PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — The North Shore Navigators opened their 2017 season with an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel Thursday night at Leary Field, but a two-run single in the third inning was all the offense the Seacoast Mavericks needed en route to a 2-1 win.
Conor Bawiec (Elmira) delivered a strong outing in his second consecutive season-opening start for the Navs, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven over five innings of work. Peabody native Bobby Tramondozzi (UMass Boston) pitched scoreless, one-hit ball to finish the game, striking out four.
After the teams traded zeroes over the first two innings, Seacoast posted four of its five hits in the bottom of the third. First baseman Jacob Lebel’s (NYIT) two-out, seeing-eye single through the left side brought in the only runs the hosts would need.
The Navs responded with a run in the fourth as first baseman Traverse Briana (UMass Lowell) led off with a solo home run to left-center field, but Casey Aubin (UMass) retired the next seven North Shore batters he faced before handing the game over to the bullpen with a one-run lead. Briana’s home run was the first in Navigators franchise history hit in a FCBL opener.
While Tramondozzi kept the Mavs scoreless, the visitors put baserunners on in each of the last two innings. Shortstop Ryan Collins (Northern Essex C.C.) singled to center field and advanced to second in the eighth, while left fielder Ted Leathersich (UMass Lowell) was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth, but the Seacoast bullpen combination of Colby Morris (Middlebury) and Wesley Robertson (Washington College) saved the victory.
For the Navs, Briana finished the night 2-for-4 with a double and the home run, while center fielder Alex Carballo (Broward) also reached base twice, including a second-inning double.
North Shore takes Friday off and open the Fraser Field portion of its schedule against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks at 6 p.m. Saturday night. It will be the team’s first of three consecutive home games through Monday.