermont Mountaineers 2  

Seedings

Division Semifinals

The Division Semifinals, the first playoff round, consisted of matchups between each division's #1 and #4 seeds and #2 and #3 seeds.[4]

West Division

In the West Division, the Division Semifinal matchups were as follows: #1 Keene versus #4 Holyoke,[4] #2 North Adams versus #3 Vermont.[4]

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
Holyoke Blue Sox1010020015100
Keene Swamp Bats310000000470

Holyoke leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 2, 2009- In Game 1 of this West Division Semifinal series, the #1 seeded Keene Swampbats took on the #4 seeded Holyoke Blue Sox to begin a best-of-three series. The game, played at Alumni Field in Keene, New Hampshire, featured a starting pitching matchup of two Pac-10 pitchers: Keene's Adam Conley (Washington State) and Holyoke's Chase Brewer (UCLA).

Holyoke scored first in the top of the first inning. After a Cooper Blanc (Utah) walk and a Jim Wood (Trinity) single, third baseman Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) grounded into a double play, scoring Blanc, who had advanced to third on Wood's single.

Keene responded with three runs in the bottom of the first. Right fielder Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) walked with two outs and advanced to third on a Ryan Terry (Monmouth) double. With two runners on, Correy Figueroa (Tampa) launched a three-run home run to right field, giving Keene a 3–1 lead.

Keene scored again in the bottom of the second on a successful double steal. With Keene baserunners on first and third, Chase Brewer picked off Tim Hayes (Louisville) at first. However, while Hayes was caught in a rundown between first and second, José Macías (Franklin Pierce) came in the back door to score, giving Keene a 4–1 advantage.

Holyoke got one back in the top half of the third on an RBI groundout by Jim Wood, which scored Michael Beltran (Utah), making the score 4–2 in favor of Keene.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth. After Mike Nemeth's (UConn) single and Rob Lawler's (Buffalo) double gave Holyoke runners on second and third, Sean Rockey (George Washington) delivered a two-out, two RBI single to tie the game at 4.

The game remained tied until the top of the ninth, thanks to a strong outing by Holyoke's Jonathan Stephens (Samford). After Blue Sox starter Chase Brewer departed after giving up four earned runs in four innings, Stephens silenced the Keene hitters, throwing five scoreless innings while giving up only one hit. Jim Wood doubled with one out in the Holyoke ninth. After an intentional walk was issued to Jake Rosenbeck, the Swamp Bats brought in pitcher Dexter Bobo (Georgia Southern). Bobo struck out Holyoke's Murray Watts (Arkansas State) to record the second out. However, Mike Nemeth singled in Wood to give the Blue Sox a 5–4 lead.

Jonathan Stephens remained in the game for the bottom of the ninth. After getting the first two outs on a pair of groundouts, Stephens got pinch hitter Dustin Spruill (Chipola) to pop out to shortstop Michael Beltran to end the game, 5–4 Holyoke.

Holyoke's Jonathan Stephens (1–0) was credited with the win, while Keene's Earl Daniels (Georgia) (0–1) took the loss. Top hitters for Keene were Chris Edmondson (2–3, R, BB) and Correy Figueroa (1–4, HR, 3 RBI). Top hitters for Holyoke were Jim Wood (3–5, 2B, RBI, R), Mike Nemeth (2–4, R, RBI, BB), and Sean Rockey (1–4, 2 RBI, BB). The game was played in front of 1,205 fans.[5]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Keene Swamp Bats13205000015180
Holyoke Blue Sox000000000010

Series tied 1–1.

Game Summary
August 3, 2009- Entering Game 2 of this West Division Semifinal, #4 seeded Holyoke held a 1–0 series lead over #1 seeded Keene after winning Game 1 by a score of 5–4. For Game 2, the series came to Holyoke's Mackenzie Stadium, with the Blue Sox having an opportunity to advance to the Division Finals with a win. The pitching matchup featured Maxx Catapano (Southern Connecticut) for Holyoke against Tommy Meagher (Tampa) for Keene.

Keene scored first in the top of the first. Following a leadoff triple by Peter Verdin (Georgia), Josh Chester (Florida Gulf Coast) grounded out to the pitcher Catapano, scoring the run from third to give Keene an early 1–0 lead.

After a 1-2-3 bottom of the first pitched by Tommy Meagher, Keene scored again in the top of the second. With two outs and the bases empty, Jacob Rogers (Chipola) tripled down the right field line. Consecutive walks to Dustin Spruill (Chipola) and José Macías (Franklin Pierce) loaded the bases for leadoff hitter Peter Verdin. Verdin proceeded to clear the bases with a double to center field, giving Keene a 4–0 advantage.

Keene struck again in the top of the third. After right fielder Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) doubled with one out, Correy Figueroa (Tampa) delivered a two out RBI double to give Keene a 5–0 lead. An RBI single by Jacob Rogers scored Figueroa to extend the Swamp Bats' lead to six runs.

In the fourth inning, Keene scored again off of Holyoke's Dillon Fontaine (American International), who had replaced Catapano in the third. RBI singles by Mark Onoratti (Manhattan), Chris Edmondson, Correy Figueroa, and José Macías pushed Keene's lead to a double digit 10–0 advantage after four frames. Fontaine was knocked from the game by Edmondson's single and replaced by Mike Sclaratta (Pace).

In the fifth inning, Keene struck for five runs. Third baseman Ryan Terry (Monmouth) started the scoring with a 2-RBI single which scored Mark Onoratti and Josh Chester. After a Correy Figueroa walk, Jacob Rogers doubled to right field, scoring Terry and Figueroa. José Macías then singled in Rogers to give Keene a 15–0 lead which would last until the end of the game.

Keene starter Tommy Meagher (5.0 IP, 6 K) and relievers Corey Baker (Pitt) and Kyle McMyne (Villanova) combined to hold the Blue Sox offense to just one hit on the night, a second-inning single by Rob Lawler.

In the 15–0 blowout, Meagher (1–0) was credited with the win, while Holyoke starter Maxx Catapano (0–1) suffered the loss. Top hitters for Keene were Peter Verdin (3–6, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI), Josh Chester (3–5, 2 R, 1 RBI), Chris Edmondson (2–5, 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI), Correy Figueroa (2–3, 2B, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI), and Jacob Rogers (4–6, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI). Keene's win tied the series at 1–1. The game was played in front of 2,610 at Mackenzie Stadium.[6]

Game 3
Team123456789RHE
Holyoke Blue Sox0030100004121
Keene Swamp Bats0010000023102

Holyoke wins series 2–1.

Game Summary
August 4, 2009- After two games in this West Division Semifinal, a tight 5–4 Game 1 Holyoke win and a 15–0 blowout by Keene in Game 2, the series was tied at one game apiece. This forced a deciding Game 3, played at Keene's Alumni Field. The winner would move on to face the #3 seeded Vermont Mountaineers, who had already defeated the North Adams SteepleCats 2–0 in their West Division Semifinal. The pitching matchup in Keene featured Matt Zielinski (Richmond) for Keene against Kyle Sumple (Siena) for Holyoke.

After two scoreless innings to begin the game, Holyoke scored first in the top of the third, thanks to two errors by Keene's Jacob Rogers (Chipola). With, one out Holyoke catcher Cooper Blanc (Utah) reached on an error by Rogers. Blanc then advanced to third base on another error by Rogers, this time on a failed pickoff. Jim Wood (Trinity) then drove in Blanc with a sacrifice fly to left field, giving Holyoke a 1–0 lead. After a Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) singled, Holyoke cleanup hitter Murray Watts (Arkansas State) hit a two-run home run over the right center field fence, extending Holyoke's lead to 3–0. All three Blue Sox runs in the inning were unearned, due to the two errors by Rogers during the inning.

