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4/21/14 - Daily Recap: Wily Peralta gave the Brewers another quality start, the hard-worked bullpen held another late lead and the Brewers won 4-3

Game recap highlight (voiced) which I produced and edited for MLB.com. Also responsible for voice-over script.

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Board Operator sample from News 96.5 FM WDBO Orlando

Entering a quarter-hour commercial break for the syndicated "Clark Howard Show", fading out live satellite feed, launching "Big 3" news stager, recording live satellite commercials off-air via 25/7 digital audio recorder, reporting "the three big news stories you need to know" this hour, firing the "Big 3" closer, and rejoining satellite feed via recorded network commercials. Later in the same break, transitioning from recorded satellite network spots to local commercial spot, and then back to the live, caught-up satellite feed of the "Clark Howard Show."

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Magic guard Jameer Nelson was invited to a recent Atlanta Braves spring training game to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Nelson opted to let his son throw the pitch in his place, and spoke with me after the special event about what it meant to him. This is the scripted web video component to the audio interview.

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Orlando Magic Radio Network Broadcast Coordinator Casey Williams explorers the myth of the "Rookie Wall" and its impact on first-year Orlando Magic players in this feature that aired on 96.5 WDBO and ESPN 580 Orlando on January 7th, 2013, during halftime of the Magic vs. Portland Trail Blazers game.

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Orlando Magic Radio Network Broadcast Coordinator Casey Williams examines Jacque Vaughn's first month of action as an NBA head coach in this feature that aired on 96.5 WDBO on November 30th, 2013, during halftime of the Magic vs. Brooklyn Nets game.

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Muskrats shortstop John Polonius speaks with team broadcaster Casey Williams about his decision to sign as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco Giants. Video: Austin Wilder. Editing: Casey Williams

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Bennett Launches Muskrats Past Sanford

With two out in the eighth and the game deadlocked at 5-5, Ethan Bennett (Tennessee) launched the clinching home run out to straight-away center field, his fourth homer in the last four games.

Nic Manuppelli (Youngstown State) hurried to get ready for the ninth, with the Muskrats suddenly leading 6-5 and in need of a save. Nevin Wilson (Vanderbilt), in his third inning of stellar relief, bought him the necessary time, getting the first out of the ninth on a come-backer.

He then made way for Manuppelli, who locked up his fifth save of the season in five chances, and the Muskrats got a comeback win in the blink of an eye. Wilson kept the Mainers off the scoreboard from the fifth inning on, and earned the victory for his 3.2 innings of two-hit, one walk ball. 

Laconia got on the board first, scoring three in the fourth, including a two-run double by Bennett. Previously untouchable Kyle Mullen (St. Joseph’s) then gave up four straight singles to start the fifth, bringing in the Mainers’ first run and loading the bases. Troy Black (UMaine Orono) did not miss his chance, clearing the bases with a grand slam and giving Sanford a 5-3 lead.

Mullen was left with a no-decision, but did pick up five strikeouts to pass teammate Matt Aldrich for the most punchouts in the NECBL this summer, with 22. Aldrich will look to take the lead back on Tuesday.

The game was a rematch of the June 9th meeting between the two teams, with Mullen again facing off against Jason Inghram (William & Mary). Mullen won the first round 1-0, but Inghram looked poised to take this one, until the Muskrats struck back.

Dylan Kelly (Middle Georgia) hit a homer in the 7th, his first this summer and fifth in a Muskrats uniform, moving him into a tie for most Muskrat homers all-time. Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) added an RBI double, which brought the Muskrats back even. Bennett did the rest.

It was Laconia’s third comeback win of the season, bringing them to 4-0 versus Sanford this summer. The Muskrats snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Muskrats are off Monday and host Newport on Tuesday at 6:30 PM.

Boxscore

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Gulls Play Lights Out at Robbie Mills Field

The Newport Gulls scored eight runs on four two-run hits in the fourth inning and got a controversial, 9-7 abbreviated win at Robbie Mills Field Saturday night.

In one of the more bizarre games the Muskrats have ever played in Laconia, a mechanical failure with the light tower closest to home plate caused the action to be called as the sixth inning was set to start.

Poor weather delayed the start of the game by nearly 50 minutes, but eventually gave way to a beautiful night for baseball. Normally, its rain that forces a game to be finalized after a minimum of five complete innings, not darkness.

