FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Chuck Paiva

January 11, 2019 President & General Manager

401-845-6832// gm@newportgulls.com

 

 

Picture Credit: Newport Daily News

 

 

 

 

NEWPORT, RI- The fifth and final player of seven Hall of Fame Inductees to receive a spotlight is right-handed pitcher Paul Nardozzi. Paul and four former Gulls players are joined by two long-time Gulls volunteers to make up the Fifth Hall of Fame Class to be inducted on February 2, 2019, at Gurney’s Newport Resort.

 

Paul Nardozzi was a Gull in 2005 and 2006, from Victor, New York, pitching collegiately for the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh. He first joined the Gulls after his sophomore season in the navy and gold, finding himself towards the top of most major statistical categories in the Panther record books when all was said and done. Nardozzi’s 90 strikeouts in 07’ were fourth highest in the Big- East and coincidentally rank fourth among most strikeouts in a single season all- time for Pittsburgh. Additionally, Nardozzi still holds the record for most games started in school history (52) and currently sits second for most strikeouts with 268.  

 

Nardozzi can also be found in the Gulls’ record books as he still has a clutch on the top spot for most strikeouts in a single- season with 66. This record- setting season came en route to the Gulls capturing their third Fay Vincent Cup in 2005. Nardozzi tacked on two more victories during the Gulls championship run after recording four in the 2005 regular season for a record of 6-3 on the year. Nardozzi was extremely strong during his return to Newport, posting a 2.05 era over 48.1 innings, leading to a 5-1 record. He ended his career with a total of 11 wins, 121 strikeouts in 121.2 innings pitched, and a staggeringly low 2.00 earned run average. 

 

The reoccurring theme of Nardozzi and record books continues as you can find his name under Newport’s all-time great games category for his part in a combined no-hitter. On July 21, 2006, Brandon McKerney (U of Washington), Mike Lynn (College of Charleston), and Nardozzi kept the North Adams SteepleCats hitless at Cardines Field. The Gulls have two no-hitters throughout their history, both coming in consecutive seasons and rosters Nardozzi was a part of- 2005 & 2006.  

 

Long-time Gulls Manager Mike Coombs referred to Nardozzi as “The Bulldog” because “He was such a tough pitcher that you would give the ball to and he would really get after it”. However, when asked, Coombs went on to say “But there was also this one time when we went up to Lowell to play the All- Americans and as I am sitting in the dugout preparing a lineup, the All- American’s Bulldog mascot plopped down next to me and put his legs over my lap. Before I could shoo it away his mask came off and it was my Starting Pitcher… Paul Nardozzi”.

 

Please join the Newport Gulls as they honor Nardozzi and his fellow inductees during the Fifth Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on February 2 at Gurney’s Newport Resort from 6 PM- 10 PM. Tickets are available via newportgulls.itemorder.com or by contacting the Newport Gulls Front Office at 401-845-6832 or operations@newportgulls.com. 

 

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The Newport Gulls, members of the 13-team New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded as the Rhode Island Gulls in 1998 in Cranston, R.I., before moving to Newport in 2001. In addition to recruiting, fielding, and developing a team of the nation’s top collegiate baseball athletes and attracting 50,000 fans annually to Cardines Field, the predominantly volunteer organization strives to benefit the community of Newport County via summer camps, reading programs, fundraisers, scholarships, and charitable donations – totaling over $1 million since 2001. The Gulls are six-time champions of the NECBL – the winningest franchise in league history – and were ranked as the overall No. 1 summer collegiate baseball team in the country by Perfect Game USA in 2012.

 

For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.