The Swamp Bats responded in the bottom of the third. Mark Onoratti (Manhattan) doubled to left center. The next batter, right fielder Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne), drove Onoratti in with a two-out RBI single, making the score 3–1 in favor of Holyoke.

After a scoreless fourth Holyoke scored again in the fifth inning. Keene starter Matt Zielinski was pulled after four innings in favor of reliever Dan White (UMass Lowell). The first hitter of the inning, Jim Wood, hit a solo home run to give Holyoke a 4–1 lead. White then walked Jake Rosenbeck and gave up a single to Murray Watts and was pulled from the game without retiring a batter. Earl Daniels (Georgia) entered the game for Keene and was able to get out of the jam by retiring Mike Nemeth (UConn), Rob Lawler (Buffalo), and Sean Rockey (George Washington).

Holyoke starter Kyle Sumple was pulled from the game in the bottom of the sixth after loading the bases with one out. Blue Sox reliever Mitchell Beacom (UCLA) entered the game and prevented Keene from scoring by getting Josh Chester (Florida Gulf Coast) to ground into a 5U-3 double play.

After scoreless seventh and eighth innings, Holyoke threatened again in the top of the ninth. After reliever Ricky Rogers (St. Petersburg) loaded the bases with no outs, Keene brought in Dexter Bobo (Georgia Southern). Bobo struck out Murray Watts for the first out and induced Mike Nemeth to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Leading 4–1, Holyoke sent Mitchell Beacom back to the mound for his third full inning of relief. Beacom allowed two quick hits to get into a jam with runners on first and third. Mark Onoratti then singled in a run, cutting the Holyoke lead to 4–2. After Beacom struck out Chris Edmondson, he was replaced by Doug Jennings (UConn). Jennings entered the game holding a two-run lead with runners on second and third. Ryan Terry (Monmouth) singled in one run, scoring Josh Chester to halve the Holyoke lead at 4–3. After walking Correy Figueroa (Tampa), Jennings managed to strike out Jacob Rogers for the second out. Dustin Spruill (Chipola) then grounded to Holyoke third baseman Jake Rosenbeck, who stepped on third base for the force out to end the game, giving Holyoke the series win 2–1.

Holyoke starter Kyle Sumple got the win, pitching 5.1 innings giving up only 1 earned run. Keene starter Matt Zielinski took the loss, while Holyoke's Doug Jennings was credited with the save in a game attended by 1,474 fans. The top hitters for Holyoke were Jim Wood (3–1, BB, R, 2 RBI) and Murray Watts (3–5, R, 2 RBI). Keene's top hitters were Peter Verdin (2–5, R) and Mark Onoratti (3–5, R, RBI). Holyoke moved on to face the Vermont Mountaineers in the Division Final round.[7]

The three games of the series drew a total of 5,289 fans, for an average of 1,763 fans per game.

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
Vermont Mountaineers0013100409122
North Adams SteepleCats100110000383

Vermont leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 2, 2009- This Division Semifinal Series featured the #2 seeded North Adams SteepleCats against the #3 seeded Vermont Mountaineers in a best-of-three playoff. Game 1 was hosted by North Adams at Joe Wolfe Field in North Adams, Massachusetts. The starting pitching matchup featured North Adams' Tim Boyce (Rhode Island) against Vermont's Rob Kumbatovic (Hofstra).

After Tim Boyce pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first, North Adams scored first in the bottom of the inning. Left fielder John Schultz (Pitt) walked to lead off the inning, advancing to second on a failed pickoff. Brandon Macias (South Mountain CC) then scored Schultz on an RBI single to give the SteepleCats an early 1–0 lead.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the third, when Vermont's Steven Felix (Troy) singled with two outs to give the Mountaineers a baserunner. Henry Dunn (Binghamton) then delivered a two out RBI double to right field, scoring Felix to tie the game at 1–1.

Vermont struck again in the fourth. The Mountaineers loaded the bases with two out for Steven Felix. Kevin Vance (UConn) then scored on a wild pitch to give Vermont a 2–1 lead. Felix then added to the lead with a two-RBI single, scoring Nick Martinez (Fordham) and Jayson Hernandez (Rutgers) to extend Vermont's advantage to 4–1.

North Adams cut into Vermont's advantage in the bottom half of the fourth. Following a Matt Goulas (UL-Lafayette) leadoff double, second baseman Cameron McMullen (UMass) scored Goulas on a single to right, making the score 4–2.

In the Vermont fifth, Jantzen Witte (TCU) hit a solo home run over the left field fence, giving the Mountaineers a three-run lead, 5–2. Witte's home run drove SteepleCats starter Tim Boyce from the game in favor of reliever Tim Shibuya (San Diego). Shibuya retired Vermont without allowing any further damage.

In the SteepleCats fifth, Brandon Macias led off the inning with a double to right center. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Macias scored on an RBI groundout by Paul Hoilman (East Tennessee State), making the score 5–3 in favor of Vermont. Mountaineer starter Rob Kumbatovic was pulled later in the inning in favor of Austin Evans (Alabama).

After scoreless sixth and seventh innings pitched by North Adams' Shibuya and Vermont's Evans, Vermont put the game out of reach in the top of the eighth. Tim Shibuya was relieved by Dayton Marze (UL-Lafayette). An error by SteepleCats third baseman Bo Reeder (East Tennessee State) on a ball hit by Steven Rosado (Troy) allowed Jayson Hernandez to score an unearned run, extending Vermont's lead to 6–3. Henry Dunn grounded out to third base with the bases loaded later in the inning, scoring Nick Martinez to give the Mountaineers a two-run, 7–5 advantage. Another defensive miscue led to the eighth Vermont run when SteepleCats catcher Joseph Pavone (UConn) threw the ball into center field on a failed snap throw, allowing Steven Rosado to score. An RBI single by Clay Jones extended Vermont's lead to 9–3.

Vermont relievers Justin Jackson (Sam Houston State) and Colin Duffie (Milligan) combined to hold North Adams scoreless for the eighth and ninth innings to give Vermont the 9–3 win and a 1–0 series lead. The game was attended by 872 fans at Joe Wolfe Field.

Vermont reliever Austin Evans was credited with the win, going 2​1⁄3 hitless innings, striking out 4. North Adams starter Tim Boyce took the loss, throwing 5​1⁄3 innings, giving up 5 earned runs on 5 hits. Boyce walked 4 and struck out 5. Vermont's top hitters were Steven Felix (2–4, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI), Jantzen Witte (2–4, BB, 2B, HR, RBI), and Nick Martinez (3–5, 2 R). North Adams' top hitter was Brandon Macias (4–4, BB, 2B, R, RBI).[8]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
North Adams SteepleCats000000000023
Vermont Mountaineers01210000X480

Vermont wins series 2–0.

Game Summary
August 2, 2009- Entering Game 2 of this West Division Semifinal Series, the #3 seeded Vermont Mountaineers held a 1–0 series lead over the #2 seeded North Adams SteepleCats after a 9–3 victory in Game 1. With a win, Vermont would advance to the Division Finals to face the winner of the Keene/Holyoke series. If North Adams won, the series would return to North Adams for a decisive Game 3. Game 2 was hosted by Vermont at Montpelier Recreation Field in Montpelier, Vermont. The starting pitching matchup featured Vermont's Brad Altback (Bradley) versus North Adams' Brach Davis (Memphis).

Altback and Davis traded hitless frames until the bottom of the second, when Vermont's Clay Jones (Alabama) hit a solo home run to left field off of Davis, giving the Mountaineers an early 1–0 lead.

