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2-1 extra-innings loss to Harwich underscores need for cleaner execution, attention to detail

by Alexandra Russell
Sunday, July 30, 2017

2-1 extra-innings loss to Harwich underscores need for cleaner execution, attention to detail

Harwich, Mass. — It slipped away. Again. Like a distant echo, the waves receded from the shore.

When Harwich designated hitter Nick Dalesandro (Purdue) launched a two-out rocket towards center field in the eleventh inning, it was like a gust of wind knocked the Anglers flat.

The extra frames loss imitated Saturday’s 4-3 tenth-inning heartbreaker against the Mariners.

“We’re not paying attention to the details,” manager John Schiffner said. “We didn’t move runners over like we should have, we didn’t execute, we missed signs.”

A tie of one sent the teams into extra frames under the rosy lights at Whitehouse Field. The Anglers recovered from a deficit in the eighth, when a bases-loaded walk of shortstop Jeremy Peña (Maine) plated left fielder Jake Palomaki (Boston College). The dugout broke out in applause as Palomaki completed the journey home for Chatham’s lone run of the evening.

But a controversy almost lifted the game out of the Anglers’ hands in the bottom of the eighth. First baseman Nick Patten (Delaware) leapt up in the air to clutch the ball, tagging Jonathan India (Florida) in mid-split. A frenzy of confusion followed, in which Schiffner successfully appealed the call to much distaste from Harwich manager Steve Englert. Englert ran from the dugout, snarling at a trio of umpires to protest the call before being ejected from the game.

On the mound, five Anglers carried Chatham through the battle.

Starter Austin Bergner (North Carolina) kept the waters calm, allowing one earned run with a trio of strikeouts over five innings.

Reliever Dan Metzdorf (Boston College) shut the Mariners down over two scoreless frames.

“The first inning I kind of felt shaky with my slider,” Metzdorf said. “In the second inning I got into a rhythm, used my legs a little bit more, so I felt better ... and then I kind of used some timings I’ve been working on in the second inning, which really messed with hitters, so it was good.”

Metzdorf struck out three Mariners during his outing.

“I’m glad I went out for that second inning, otherwise I kind of would have been mad coming out of the game,” Metzdorf said.

Nick Rand (Massachusetts Lowell) and Jack DeGroat (Liberty) also kept blank slates, before RJ Freure (Pittsburgh) took the field in the final frame.

“Pitchers can do a better job not walking guys later in games — ultimately, it’s hard to hit in this league, so walks can cost us,” Metzdorf said. “If we clean up that, and the defense keeps playing it the way they know they can, then we should be good.”

“They’ve got to concentrate more — they’ve got to make sure they get those little things done if we want to make a run in the playoffs,” Schiffner said. “We can’t afford to do that and lose the game like we did.”

The Anglers return to Veterans Field to host the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (25-13-1) Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

 

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