Newport scored a run in the opening frame on two passed balls, one on a strikeout, and a double. Laconia answered with a three-run, four-hit first, punctuated by a Tim Swatek (Fordham) double that brought home Marcus Davis (Walters St) and Tyler Jackson (Charleston).

Laconia added two unearned runs in the third, an inning in which Newport pitching struck out a rare four batters in three outs. Davis led off with his second double of the game, and advanced two bases on one play to score. Pinch-hitter Donny Duschinsky (Southern Illinois) struck out swinging on a wild pitch, which moved Davis to third, and the throw down to first by catcher Matt Pare (Boston College) went into right field, bringing Davis home.

That was it for Gulls’ starter Jon Prosinski (Seton Hall), who recorded his fourth strikeout of the game but did not get an out in the inning. Ryan Pennell (Elon) came in and got three strikeouts, totaling four in the frame. But Duschinsky also managed to score on a wild pitch, after stealing third and moving to second on another wild pitch. Laconia led 5-1.

Muskrats’ starter John Healy (Saint Anselm) had been sharp through three innings, but got touched up in the fourth. A walk, a single, and a sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position, as Pare drove both in with a single. John Norwood (Vanderbilt) then plated two more on a deep drive over the Muskrat Monster. The game was tied.

Healy would surrender one more single before exiting the game. In his first game for Laconia after being picked up from the Cape Cod Baseball League, he took the loss for his 3.1 innings, six runs, seven hits, walk and five strikeouts. Healy appeared in one game for the Muskrats in 2010, in which he sustained an arm injury.

Swatek, who started as the designated hitter, moved to the mound after Healy left. He got an out, but then allowed a walk, a two-run double to Steve Anderson (Georgetown), and a two-run homer to Joel McKeithan (Vanderbilt), saddling Healy with the loss.

The home team began to come back in the fifth, as Connor Castellano’s (Vanderbilt) two-run double made it 9-7. But Laconia will never know how the game would have really ended.

After Frank Holbrook (Wheaton) got pinch-hitter Regan Flaherty (Seminole CC) swinging to end the fifth, the light set above the visitor’s dugout went dark.  Between-inning warm-ups were suspended while the light situation was addressed. After a 15-minute delay and numerous attempts to fire up the malfunctioning light tower, home plate umpire Brian Troup declared the game over. The next attempt to fix the lights was successful, the umpires were asked to return, and the Muskrats attempted to contact the NECBL League Office for an official ruling. But because the game was ruled over by Troup, Newport was given a 9-7 win in five complete innings.

The disappointed Muskrats drop to 5-7, and will have to fight to stay in third place Sunday against the Sanford Mainers. Expect the lights to be fully functional for game time: 6:30 PM at Robbie Mills Field.

Boxscore

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Matos, Schooners Knock Muskrats Out

Jeramy Matos (Central Florida) hit his third and fourth home runs at Robbie Mills Field this summer, and the five spot in the Schooners’ order produced seven runs, as Mystic unleashed on the Muskrats Thursday, 14-8

Mystic got just its second win of the season, improving to 2-10, with both victories earned against Laconia.

Ethan Bennett (Tennessee) did the heavy lifting for Laconia, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs, on a 3-for-4 night. The only time he got out, he was hit by the previous pitch, but was called for his second batter’s interference of the season. 

Bennett was one of four Muskrats players to help paint the Muskrat Monster on the off day Wednesday. General Manager Noah Crane will now add painting to the team’s regular pre-game agenda.

Laconia jumped out to a lead in the first, with three hits to start the game. After a pick off out, Tyler Jackson (Charleston) yanked a ball on the right side, scoring Marcus Davis (Walters St) on a fielder’s choice.  Bennett cleaned up the rest with a long drive over the freshly painted Muskrat Monster, putting Laconia up 3-0 after one.

Matos and Mystic answered right away in the second, as he hit his fourth long ball of the season, and third at Laconia this week. Spencer Haynes (Central Florida) added an opposite-field shot one out later, as Mystic cut the score to 3-2. 