After Brad Altback retired North Adams in order in the SteepleCats third, Vermont scored again in the bottom of the inning. Nine-hitter Kevin Nieto (Manhattan) led off the inning with a triple and scored when SteepleCats shortstop Brandon Macias committed an error on a grounder hit by Steven Rosado (Troy), pushing the Vermont lead to 2–0. The Mountaineers added another later in the inning. Rosado advanced to second on a wild pitch and reached third base on a Steven Felix (Troy) groundout. Then, a two-out error by North Adams first baseman Paul Hoilman (East Tennessee State) allowed Rosado to score, running the score to 3–0.

Vermont scored for the third consecutive inning in the fourth on a Kevin Nieto RBI single, which scored Kevin Vance (UConn), making the score 4–0. SteepleCats starter Brach Davis would go 5.0, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out four.

After the fourth, the North Adams pitching staff was able to hold the Mountaineer offense at bay. After Davis exited after the fifth inning, SteepleCats relievers Ken Graveline (Rhode Island), Ryan Fraser (Memphis), and Kevin Fuqua (La Salle) each threw a scoreless inning. However, the SteepleCats lineup could not produce runs off of Vermont pitcher Brad Altback. Altback threw 8.0 innings, giving up only two hits while striking out thirteen SteepleCats.

After, Altback's departure from a 4–0 game in the eighth inning, Vermont brought on Kevin Vance, who had started the game at third base, to pitch the ninth inning. Vance retired John Schultz (Pitt), Brandon Macias, and Paul Hoilman in order to give the Mountaineers the game and series win. Vermont would move on to face the winner of the other West Division Semifinal between the Keene Swamp Bats and Holyoke Blue Sox.

Vermont's Brad Altback was credited with the win, while North Adams' Brach Davis took the loss. Vermont's top hitters were Clay Jones (1–4, HR, RBI), Kevin Vance (2–4, R), and Kevin Nieto (2–3, 3B, R, RBI). The game was attended by 3,112 at Montpelier Recreation Field.[9]

The two games of the series drew a total of 3,984 fans, for an average of 1,992 fans per game.

East Division

In the East Division, the Division Semifinal matchups were as follows: #1 Newport versus #4 New Bedford,[4] #2 Sanford versus #3 North Shore.[4]

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
New Bedford Bay Sox0020202017110
Newport Gulls02002008X12132

Newport leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 2, 2009- This East Division Semifinal Series featured the #1 seeded Newport Gulls against the #4 seeded New Bedford Bay Sox in a best-of-three playoff. Game 1 was hosted by Newport at Cardines Field in Newport, Rhode Island. The starting pitching matchup featured Newport's Andrew Kittredge (Washington) against New Bedford's Will Jolin (Florida).

Newport scored first in the top of the second inning. Gulls first baseman Troy Scott (Washington) led off the inning with a single. After reaching a 2–2 count on Newport shortstop Tim Smalling (Virginia Tech), Bay Sox starter Will Jolin suffered an arm injury and was removed from the game in favor of Connor Little (Hawaii). Little got Smalling to fly out to center, but surrendered a two-run home run to the next batter, Mike Melillo (Elon), making the score 2–0 Newport.

New Bedford answered in the top of the third. With runners on first and third, Jeff Macchi (UMASS-Dartmouth) singled in two runs to tie the score at 2–2.

The game remained scoreless until the Bay Sox fifth. After first baseman Brandon Garcia (USC) singled with two outs, Pierce Rankin (Washington) hit a two-run home run to give New Bedford a 4–2 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Newport's Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) singled with two outs to bring up designated hitter Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt). Westlake proceeded to hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 4–4.

The game remained tied until the New Bedford seventh. Jeff Macchi led off the frame with a single. With one out, Brandon Garcia hit a two-run home run to give the Bay Sox a 6–4 late-inning lead.

Trailing 6–4 entering the bottom of the eighth, Newport struck for eight runs in the frame off Bay Sox pitchers Chris Finneran (Yale) and Kaleb Merck (TCU). RBI singles by Mike Melillo and Sean Paino (Le Moyne) and a 2-RBI base hit by Brandon Garcia scored the first four runs. Then, with one out and the bases loaded, Joey Bergman hit a grand slam to make the score 12–6 in favor of the Gulls.

Newport brought on reliever Matt Branham (SC Upstate) for the ninth. Although New Bedford scored once on a Mike Famiglietti RBI single (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), Branham struck out Matt Beaulieu (St. Michael's) to end the game.

Newport reliever Geoff Brown (Washington) received the win, while New Bedford's Chris Finneran took the loss. Newport's top hitters were Sean Paino (3–5, R, RBI), Joey Bergman (3–5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI), and Mike Melillo (2–3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI). Top hitters for New Bedford were Jeff Macchi (4–5, 2B, R, 2 RBI), Brandon Garcia (2–5, 2 R, 2 RBI), and Pierce Rankin (1–4, BB, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI). The game was attended by 1,472 at Cardines Field.[10]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Newport Gulls2000000024101
New Bedford Bay Sox000000000030

Newport wins series 2–0.

Game Summary
August 3, 2009- Entering Game 2 of this East Division Semifinal Series, the Newport Gulls held a 1–0 series lead over the New Bedford Bay Sox after a 12–7 win in Game 1. Game 2 was played at Paul Walsh Field in New Bedford, Massachusetts. A win for the Gulls would advance them to the East Division Finals to face either the Sanford Mainers or the North Shore Navigators. A Bay Sox win would extend the series to a decisive Game 3 played in Newport. The pitching matchup featured James Lott (Suffolk CC) for New Bedford against Will Roberts (Virginia) for the Gulls.

Newport scored first in the top of the first inning. David Bentrott (Washington) and Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) each reached on singles. Aaron Westlake then doubled to the left center field gap, scoring both runners to give Newport a 2–0 lead.

After the top of the first, both starters settled down and dominated the opposing lineups. Between the bottom of the first and the bottom of the seventh, Lott and Roberts combined to allow only three hits. Newport took a 2–0 lead into the top of the eighth, when a Sean Paino (Le Moyne) double and a Joey Bergman single gave Newport runners on first and third with one out. However, Lott induced a 4-6-3 double play by Aaron Westlake to end the threat.

New Bedford threatened with a rally of their own in the bottom of the eighth. After a two-base error on Newport right fielder Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech) allowed Brandon Garcia (USC) to reach second, Pierce Rankin (Washington) was hit by a pitch. Tom Conley (UMass) then sacrifice bunted to move the runners to second and third. However, Roberts got Daniel Haugh (Wheaton) to pop out and then struck out Rick Wilson (Dixie State) to end the inning.

Back-to-back doubles by Mike Kaminski and Mike Melillo (Elon) plated one run in the top of the ninth, extending Newport's lead to 3–0. An RBI single by Troy Scott (Washington) gave Newport a 4–0 lead. Will Roberts then pitched a scoreless ninth, earning a complete game shut out. Newport's 4–0 win gave them a berth into the East Division Final round.

Will Roberts pitched a complete game shut out, striking out four, to get the win. James Lott, who pitched 8.1 innings and gave up four runs, took the loss. Top hitters for Newport were Joey Bergman (2–3, R), Aaron Westlake (1–4, 2B, 2 RBI), and Mike Kaminski (3–4, 2B, R). The game was attended by 1,111 fans. [11]

A total of 2,583 fans attended the two games of the series, for an average of 1,292 fans per game.

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
North Shore Navigators0200020004102
Sanford Mainers01004000X571

Sanford leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 2, 2009- This East Division Semifinal Series featured the #2 seeded Sanford Mainers against the #3 seeded North Shore Navigators in a best-of-three playoff. Game 1 was hosted by Sanford at Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine. Inclement weather forced the game to be completed at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts, home field of the Navigators. The starting pitching matchup featured Sanford's Matt Murray (Georgia Southern) versus North Shore's Jeff Tardiff (Le Moyne).

