FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             Contact: Tom Lima

June 4, 2025                                                          Director of Media and Broadcast Operations

                                                                                   By Ethan Poole

                                                                                    (401) 824-6314 - broadcast@newportgulls.com

Newport RI-The Newport Gulls survived multiple rallies from the Vermont Mountaineers to claim their first win of the season, a 9-7 triumph at Cardines Field. The two-time defending  NECBL champion Gulls improved to 1-1 while the Mountaineers fell to that same
record.
Kade Shatwell (Austin Peay) began his third season with the Gulls on Wednesday and pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four and only giving up three hits. While he  didn’t pitch deep enough to earn a win, Shatwell gave Newport valuable innings and set
the tone for the night.
After Shatwell stranded men on first and third to open the game, the Newport bats wasted no time in the bottom of the first. Randy Seymour (Michigan State) reached base on a walk and made his way into scoring position on Petey Craska’s (North Alabama) first hit of the season. Then, on a 2-0 count, Ty Stecko (Eastern Michigan) drove in the Gulls first run of the young campaign with a double, Craska then scored on
a base hit from Andreaus Lewis (Manhattan). The two early runs were enough to chase Vermont starter Cooper Montelbano, who only lasted 1.2 innings.
After leaving two men on in the second, Newport took command of the game in the third. Craska and Stecko smashed back to back homers to double the Gulls lead to a 4-0 advantage. The beat didn’t stop there, Max Debiec (Michigan) singled and immediately stole second, eventually coming home on an error from Mountaineer shortstop Matthew Minckler.
Vermont responded in the top of the fourth with Shatwell out of the game, John Hegarty (Cornell) took the mound and walked the bases loaded. Hegarty settled in, inducing two quick outs, but couldn’t escape unscathed. He walked Bennett Shealor on four pitches to bring home Vermont’s first run and then gave up a single to Charlie Rogan. The Gulls defense ended things there though, and took advantage of a baserunning mishap to record the inning’s third out and head to the bottom of the inning with an intact 5-2 lead.
After a scoreless fourth from Newport, Jaylen Hernandez Annihilated a ball for Vermont’s first homer of the season, adding another run and cutting the Mountaineer deficit to 5-3.
In the top of the sixth, Vermont completed their five run rally, John Downing (Seton Hall) entered the game for the Gulls and started off by striking out Ashtin Gilio. He soon ran into trouble though, Minckler made up for his earlier error first by singling, and then by stealing second. He raced home on a single from Shealor to bring the Mountaineers within a run. After a Charlie Rogan double moved Shealor to third, Hernandez continued his sparkling day at the plate by singling home Shealor and tying the game at five runs
apiece.
The Vermont lead was short lived though, Shane Williams (Salve Regina) reached base on a walk and made it all the way to third on two wild pitches, Seymour brought his teammate home and put Newport back in front. Downing settled down in the top of the seventh, the Seton Hall Pirate induced a 1-2-3 inning, setting up another strong inning for the Gulls’ bats.
Stecko led off with a walk and Lewis doubled, with two ducks on the pond, Debiec came up big, bringing both runners home and giving Newport two much needed insurance runs. Debiec eventually came home on a bobbled ground ball.
While Minckler and the Mountaineers fought to the end, scoring two more runs, Newport locked it down an secured the win. Jake Gregor (Louisville) came into the game with no outs and the tying run at the plate, and Vermont never had another baserunner. He
earned the save with two strikeouts and two perfect innings.
Next up for Newport are the Mystic Schooners from Mystic, CT’s Fitch Senior High School. First pitch is set for 6:30, the game can be seen on NECBL+