In the third, a walk and a double had Matos poised to strike again, so Laconia opted to intentionally walk him, loading the bases and creating universal force outs. Bob Cook (Amherst) made the Muskrats pay, clearing the bases with a double. It was the start of a huge night for the fifth Mystic batter, but Cook would not see the rest of it as he came up with a leg injury at second.

Andrew Santomauro (Lafayette) pinch ran for Cook with Mystic leading 5-3, and stayed on defensively. An inning later, Santomauro found himself in the same bases-loaded situation, and outdid Cook. Santomauro launched a grand slam, after a Matos walk gave him his second RBI, and Mystic jumped out to an 11-4 lead.

Laconia got one run back in the fifth on a Bennett RBI single, his fourth of the night. The team added more pressure in the seventh on the first homers by Jackson and Vince Conde (Vanderbilt), bringing the score to 11-8.

But Mystic turned the scoring back on. A walk and a productive out allowed Anthony Turgeon (CCSU) to score on an Eric Yavarone (UConn) single. Then Matos struck again, scorching a ball deep into the night sky. Matos finished with a line similar to Bennett’s, going 3-for-3 with four RBI on two homers and a single. He added two walks.

A total of eight home runs left Robbie Mills Field on this warm June night, one more than the previous high accumulated in last year’s 26-4 Holyoke win. The Muskrats are now 0-2 in games decided by more than two runs, and both have been offensive showcases.

Laconia will take its only trip to North Adams, Massachusetts on Friday, visiting the strong-start SteepleCats at 6:30 PM on the NECBL Broadcast Network. The third-place Muskrats will then return for a four-game homestand, starting with the first-place Gulls Saturday.

Boxscore

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Muskrats Hold Off Schooners 5-4

Jeremy Matos (Central Florida) led off the top of the ninth with his second booming home run of the night, and Mystic loaded the bases in their last chance to come back. But Laconia would not have a repeat of Friday’s Schooner rally, as Nic Manuppelli (Youngstown St) got an infield fly and two strikeouts to end the game.

The Muskrats refused to become Mystic’s league-low second win of the season, after giving them their only win on Friday. But they had to hold on for a 5-4 win as Mystic scored in each of the final two innings.

Matos and Mystic scored first and last with long bombs, but in between, Laconia crossed the plate five times in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. The Muskrats capitalized on faulty pitching in their scoring chances.

In the fourth, Schooners starter Ricky Mangione (Seton Hall) allowed a hit and a walk before Ethan Bennett (Tennessee) singled in the Muskrats’ first run. Bennett reached third, as Mangione walked the bases loaded, and a wild pitch allowed him to score a second run.

In the fifth, NECBL Player of the Week Danny Collins (Troy) hit his league-leading fourth home run of the season, conquering the Muskrat Monster yet again, and crossing Eastman Road. Collins has hit all his homers this season at Robbie Mills Field.

The sixth inning started with trouble for Mystic reliever Eric Stone (Boston College), hitting Bennett with a pitch and walking Vince Conde (Vanderbilt). After a pitching chance, Dylan Kelly (Middle Georgia) bunted the runners scoring position, allowing both to score on Nick Camastro’s (Manhattan) broken-bat double. The runs proved to be game-winners for Laconia.

Elliott Warford (Furman) was solid in his first start for Laconia, getting the win for six innings of two-run, three-hit ball. He walked only one, hit a batter, and struck out six. It was a day of redemption for Warford and Nevin Wilson (Vanderbilt), as both bounced back from rough outings against Newport. In his first appearance since last Monday’s loss, Wilson soundly struck out all three batters he faced.

But the performance of the night belonged to Manuppelli. He is now 4-for-4 in converted save chances, as the Muskrats can’t seem to avoid close ballgames. Six of Laconia’s nine contests have been decided by one run, with the Muskrats splitting their results three apiece.

Laconia won despite committing a season-high four errors. One of Mystic’s four runs was unearned. Mystic remains at the bottom of the Eastern Division, at 1-9. Laconia moves into a tie with New Bedford for second place, a game and a half back of Newport.

The Muskrats are off on Wednesday, and will pick right back up with Mystic on Thursday at 6:30 PM in Laconia. Mystic heads home to host New Bedford Wednesday before returning to town Thursday.

Boxscore

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Muskrats Run Into Loss at Newport

Laconia returned to Cardines Field Monday night, attempting to erase last Monday’s 16-3 defeat from their minds. The Muskrats competed with Newport pitch by pitch for the second consecutive game, but in the end, squandered a chance at victory and fell 3-2.