After a scoreless first inning, North Shore scored first in the top of the second inning. After the first two hitters were retired, Michael Dowd (Franklin Pierce) and Jim Schult (Eastern Connecticut) each singled to give the Navigators runners on first and second. Ben Waldrip (Saint Anselm) then doubled, scoring both runners to give North Shore an early 2–0 lead.

Sanford answered in the bottom of the second, when an error by North Shore catcher Michael Dowd allowed Dylan Pratt (Vanderbilt) to score. Pratt had singled to lead off the inning. This cut the Navigator lead to 2–1.

The game remained 2–1 until the middle of the fifth. At this time, the game was called off due to heavy rain. The game was resumed on August 3 in Lynn, Massachusetts, as the first game of a doubleheader.

The game restarted in the Sanford fifth inning. After North Shore got two quick outs, the Mainers scored four times. A Mark Micowski (Vermont) triple scored Chris Spatkowski (Pace), who had been hit by a pitch. Micowski then scored on an error by Navigator shortstop Patrick Brady (Bellarmine). A two-RBI Dylan Pratt double made the score 5–2.

North Shore responded quickly in the top of the sixth on a two-RBI triple by Michael LeBel (Rhode Island). Josh Band (Rollins) and Nathaniel Dennis (Long Beach State) scored on the hit to make the score 5–4.

The game remained scoreless into the Navigator eighth. Josh Band singled with two outs and stole second, putting the tying run in scoring position. However, Sanford reliever Lucas Nellis (Le Moyne) got Nathaniel Dennis to line out to center field, ending the inning. Sanford closer Tyler Mizenko (Winthrop) retired the Navigators in the ninth to give the Mainers a 5–4 victory.

Sanford reliever Kyle Davis (UMass Lowell) received the win while North Shore starter Jeff Tardiff took the loss. Sanford's Tyler Mizenko was credited with the save. Top hitters for Sanford were Mark Micowski (1–4, 3B, R, RBI) and Dylan Pratt (2–4, 2B, R, 2 RBI). Top hitters for North Shore were Michael LeBel (2–5, 3B, 2 RBI) and Ben Waldrip (2–4, 2B, RBI). The game was attended by 568 in Sanford and 30 in Lynn.[12]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Sanford Mainers000020000280
North Shore Navigators30000000X370

Series tied 1–1.

Game Summary
August 3, 2009- Entering Game 2 of this East Division Semifinal Series, the Sanford Mainers held a 1–0 series lead after a 5–4 victory over the North Shore Navigators in Game 1. Game 2 was played as the second game of a doubleheader at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts. The Mainers could advance to the East Division Finals with a win, to face either the Newport Gulls or the New Bedford Bay Sox. The starting pitching matchup featured North Shore's Rob Markovitz (Long Beach State) versus Sanford's Kenny Monteith (Winthrop).

After Jason Markovitz threw a perfect top of the first, North Shore scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Three singles by Nathaniel Dennis (Long Beach State), Michael LeBel (Rhode Island), and Patrick Brady (Bellarmine) loaded the bases with no outs. Cleanup hitter Ben Waldrip (Saint Anselm) then hit a sacrifice fly to score Dennis, giving the Navigators a 1–0 lead. Kent Graham (Trinity) then hit a two-RBI double to give North Shore a 3–0 advantage.

The game remained scoreless until the Sanford fifth, when Mark Micowski (Vermont) hit a solo home run, cutting the North Shore lead to 3–1. Corey Thompson (East Carolina) then hit an RBI single to score Mike Roth (South Carolina), driving Navigator starter Jason Markovitz from the game. Jim Schult (Eastern Connecticut) replaced Markovitz and struck out Tucker Nathans (Fairfield) to end the inning with North Shore leading 3–2.

The Navigator bullpen held Sanford to no runs on only two hits for the remainder of the game. Schult, Matt Lewis (UC Davis), and Garret Smith (Boston College) combined to throw scoreless sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Navigator closer Chris Kowalski (Boston College) came on for the ninth and retired the side in order to earn the save and give North Shore a 3–2 win.

North Shore's John Schult was credited with the win while Sanford starter Kenny Monteith was given the loss. Chris Kowalski earned his first postseason save. The win tied the series at 1–1. Top hitters for North Shore were Michael LeBel (2–3, BB, R) and Patrick Brady (2–4, R, SB). Top hitters for Sanford were Mark Micowski (1–5, HR, RBI) and Matt Marra (Le Moyne) (1–5, 2B). The game was attended by 725 at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts.[13]

Game 3
Team123456789RHE
North Shore Navigators000011001391
Sanford Mainers12001001X5121

Sanford wins series 2–1.

Game Summary
August 4, 2009- Entering Game 3 of this East Division Semifinal, the series was tied at 1–1 between the Sanford Mainers and North Shore Navigators. Game 3, deciding which team would advance to play the Newport Gulls in the Division Finals, was played at Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine. The starting pitchers were Colin Snow (Georgia Southern) for Sanford and Mike Gallo (Milligan) for North Shore.

Sanford scored first in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Mark Micowski (Vermont) led off the inning with a double. He was later driven in on an RBI single by Michael Roth (South Carolina), making the score 1–0 Mainers.

Sanford scored again in the bottom of the second. Adam DuVall (Louisville) scored on an error by Navigator catcher Michael Dowd (Franklin Pierce). The Mainers got another run on a Matt Marra (LeMoyne) infield single, which scored Doug Elliot (UConn) to push the Sanford lead to 3–0.

The game remained scoreless into the top of the fifth, when North Shore got on the board. Nathaniel Dennis (Long Beach State) doubled with one out and advanced to third on a Michael LeBel (Rhode Island) single. Kent Graham (Trinity) then doubled to left, scoring Dennis to make the score 3–1.

Sanford answered in the bottom of the inning. Corey Thompson (East Carolina) singled and was driven in by an Adam DuVall single, extending Sanford's lead to 4–1.

North Shore scored again on a solo home run by Michael Dowd in the top of the sixth off of reliever Tom McDermott (LeMoyne). This cut the Mainer lead to 4–2.

McDermott and Neil Holland (Louisville) held the Navigators scoreless through the eighth, and Sanford got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Mark Micowski doubled with two outs and was driven in on a Mike Roth single, extending Sanford's lead to 5–2.

Mainers closer Tyler Mizenko (Winthrop) came in for the ninth. After quickly retiring the first two batters, Mizenko walked Michael LeBel, then gave up a triple to Kent Graham, making the game 5–3. However, Mizenko retired Ben Waldrip (Saint Anselm) to end the game in a 5–3 Mainers victory.

Sanford reliever Kyle Davis (UMass Lowell) was credited with the win, while Navigator starter Mike Gallo was saddled with the loss. Tyler Mizenko earned his second save of the series. Sanford's top hitters were Mark Micowski (3–5, 2B, 2 R), Matt Marra (2–3, BB, SB, RBI), and Mike Roth (2–4, BB, 2 RBI). North Shore's top hitters were Michael LeBel (2–3, 2 BB, R), Kent Graham (3–4, BB, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI), and Michael Dowd (2–4, HR, RBI). Sanford advanced to face Newport in the East Division Finals. The game was attended by 568 at Goodall Park.

