Sejnoha, Nighthawks Cruise to Victory Over SteepleCats

By Thaddeus Sawyer

What do you get when you mix a team that has struggled to get base hits and a starter with a knack for keeping runners off base?

Four hitless innings and a dominant outing from Dartmouth College pitcher Trey Sejnoha. The right-hander tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out five batters and propelling the Nighthawks (3-3-1) to a 5-1 road victory over the North Adams SteepleCats (0-5).

Sejnoha, who worked solely out of the bullpen for Dartmouth this past spring, has now worked to a 1.04 ERA across his first two starts and 8 2/3 innings of the summer.

“I like the routine,” Sejnoha said. “I like knowing when I'm going to pitch. It's a lot easier for the routine. [I’m] able to stay locked in, but it's the same mindset when I go out there regardless.”

Relying on a big curveball to help his fastball play up, the right-hander sat down nine of the first 10 SteepleCats he faced before a dropped fly ball in right that was ruled an error in the third. The first hit didn’t come until North Adams designated hitter Sean Stephenson lined a ball 94 mph straight back at Sejnoha to lead off the fifth, a ball Sejnoha nearly snagged before it popped in and out of his glove and rolled away from the mound.

Sejnoha said that working with Dartmouth teammate and Nighthawks catcher A.J. DeMastrie has helped him find comfort in his new role.

“It makes it really easy,” Sejnoha said, “That's my guy back there. I got full trust in him. He knows me really well, so it's an easy connection to make.”

While the SteepleCats were floundering at the plate, the Nighthawks offense took advantage of some poor North Adams defense and strong performances from Maryland first baseman Charley Magoulick and Bellarmine third baseman Jake Bell to average a run per inning through the first five frames.

In the third, Magoulick sent his fourth double in four games into right center, cruising into second standing and scoring both Dartmouth shortstop Alejandro Puig and Eastern Illinois third baseman James Love, who both reached on singles.

Two innings later, Bell sent a bases-loaded, two-out single up the middle that got past an outstretched Mathew Colella at shortstop in the hole to score another two, advancing to second on the throw to third.

The SteepleCats may have already been out of the inning by that point had Colella not thrown away a Nick Quagliato ground ball to lead off the inning or had they doubled up Love on a throw that instead went to the fence on a fielder’s choice.

Bell also added a double of his own, hugging the third base foul line with a frozen rope that rolled all the way past the end of the unclosed uoutfield wall and out of play. That two-bagger was Bell’s first extra-base hit of the summer and began his first multi-hit effort with the Nighthawks.

“Just staying on a first-pitch fastball, that always helps, and just believing in yourself at the plate and just believing that it's going to be right there and being ready to hit,” Bell said. “Then I can adjust to whatever they throw me.”

Bell said that the switch to swinging with a wood bat has been challenging at times but that he believes it will make him a better hitter.

“It was tough at first, and there's still going to be challenges for sure, but I'm happy to be here for sure with the best competition,” Bell said. “It's definitely helped me grow.”

While the Nighthawks ran into some trouble in the top of the fifth after Sejnoha allowed a pair of hits and departed after 74 pitches, leave it to fourth-year Nighthawk Nick Tamburro to come in and clean up the mess.

Facing runners on first and second, Tamburro let a wild pitch get away and walked the SteepleCats’ most dangerous hitter in left fielder Evan Meier before buckling down and striking out first baseman Bobby Stang swinging to escape the jam.

“I get in there with two outs, open base,” Tamburro said. “I'm just trying to not pitch around a guy, but I'm definitely trying to get him to swing and miss. 
I'm fighting for just anything under his barrel. I'm not going to really challenge him hard. After I walk that first guy, I'm then going to attack that next kid. 
But, at that point, you just need one out. They might run into one, but chances are, even if they put it in play, it's going to be right at somebody.”

Tamburro went on to pitch 3 1/3 innings and took the win, striking out three and surrendering just one run.

The SteepleCats finally scratched a run across in the eighth on a double from center fielder Chris Diaz, making the final score a little less lopsided. Still, the SteepleCats finished the day with as many hits as the Nighthawks had runs with five.

Brian Smith finished off the game for the Nighthawks, pitching a perfect ninth with a pair of punchouts.

The win moved the Nighthawks into third place in the North Division, ahead of the Vermont Mountaineers (3-4) and 1.5 games back of the Sanford Mainers (5-2).

Bell, Magoulick and Love all picked up a pair of knocks on the day, with Love extending his on-base streak to seven games to start the summer.

Looking to move above .500 for the first time this season, the Nighthawks will head back to Massachusetts on Saturday to play a pair of games against the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks (6-1). 

First pitch for game No. 1 is scheduled for 5 p.m., while game No. 2 is expected to start at 7:05 p.m. Both games will stream live on NECBL+. The Nighthawks will be designated the home team in game No. 1.

While the Sharks hold the best record in the NECBL and will be the toughest competition the Nighthawks have faced to this point, morale is high in the Upper Valley dugout after back-to-back wins.

“I think today's win gets us back to .500, so that's big for our standings, and definitely boosts morale and gives us some confidence going into tomorrow at Martha’s," Tamburro said.