DANBURY, Conn. -- The North Adams SteepleCats continued their hot hitting on Saturday night, rolling to a 16-3 victory over the Danbury Westerners at Rogers Park.

 

The 'Cats were in double digits in hits for the third night in a row, and set a season-high in runs scored.

 

North Adams' offense began in a modest fashion in the top of the second inning with a single run. Singles by Bryce Peterson (UCF) and Liam Sabino (Pittsburgh), as well as a walk to Jonathan Engelmann (Michigan) loaded the bases. Peterson scored without a pitch being thrown when starter and losing pitcher Sam Wood (Cincinnati Christian) balked.

 

A critical error helped the SteepleCats take a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. With two on and two out, Jake Ackerman (Mission College) hit a ball right back at the pitcher that popped out his hand when he attempted to throw it to first. Engelmann made the Westerners pay with an RBI single, giving North Adams a two-run lead.

 

Danbury got a run back in the fourth, but were unable to tie the game or take the lead. Tyler Panno (Bryant) scored when a Danbury runner was caught stealing second, but Ryan Tapp (UNC Asheville) was able to leave the bases loaded with a strikeout to maintain the SteepleCat lead. Tapp tossed five innings, and earned his second victory of the season.

 

The bats came to life for the SteepleCats in the top of the fifth, as the 'Cats scored seven runs in an inning for the second time in a row against the Westerners. Each of the first four hitters reached on a free pass, with the SteepleCats drawing three walks and a hit batsmen, including an RBI walk from Ackerman. Engelmann and Michael Gulino (Pace) clubbed two-run doubles, and another run crossed the plate on an error.

 

Five more runs crossed the plate in the sixth to continue the fun for the SteepleCats. Another free pass, a hit batsmen off of Joe Gillette (Menlo College), pushed across the first run of the inning. Taylor Lane (Arizona State) then provided the most powerful moment of the night with a grand slam over the left field fence, the first grand slam of the season for the SteepleCats.

 

Giovanni Dingcong (St. Thomas Aquinas) set an NECBL record for home runs in a career with his 20th home run over his two seasons in Danbury, a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. An RBI groundout from Panno provided the third run of the game for the host Westerners in the bottom of the seventh.

 

North Adams scored two more runs in the top of the eighth, with an error and an Eddie Haus (St. Mary's) single providing the 15th and 16th runs of the night for the SteepleCats.

 

With the SteepleCats hitting as well as they have all season, the team heads to Montpelier, Vermont on Sunday evening for the final meeting of the season between the North Divison rivals. Lanesborough's Robby Buffis (Ithaca) is the scheduled starter for North Adams.