The series was attended by a total of 1,730 fans, for an average of 577 per game.[14]

Division Finals

The Division Finals, the second playoff round, consisted of matchups between the winners of each division's semifinal rounds.[1]

West Division

In the West Division, the Division Final matchup was between #3 Vermont and #4 Holyoke.[4]

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
Holyoke Blue Sox000100000141
Vermont Mountaineers12000310X781

Vermont leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 5, 2009- The West Division Final featured the #3 seeded Vermont Mountaineers (defeated North Adams 2–0 in first round) and the #4 seeded Holyoke Blue Sox (defeated Keene 2–1 in first round). The winner of the best-of-three Division Final would advance to the NECBL Championship Series. Game 1 was played at Montpelier Recreation Field, home field of the Mountaineers. The starting pitching matchup featured Vermont's Alex Kaminsky (Wright State) and Holyoke's Taylor Wood (Cornell).

The scoring started in the Vermont first inning. The Mountaineer leadoff hitter, Kevin Nieto (Manhattan) struck out but reached first on a passed ball. Nieto advanced to third on a foul out and a wild pitch. Henry Dunn (Binghamton) then scored Nieto on a groundout, giving Vermont an early 2–1 edge.

The Mountaineers scored again in the bottom of the second. After Blue Sox starter Taylor Wood retired the first two batters, Jantzen Witte (TCU) singled to center. Kevin Nieto then launched a two-run home run to right center field, extending Vermont's lead to 3–0.

The Blue Sox got on the board in the fourth inning. Sean Emory's (Stetson) two-out double scored Mike Nemeth (UConn) to cut the Mountaineer lead to 3–1. Holyoke then had runners on second and third, but Michael Beltran (Utah) flied out to right field to end the threat.

Holyoke threatened again in the top of the fifth. Cooper Blanc (Utah) reached on an error to begin the inning, then stole second to advance into scoring position. However, Holyoke's three and four hitters, Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) and Murray Watts (Arkansas State) could not drive Blanc in, and the Vermont lead held at 3–1.

Vermont extended their advantage in the bottom of the sixth. Holyoke starter Taylor Wood was removed from the game after walking two batters. Matt Compton (Burlington CC) was brought on in relief. Compton then surrendered a three-run home run to Steven Felix (Troy), giving Vermont a 6–1 lead.

The Mountaineers added another run in the bottom of the seventh on a Nick Martinez (Fordham) double. It scored Clay Jones (Alabama), who had reached on an error to begin the inning, to make the score 7–1.

Holyoke threatened to cut into the lead in the top of the eighth inning. Vermont reliever Austin Evans (Alabama) walked the batters to load the bases with one out. Colin Duffie (Milligan) was brought in relief and retired Stephen Arcure (William & Mary) and Sean Emory to end the threat. Duffie stayed in the game for the ninth inning and retired Holyoke in order to give Vermont a 7–1 win and a 1–0 series lead.

Vermont's Alex Kaminsky got the win while Holyoke's Taylor Wood suffered the loss. Top hitters for Vermont were Kevin Nieto (1–5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI), Steven Felix (1–4, BB, 2 SB, HR), Clay Jones (2–4, 2B, R), and Nick Martinez (2–3, 2B, RBI). Holyoke's top hitter was Sean Emory (1–4, 2B, RBI). The game was attended by 1,609 at Montpelier Recreation Field.[15]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Vermont Mountaineers100310000592
Holyoke Blue Sox000100020371

Vermont wins series 2–0.

Game Summary
August 5, 2009- Entering Game 2 of the West Division Finals, between the Vermont Mountaineers and the Holyoke Blue Sox, Vermont held a 1–0 series lead. With a win, Vermont would advance to the NECBL Championship Series to face the East Division Champion. The matchup of starting pitchers featured Holyoke's Doug Jennings (UConn) against Vermont's Justin Jackson (Sam Houston State).

Vermont got on the board quickly, scoring in the top of the first. After two quick outs, Mountaineers three-hitter Henry Dunn (Binghamton) was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second when Clay Jones (Alabama) was also hit by a pitch. Left fielder Steven Rosado (Troy) then drove Dunn in with a single to right center field, making the score 1–0 Vermont.

Both starters then settled into the game, with the teams combining for only two hits until the top of the fourth. A pair of singles by Clay Jones and Steven Rosado gave the Mountaineers a pair of baserunners with no outs. An error by Holyoke first baseman Mike Nemeth (UConn) allowed Tadd Bower (William & Mary) to reach, loading the bases. Nick Martinez (Fordham) then doubled to score two runs, extending the Vermont advantage to 3–0. Jantzen Witte (TCU) then hit a sacrifice fly to score Bower, making the game 4–0.

Holyoke answered in the bottom of the inning. Murray Watts (Arkansas State) hit a leadoff double and later advanced to third on a Rob Lawler (Buffalo) single. Stephen Arcure (William & Mary) then scored Watts with an RBI single, cutting Vermont's advantage to 4–1.

In the Vermont fifth, designated hitter Steven Felix (Troy) singled to begin the inning. He advanced to third by a passed ball and sacrifice fly and eventually scored on a wild pitch. This drove Blue Sox starter Doug Jennings from the game, in favor of reliever Jonathan Stephens (Samford). Stephens retired a pair of Mountaineers to end the inning.

Vermont starter Justin Jackson pitched 7.0 innings on the night, allowing only 1 earned run on 5 hits. He walked 2 while striking out 8. He was pulled from the game at the start of the eighth inning and replaced by Colin Duffie (Milligan). Duffie surrendered a leadoff double to Blue Sox third baseman Jake Rosenbeck (Buffalo) and then gave up at two-run home run to Murray Watts, making the score 5–3 Mountaineers.

After Duffie retired the Blue Sox to end the eighth, Vermont brought in Kevin Vance (UConn) to close the game. Although he gave up a two-out walk to Cooper Blanc (Utah), Vance retired Jim Wood the end the game, giving Vermont a berth into the NECBL Championship Series.

Vermont's Justin Jackson received the win while Holyoke's Doug Jennings took the loss. Kevin Vance was credited with his first playoff save. Top hitters for Vermont were Steven Rosado (3–4, R, RBI) and Nick Martinez (2–4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI). Holyoke's top hitters were Murray Watts (2–4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI) and Stephen Arcure (2–4, RBI). The game was attended by 1,621 at Mackenzie Stadium.

The game was attended by a total of 2,230 fans, for an average of 1,615 per game.[16]

East Division

In the East Division, the Division Final matchup was between #1 Newport and #2 Sanford.[4]

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
Sanford Mainers000300010491
Newport Gulls100010010383

Sanford leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 5, 2009- The East Division Final Series featured the #1 seeded Newport Gulls (defeated New Bedford 2–0 in first round) and #2 seeded Sanford Mainers (defeated North Shore 2–1 in first round). The winner of the best-of-three series would advance to the NECBL Championship Series. Game 1 was played at Cardines Field in Newport, Rhode Island. The starting pitching matchup featured Brad Mincey (East Carolina) for Newport and Chad O'Connor (Virginia) for Sanford.

Sanford threatened first in the game in the top of the first inning. With one out, Chris Spatkowski (Pace) reached on an error by Newport third baseman Joey Bergman (College of Charleston). Spatkowski then stole second with two outs. However, Brad Mincey got Mike Roth (South Carolina) to ground out to end the threat.

Newport was the first team to score, striking in the bottom of the first. After Chad O'Connor recorded two quick outs, Joey Bergman doubled. Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) then drove in Bergman with a single, giving Newport an early 1–0 advantage.

Newport threatened again in the bottom of the second. Chad O'Connor again retired the first two batters then allowed a baserunner on a Greg Garcia (Hawaii) walk. Garcia then went first-to-third on a TJ Mittelstaedt (Long Beach State) single. However, O'Connor ended the threat, getting Sean Paino (Le Moyne) to ground out to shortstop.