Peter Kelich (Bryant) was tough in relief for the Gulls. But with one out in the top of the ninth and Newport leading 3-2, a single and a hit batter had the Muskrats’ comeback hopes swelling. After a swinging second out, pinch runner Joe Torres (Iona) broke for third on what looked to be a passed ball. But Gulls backstop Alex DeLeon (Kansas) recovered and threw to third, catching Torres in a rundown. Ethan Bennett (Vanderbilt) also took off from first, and both Muskrats runners ended up at second. Bennett was tagged out to end the game.

It was a bizarre and frustrating end to another well-played game between two Eastern powers. Matthew Aldrich (Darton) was masterful in defeat Laconia. He set a new season-high in the NECBL for strikeouts in an outing, fanning 12 Gulls in 6.2 innings pitched. His lone missteps came on early-game home runs.

As they did last week, Newport opened the scoring in the first inning, with an opposite-field, solo shot down the right field line by DeLeon. But it would not be a repeat of last Monday, as Aldrich yielded nothing more in the first.

Newport came back for more in the fourth. Rob Ort (Indiana St) launched a two-run home run over the high right center field fence, following a leadoff double by Conor Keniry (Wake Forrest).

The Muskrats grabbed two runs in the top of the seventh with some timely offensive moves. Back-to-back singles by Danny Collins (Troy) and Tyler Jackson (Charleston), only the second and third hits of the game for Laconia, gave them their first runner in scoring position.

Bennett then came through with an RBI double, his team-leading fifth of the season. Manager Matt Alison followed with great timing, inserting Donny Duschinsky (Southern Illinois) as a pinch-hitter. On the first pitch, Duschinsky knocked a ball deep into the right field corner, bringing a run in on the sacrifice fly.

Gulls starter Daniel Wright (Arkansas St) recovered to escape the inning. He mostly matched Aldrich’s effort, striking out 11 Muskrats in seven innings, walking only one and scattering four hits to get the win. Kelich added five K’s in two innings, as the Muskrats struck out an astounding 16 times.

The Gulls’ offense struck out 13 times themselves, as Ort and Blake Butera (Boston College) were the only players in the game that did not strike out. Ort was 2-for-2, and his homer proved to be the game-winner. Jackson was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run to lead Laconia.

The Muskrats drop to 1-2 against Newport, and 0-2 at Cardines Field. With an even record of 4-4, they sit in the middle of the Eastern standings. Laconia returns home Tuesday for a Tuesday-Thursday, two-game series with the last place Mystic Schooners, whose only win came against the Muskrats. Game time for both nights is 6:30 PM.

Boxscore

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Muskrats Stay Hot at Home vs Gulls

The Laconia Muskrats put Monday’s 16-3 loss to the Newport Gulls behind them and went toe to toe with the East’s top team Saturday night, grinding out a 5-4 win in the late innings.

It was the fist time Newport was defeated in 2012, as their last two losses have both come at Robbie Mills Field. That streak dates back to the 2011 Eastern Division playoff matchup with the Muskrats, when they were eliminated in the first round for the first time in their history.

John Polonius (West Virginia) tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh with his League-leading tenth RBI. He hit his third home run of the season earlier in the game, moving him into a tie in the Muskrats record book for most career homers, with five.

In the decisive eighth inning, Tyler Jackson (Charleston) led off with a walk, Dylan Kelly (Middle Georgia) recorded his first hit of the summer, and new Muskrat Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) contributed a walk to load the bases. That ended the night for Gulls reliever Adam Ravenelle (Vanderbilt), as they brought on their closer Ryan Halstead (Indiana U). He got the first out on a strikeout, but pinch hitter Regan Flaherty (Seminole St) followed with a great at-bat, walking in the winning run.

Muskrats starter Kyle Mullen (St. Joseph’s) threw a season-high seven innings, striking out eight and scattering nine hits, without walking a batter. He left the game trailing 4-3, though only two of his runs were earned, as Laconia committed three errors.

Tim Swatek (Fordham) snuck in to get the win in his scoreless eighth inning, allowing a hit, striking out a batter, and making a tremendous defensive play on a ball off Jackson’s glove. Nic Manuppelli (Youngstown St) converted his third-straight save attempt in the ninth, nailing down an impressive Muskrats win.

