Boulders Wrap Up Sweep And Home Field For Wild Card Game
September 4, 2022 – Frontier League (FL) – New York Boulders News Release
David Vinsky crosses home plate for the New York Boulders
(New York Boulders, Credit: Drew Wohl)
The New York Boulders closed out the regular season by winning their 12th successive game, clinching second place in the Frontier League’s Eastern Division and earning the right to play host to the Ottawa Titans in Tuesday’s wild card game with an 8-5 victory over the host Trois-Rivieres Aigles on Sunday at Stade Quillorama in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.
Since July 13, when they were 27-27, the Boulders won 30 of their final 41 games to finish the season at 57-38.
The Boulders fell behind 2-0 after two innings but used a five-run third inning to seize control of the game, then fended off the Aigles to post the win and clinch second place and home field for Tuesday’s Eastern Division Wild Card game with the Ottawa Titans.
Trois-Rivieres moved in front on two-out hits from Ethan Hunt, a double, and a single by Canice Ejoh.
The Boulders, however, bounced back in their next time up at the plate. Chris Kwitzer’s single plated two runs to tie the game at 2-2. One of those runs came from David Vinsky and was the outfielder’s 98th run scored of the season, breaking the Frontier League mark of 97 set back in 1998 by Richmond’s Morgan Burkhart.
A Gabriel Garcia sacrifice fly gave New York the lead at 3-2 before a run-scoring double from Francisco Del Valle and an RBI single by Jake MacKenzie extended their lead to 5-2.
Trois-Rivieres got one run back in the fourth on a Hunt groundout, but the Boulders got that one back – plus one more – when Vinsky knocked in a pair with a sixth inning double to put New York up 7-3.
The Aigles closed their deficit to 7-4 in the seventh on a Nicco Toni single.
However, the Boulders matched that run thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Austin Dennis, the run giving New York their four-run advantage back at 8-4.
Trois-Rivieres threatened in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, consecutive singles by Ejoh and Toni was followed with an RBI double from Sam Poliquin that scored one run and cut the Boulders’ lead to 8-5.
However, Zach Schneider, who came on to relieve New York starter Robby Rowland in the seventh inning, struck out Ricardo Sanchez for the second out.
Boulders’ manager T.J. Stanton then called on Matt Leon, who got Connor Panas to bounce out to second base to close out the victory.
Rowland got the win for New York, going six innings and allowing four runs on eight hits. He struck out two and walked one as he raised his season mark to 8-5.
Mason McAlister started and was tagged with the loss for the Aigles. The righthander lasted only 2 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs on six hits while walking two. He did not strike out a batter as he finished the year at 0-1.
Information regarding season tickets and packages for the Boulders’ 2023 season are available by calling 845-364-0009 or sliding to www.NYBoulders.com.
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