Sanford broke out for three runs off of Brad Mincey in the top of the fourth inning. Chris Spatkowski singled and advanced to second on a Joey Bergman error. He was then sacrificed to third base by Corey Thompson (East Carolina) and scored on a Mike Roth RBI groundout. A pair of singles by Matt Marra (Le Moyne) and Tucker Nathans (Fairfield) gave the Mainers a pair of baserunners. Both runners scored on a Troy Scott (Washington) error, the third Newport error of the game.

Newport got one run back in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Troy Scott hit a ball to left field. Although Joey Bergman was thrown out attempting to advance from second to third, Sean Paino scored from third to make the game 3–2.

The game remained quiet until the Newport seventh. An Aaron Westlake doubled advanced Joey Bergman to third and gave the Gulls two runners in scoring position. Sanford then intentionally walked Troy Scott to load the bases with one out. Newport pinch hit Derek Jones (Washington State) for Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech). Chad O'Connor was able to strike out Jones, then got Tim Smalling (Virginia Tech) to fly out to right field to escape the jam without surrendering a run.

Sanford extended their lead in the top of the eighth. Geoff Nichols (Oregon) came on in relief of Brad Mincey (7.0 IP, 3 R, 1 ER, 6 H, BB, 5 K). Corey Thompson doubled with one out and was later singled in by Matt Marra, giving Sanford a 4–2 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Eric Carmichael (West Chester) entered the game in relief of Chad O'Connor (7.0 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 6 BB, 6 K). Mike Melillo singled and reached second on a Kyle Groth (Cornell) error. Pinch hitter David Bentrott walked (Washington) and Groth and Bentrott were sacrificed to second and third by TJ Mittelstaedt. Neil Holland (Louisville) then entered the game in relief of Carmichael. Holland gave up an RBI groundout to Mike Melillo (Elon). This cut Sanford's lead to 4–3. Holland was able to retire Joey Bergman with the tying run on third, getting him to ground out to second.

Sanford brought in Will Clinard (Vanderbilt) for the ninth inning. Following a leadoff walk to Aaron Westlake, Clinard retired the Gulls in order to give Sanford a 4–3 victory and a 1–0 series lead.

Sanford starter Chad O'Connor was credited with the win, while Newport's Brad Mincey took the loss. Will Clinard earned his first playoff save. Top hitters for Sanford were Chris Spatkowski (2–5, SB, R), Corey Thompson (1–4, 2B, R), and Matt Marra (3–4, SB, R, RBI). Newport's top hitters were Joey Bergman (1–3, SB, 2B, R), Aaron Westlake (2–3, 2 BB, 2B, RBI), and Mike Melillo (2–4, 2B, R). The Gulls left 13 runners on base in the loss. The game was attended by 2,489 at Cardines Field.[17]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Newport Gulls5003000008114
Sanford Mainers100000010253

Series tied 1–1.

Game Summary
August 6, 2009- Entering Game 2 of the East Division Finals, between #1 Newport and #2 Sanford, the Sanford Mainers held a 1–0 series lead by virtue of their 4–3 road win in Game 1. With a win, Sanford would advance to the NECBL Championship Series. The game, played at Goodall Park in Sanford, featured a starting pitching matchup of Sanford's Dustin Ramey (UMass Lowell) and Newport's Stephen Peterson (Rhode Island).

Newport's offense exploded for five runs in the top of the first inning. TJ Mittelstaedt (Long Beach State) and Sean Paino (Le Moyne) both reached to begin the inning. Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) scored Mittelstaedt to make the score 1–0. Cleanup hitter Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) then doubled to right, scoring Paino to make the score 2–0. Troy Scott (Washington) then grounded out to second, scoring Joey Bergman. Aaron Westlake was driven in on an RBI triple by Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech), giving Newport a 4–0 lead. Mike Melillo (Elon) scored Kaminski with a sacrifice fly, ending the scoring in a 5–0 Newport advantage.

Sanford responded in the bottom half of the first. After Chris Spatkowski (Pace) reached on a Tim Smalling (Virginia Tech) error, Matt Marra (Le Moyne) tripled to left, cutting Newport's advantage to 5–1.

The game remained quiet until the Newport fourth. After a Mike Mellilo walk and Greg Garcia's (Hawaii) reaching on an error, Newport had two runners on with one out. TJ Mittelstaedt then singled to right to score Melillo, making the score 6–1. An RBI groundout by Sean Paino scored Garcia and Mittelstaedt scored on a Mike Roth (South Carolina) error, giving the Gulls an 8–1 lead.

Newport threatened in the top of the seventh. Sanford replaced starter Dustin Ramey with Eric Carmichael (West Chester). Aaron Westlake doubled to lead off the frame and Troy Scott walked to give the Gulls two baserunners with no outs. However, Carmichael retired three Newport hitters in order to neutralize the threat.

Sanford got a run back in the bottom of the eighth when catcher Doug Elliot (UConn) scored on a Tim Smalling error, reducing Newport's lead to 8–2.

Sanford's 8-9-1 hitters were retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to give Newport an 8–2 victory, which tied the series at 1–1.

Geoff Brown (Washington) of Newport got the win, his second of the playoffs, while Dustin Ramey took the loss for Sanford. Newport's top hitters were TJ Mittelstaedt (1–5, SB, 2 R, RBI), Aaron Westlake (2–4, 2B, R, RBI), Troy Scott (3–4, BB, 3B, RBI), and Mike Kaminski (2–5, 3B, R, RBI). Sanford's top hitter was Matt Marra (1–3, BB, 3B, RBI). The game was attended by 671 at Goodall Park.[18]

Game 3
Team123456789RHE
Sanford Mainers1000000001112
Newport Gulls01000020X352

Newport wins series 1–1.

Game Summary
August 7, 2009- Entering Game 3 of the East Division Finals, the series was tied at 1–1. Sanford had won a tight Game 1 4–3 while Newport took Game 2 by a score of 8–2. Game 3 returned to Cardines Field in Newport, with a berth in the NECBL Championship Series at stake. The starting pitchers were Dean Wolosiansky (Ohio State) for Newport and Kyle Davis (UMass Lowell) for Sanford.

Sanford got on the board quickly in the top of the first inning. Mark Micowski (Vermont) walked to start the game and later scored when Matt Marra (Le Moyne) grounded into a fielder's choice. After this, Sanford managed to load the bases with one out for catcher Bob Stumpo (West Chester). However, Stumpo lined out to Newport shortstop David Bentrott (Washington), who threw to second baseman Greg Garcia (Hawaii) to double off Mike Roth (South Carolina), ending the Sanford rally.

Newport had a scoring chance in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) was hit by a pitch and Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) walked to give Newport two baserunners. However, Kyle Davis got Troy Scott to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

In the Newport second, Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech) hit a solo home run to tie the game at 1–1. After the home run, however, Newport was retired in order.

Sanford threatened to score in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Kyle Groth (Cornell) doubled. He advanced to third on an Ethan Wilson (Indiana) single. However, Mark Micowski struck out to end the threat.

The Mainers threatened again in the top of the sixth. Newport starter Dean Wolosiansky loaded the bases with one out and was lifted from the game in favor of reliever Chad Arnold (Washington State). Arnold struck out Mark Micowski and Tucker Nathans (Fairfield) to escape the jam, preserving the 1–1 tie.

Newport took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Derek Jones (Washington State), who had pinch hit for Sean Paino (Le Moyne) in the fourth, hit a solo home run to begin the inning. The next batter, Greg Garcia, was hit by a pitch. This drove Sanford starter Kyle Davis from the game. He was replaced by Neil Holland (Louisville). Holland loaded the bases with one out, then struck out cleanup hitter Aaron Westlake to record the second out. However, Holland walked Troy Scott (Washington), which extended the Newport lead to 3–1.