Danny Collins (Troy) hit his third home run of the summer, and third at Robbie Mills Field, in the first inning. He finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with a strikeout.

The Muskrats will rest on Sunday before turning right around and traveling to Newport to see the Gulls again Monday. Five of the next twelve Muskrats games will be against Newport, as the state of the Eastern Division will largely be shaped in June. Game time is 6:35 PM on the NECBL Broadcast Network.

Boxscore

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Mystic Sails Off with First Win

The first win of the summer could not have been more exhilarating for the Mystic Schooners, coming back from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth, walking off with a win on a Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) two-RBI single.

Consider it a housewarming gift from the Muskrats, welcoming their new regular foe to the Eastern Divison.  Mystic led throughout eight innings, and seemed to have their first victory within reach, until the Muskrats mounted their attack in the eighth and ninth innings.

If the Muskrats wanted a win Friday night, they would have to face their demons from the previous game. After going 1-for-8 with the bases loaded in Sanford, Laconia found themselves in that situation against Mystic, this time trailing 3-2 and down to their last three outs.

Tyler Jackson (Charleston) broke through with an RBI single to tie the game, and then, following Regan Flaherty’s (Seminole CC) go-ahead sacrifice fly, ran Laconia into an insurance run. Jackson took off for second, drawing the throw down, and then retreated to first to start a rundown. Things came to a standstill for a few seconds, as Jackson craftily stayed alive long enough for Ethan Bennett (Tennessee) to break for home and beat the throw.  Laconia suddenly had a 5-3 lead moving to the bottom of the ninth.

But Mystic would not go another game without their first win, promptly starting the inning off with a single to center, and eventually loading the bases themselves with one out. In for the save, Tom Kriss (Iona) got a left side grounder that would have ended the game, but was too far in the hole to turn a double play. The Muskrats got the out at second, with a run scoring to make it 5-4, and Anthony Turgeron (CCSU) safe at first by a step. He would come back to haunt Laconia.

Turgeon advanced to second on a decisive wild pitch by Kriss. That made it possible for him to score the game-winning run on Lindemuth’s single. Laconia had plenty of chances to put the game away, but the winless Schooners would not roll over for a sixth-straight game.

In the eighth, Laconia nearly pulled even with the Schooners, settling for their second run. Flaherty and Corey Stringer (Fort Scott CC) led off with walks, ending the relief outing of Eric Stone (Boston College). New Muskrat Connor Castellano (Vanderbilt) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Nick Camastro (Manhattan) atoned for an earlier error with an RBI groundout. But a nice catch from Schooners first baseman Scott Kelleher (Lafayette) on a John Polonius (West Virginia) blooper ended the inning with Stringer stuck on third.

Laconia got on the board in the fifth. Jackson recorded his first hit of the summer on a one-out double. A single by Flaherty moved Jackson to third, and Stringer brought him home with his first RBI.

Danny Collins (Troy) spoiled another scoring chance in the seventh, after his leadoff double. Bennett’s sacrifice bunt moved Collins to third, but he was picked off by Jake Romanski (San Diego St) from behind the plate.

In the second frame, Mystic got off to its best start of the young season. Two singles around a one-out walk loaded the bases for the Schooners.  Romanski rolled into a potential double play ball, but Camastro made a rare error, and a run scored. Mystic added another on a sacrifice fly, driven to deep left-center, with Marcus Davis (Walters St) making a tremendous diving catch. Laconia had given away an unearned run, in a game where one run turned out to be the difference.

Mystic added a run without a hit, on a passed ball and a wild pitch in the third. Muskrats starter Mark Leiter, Jr. battled control issues in his five innings of work, but did well to keep Laconia in the game. He scattered three hits, two walks, a hit batter, and the run-scoring wild pitch, while striking out five. Kriss took the loss, while Jose Lopez (Seton Hall) got the win after blowing Mystic’s lead in the top of the ninth.

Laconia will look to bounce back, in more ways than one, as they host Newport Saturday at 6:30 pm. Newport slammed Laconia 16-3 on Monday in Rhode Island. It will be the Gulls’ first visit to Laconia since being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in their storied history.

Boxscore