The game remained quiet into the top of the ninth, when Newport brought on Matt Branham (SC Upstate) to close out the game. After allowing a leadoff single to Mark Micowski, Branham retired the Mainers in order, giving Newport a 3–1 victory and a 2–1 series win.

Newport reliever Chad Arnold received the win while Sanford's Kyle Davis took the loss. Matt Branham was credited with a save. Newport's top hitters were Mike Kaminski (1–4, HR, RBI) and Derek Jones (1–3, HR, RBI). Sanford's top hitters were Matt Marra (1–5, 2B, RBI) and Kyle Groth (3–4, 2B). Sanford had 11 hits on the night but could only score one run. Newport moved on to face the Vermont Mountaineers, champions of the West Division, in the NECBL Championship Series. The game was attended by 2,570 at Cardines Field.

The series was attended by a total of 5,730 fans, for an average of 1,910 per game.[19]

Championship series

The Championship Series, the final playoff round, consisted of a matchup between #3 Vermont (West Division champion) and #1 Newport (East Division champion).[1][4]

Game 1
Team123456789RHE
Vermont Mountaineers000020100371
Newport Gulls01003120X7140

Newport leads series 1–0.

Game Summary
August 8, 2009- The NECBL Championship Series featured the #1 seeded Newport Gulls, representing the East Division, (defeated New Bedford, Sanford) and the #3 seeded Vermont Mountaineers, representing the West Division (defeated North Adams, Holyoke). Newport was making their seventh Finals appearance in search of the franchise's fourth title. Vermont was making their fourth Finals appearance and competing to win the franchise's third title. Game 1 was played at Cardines Field in Newport, Rhode Island. The pitching matchup featured Newport's Andrew Kittredge (Washington) against Vermont's Rob Kumbatovic (Hofstra).

The game was scoreless into the bottom of the second. With two outs, Newport catcher Mike Melillo (Elon) singled in Troy Scott (Washington), who had doubled earlier in the frame. This gave the Gulls a 1–0 lead.

Both teams threatened in the fourth inning. In the top half, Vermont got two baserunners when Henry Dunn (Binghamton) walked and Clay Jones (Alabama) was hit by a pitch. However, Rob Kumbatovic retired two batters to escape the jam. In the bottom of the fourth, Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) doubled to leadoff the inning. Mike Melillo was later hit by a pitch, giving the Gulls a pair of two-out baserunners. However, Derek Jones (Washington State) grounded out to end the inning and the Newport threat.

Vermont took the lead in the top of the fifth. Nick Martinez (Fordham) singled with one out. Jantzen Witte (TCU) followed Martinez with a two-run home run, giving Vermont a 2–1 advantage.

Newport quickly answered in the bottom of the fifth. A Tim Smalling (Virginia Tech) double and David Bentrott (Washington) single gave the Gulls a pair of baserunners. Smalling then scored on a wild pitch, which also advanced Bentrott to second. Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) singled to score Bentrott and later scored on a Troy Scott RBI single. After another Newport hit, Austin Evans (Alabama) came on in relief of Rob Kumbatovic. Evans got Mike Melillo to strike out, ending the inning. Newport now held a 4–2 lead.

Newport added another run in the sixth. An RBI double by TJ Mittelstaedt (Long Beach State) scored David Bentrott to give the Gulls a 5–2 lead.

Vermont responded in the top of the seventh. Kevin Vance led off the frame with a double, and later scored with two outs on a wild pitch. This cut Newport's edge to 5–3.

Colin Duffie (Milligan) came on in relief for the Mountaineers in the bottom of the seventh. He surrendered back-to-back doubles to by Troy Scott and Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech), which extended Newport's lead to 6–3. Later in the inning, Newport gained a 7–3 lead when Kaminski scored on an error by Vermont shortstop Jantzen Witte.

In the top of the eighth, Newport starter Andrew Kittredge was replaced by Geoff Nichols (Oregon). Kittredge went 7.0 innings, giving up 3 ER on 6 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 12. Brown allowed only one baserunner in two innings of shutout relief, giving Newport a 7–3 victory and 1–0 series lead.

Andrew Kittredge was credited with the win, while Vermont's Rob Kumbatovic took the loss. Newport's top hitters were David Bentrott (2–5, SB, 2 R), Troy Scott (3–5, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI), and Mike Kaminski (3–5, 2B, R, RBI). Vermont's top hitters were Kevin Vance (UConn) (2–4, 2B, RBI) and Jantzen Witte (2–3, HR, RBI). The game was attended by 2,643 at Cardines Field.[20]

Game 2
Team123456789RHE
Newport Gulls010000020332
Vermont Mountaineers000000022492

Series tied 1–1.

Game Summary
August 9, 2009- Entering Game 2 of the NECBL Championship Series, Newport held a 1–0 series lead over Vermont. With a win, Newport would clinch the NECBL title. Game 2 was played at Montpelier Recreation Field in Montpelier, Vermont. The starting pitching matchup featured Vermont's Brad Altback (Bradley) against Newport's Will Roberts (Virginia).

Newport took an early lead in the top of the second inning. After Newport had been retired in order in the first, cleanup hitter Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) led off the inning with a home run to give Newport a 1–0 lead.

Vermont threatened to get on the board in the bottom of the second. Clay Jones (Alabama) and Ethan Paquette (Vermont) were both hit by pitches to begin the inning, giving the Mountaineers a pair of baserunners. An error by Gulls shortstop David Bentrott (Washington) on a Jayson Hernandez (Rutgers) ground ball loaded the bases with one out. Nick Martinez (Fordham) then hit a fly ball to center, upon which Jones tagged and attempted to score. However, Newport center fielder TJ Mittelstaedt (Long Beach State) threw out Jones at the plate to preserve the 1–0 Newport lead.

Vermont rallied again in the bottom of the third. After a pair of groundouts gave Will Roberts two quick outs, Steven Felix (Troy) singled to right field. An error and an infield single then loaded the bases with Mountaineers. However, Ethan Paquette flied out to center to end the frame.

The Mountaineers threatened yet again in the bottom of the fourth. Kevin Vance (UConn) singled to lead off the inning but was thrown out by Newport left fielder Derek Jones (Washington State) when he tried to get to second. A pair of singles, though, gave the Mountaineers a pair of one-out baserunners who advanced to second and third, respectively, on a groundout. However, Henry Dunn (Binghamton) flied out to end the threat.

The game remained quiet into the top of the eighth, when reliever Justin Jackson (Sam Houston State) entered the game for Vermont. Jackson walked Greg Garcia (Hawaii), who was bunted to second by David Bentrott. TJ Mittelstaedt then tripled to score Garcia, giving Newport a 2–0 edge. Later in the inning, Aaron Westlake hit a sacrifice fly to score Mittelstaedt and give Newport a 3–0 lead.

Vermont got on the board in the bottom half of the eighth. After Newport reliever Chad Arnold (Washington State) loaded the bases with one out, the Gulls brought on Geoff Brown (Washington). The first batter he faced, Nick Martinez, reached on a fielder's choice to score Ethan Paquette. Newport then made another pitching change, this time bringing in closer Matt Branham (SC Upstate). Branham relinquished a run on an RBI single by Jantzen Witte (TCU) but then retired Henry Dunn to end the inning.

Newport was retired in order in the top of the ninth, but still held a 3–2 lead and was three outs away from the NECBL title.

Newport closer Matt Branham came back out for the ninth after ending the eighth inning for the Gulls. Steven Felix doubled to lead off the inning and was pinch run for by Kevin Nieto (Manhattan). Branham then retired Steven Rosado (Troy) and Cody Morehouse (Houston) for two outs in the inning. Branham then surrendered a pair of walks to load the bases with two outs for Jayson Hernandez. Hernandez then walked to score Nieto, tying the game at 3–3. Now with the winning run on second, Nick Martinez came to the plate. Martinez then struck out, but the ball skipped to the backstop, allowing Ethan Paquette to score, giving Vermont a 4–3 walk-off win.

Newport immediately disputed the call, claiming that the ball was foul-tipped. However, the umpiring crew began to run off the field. As words were exchanged between the dugouts, both benches emptied onto the field. As each team's general managers ran onto the field to separate the players, Newport's manager, Mike Coombs, was ejected. His ejection resulted in his suspension for Game 3 the following night.[21]

Vermont's Kevin Vance got the win, while Newport's Matt Branham was credited with the loss. Vermont's top hitters were Steven Felix (2–4, 2B) and Kevin Vance (2–4, BB, SB, R). Newport's top hitters were TJ Mittelstaedt (1–3, BB, 3B, R, RBI) and Aaron Westlake (1–4, HR, 2 RBI). The game was attended by 2,247 at Montpelier Recreation Field.[22]

Game 3
Team123456789RHE
Vermont Mountaineers0130200006100
Newport Gulls11321040X12164

Newport wins championship 2–1.

Game Summary
August 10, 2009- After two games, the NECBL Championship Series was tied at 1–1, forcing a decisive Game 3 between the Newport Gulls and Vermont Mountaineers. Game 3 was played at Cardines Field in Newport, Rhode Island. It was the first deciding game three played in an NECBL Championship Series since 2004, when Sanford defeated Newport. The pitching matchup was between Newport's Brad Mincey (East Carolina) and Vermont's Alex Kaminsky (Wright State).

Newport scored first in the bottom of the first inning. David Bentrott (Washington) was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and later stole second with two outs. Five-hitter Troy Scott (Washington) then singled Bentrott in to give the Gulls a 1–0 lead.

Vermont quickly answered in the top of the second. Steven Rosado (Troy) walked to lead off the inning. Then, on a ball hit to Newport third baseman Joey Bergman, the Gulls attempted to turn a double play. Bergman's throw did not get Rosado at second, but did retire the hitter Ethan Paquette (Vermont) at first. Rosado was then singled in by Jayson Hernandez (Rutgers), to tie the game at 1–1.

Newport quickly retook the lead in the top of the seventh. Catcher Mike Melillo (Elon) hit a solo home run to lead off the inning, giving Newport a 2–1 edge. A pair of singles gave Newport runners on first and third with one out, but Alex Kaminsky got TJ Mittelstaedt (Long Beach State) to fly out to right fielder Steven Felix (Troy), who threw out Greg Garcia (Hawaii) at the plate to end the inning.

Vermont took the lead in the top of the third. Henry Dunn (Binghamton) led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to third base on an error by pitcher Brad Mincey. After Clay Jones (Alabama) was hit by a pitch, Steven Rosado singled in Dunn. An error by shortstop David Bentrott allowed Jones to score and Rosado was driven in on a Jayson Hernandez single. This gave the Mountaineers a 4–2 lead.

Newport answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Joey Bergman (College of Charleston) and Aaron Westlake (Vanderbilt) each singled to start the inning, bringing up Troy Scott. Scott then hit a three-run home run to give Newport a 5–4 advantage. Vermont starter Alex Kaminsky struck out Mike Kaminski (Virginia Tech) but then hit Mike Melillo and walked Derek Jones (Washington State). He was pulled from the game and replaced by Andrew Benak (Rice), who got the Mountaineers out of the inning. After the third, Tim Smalling (Virginia Tech) replaced Joey Bergman at third base for Newport. Bergman had suffered a hand injury the previous inning.

Newport extended their lead in the bottom half of the fourth. TJ Mittelstaedt singled to lead off the inning and was driven in on a Tim Smalling RBI triple. Smalling later scored on a Mike Kaminski single to give the Gulls a 7–4 lead.

Vermont answered in the fifth. Clay Jones hit a solo home run to lead off the inning, cutting Newport's lead to 7–5. The following batter, Steven Rosado, singled and eventually stole second. Nick Martinez (Fordham) singled Rosado in with a two out RBI single, making the score 7–6 Gulls.

Tim Smalling got another RBI in the home half of the sixth. The Newport third baseman singled in Greg Garcia, who had walked earlier in the frame, to extend Newport's edge to 8–6.

The game remained quiet until the Newport seventh, when the Gulls scored four times. After Newport loaded the bases with one out, Troy Scott walked to score David Bentrott. This drove Vermont reliever Andrew Benak from the game in favor of Colin Duffie (Milligan). However, Duffie surrendered a walk to Mike Kaminski, giving Newport another run. Mike Melillo followed with a single to drive in Aaron Westlake. Newport got another run on an RBI groundout by Derek Jones, driving the Gulls' lead to 12–6.

Newport reliever Geoff Brown pitched four innings of shutout relief, allowing only one hit in four innings after replacing Brad Mincey in the sixth. In the ninth, Brown retired Cody Morehouse (Houston) and Steven Rosado for the first two outs. He then struck out Ethan Paquette to give the Gulls the NECBL Championship.

Newport starter Brad Mincey got the win, evening his playoff record at 1–1. Alex Kaminsky suffered the loss, while Newport's Geoff Brown was credited with a save. Newport's top hitters were Tim Smalling (3–4, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI), Troy Scott (2–3, 2 BB, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI), and Mike Melillo (3–4, HR, 2 RBI). Vermont's top hitters in the loss were Clay Jones (1–3, HR, 2 R, RBI), Steven Rosado (2–4, BB, SB, 3 R, RBI), and Jayson Hernandez (2–3, 2 RBI). The game was attended by 3,575 at Cardines Field.

Newport's NECBL title was the franchise's fourth, making them the winningest team in NECBL history. It was the team's first title since 2005. 2009 marked the third straight year the Gulls had participated in the Championship Series. The series was attended by 8,465 fans, for an average of 2,822 per game.[23]

Attendance
Rank Team Openings Total Game Avg
1 Newport Gulls 5 12,749 2,550
2 Vermont Mountaineers 3 6,968 2,323
3 Holyoke Blue Sox 2 4,231 2,116
4 Keene Swamp Bats 2 2,679 1,340
5 New Bedford Bay Sox 1 1,111 1,111
6 North Adams SteepleCats 1 872 872
7 North Shore Navigators 1 725 725
8 Sanford Mainers 3 1,622 541
Total NECBL 18 30,957 1,720

[24]

References
  1. Playoff Info at necbl.com, URL accessed August 2, 2009. Archived 2009-08-06.
  2. "Westerners Drop One Game Playoff, Ends Cinderella Season" by Anthony Buzzeo at necbl.com, URL accessed August 3, 2009. Archived 2009-08-06.
  3. NECBL standings at necbl.com; URL accessed August 1, 2009. Archived 2009-08-02.
  4. 2009 Playoff Schedule at necbl.com, URL accessed August 3, 2009. Archived 2009-08-06.
  5. KEE v. HOL Boxscore 8/2/09 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 3, 2009. Archived 2009-08-06.
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  18. SAN v. NPT Boxscore 8/6/09 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 7, 2009
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  20. NPT v. VER Boxscore 8/8/09 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 9, 2009. Archived 2009-08-11.
  21. Mountaineers' Wild Walkoff Forces Game Three at necbl.com, URL accessed November 19, 2009. Archived 11/19/09
  22. VER v. NPT Boxscore 8/9/09 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 9, 2009. Archived 2009-08-14.
  23. NPT v. VER Boxscore 8/10/09 at necbl.com, URL accessed August 10, 2009. Archived 2009-08-14.
  24. 2009 Playoff Statistics at necbl.com, URL accessed August 13, 2009. Archived 2009-08-16.
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