Friday, July 18, 2008

ByPaul Ofria, Silkworms Sports Information Department

Silkworms Walk Off in 11th

Micowski Scored Two; Drove in Game Winner

MANCHESTER –  Mark Micowski was in a hitter’s count with the bases loaded and the game tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the 11th. And he did with the Silkworms have not done lately – especially at home – he got a hit.

Micowski, who is in the unusual position of playing for two different NECBL teams in the same season, was brought in to add offense to the league’s weakest hitting team. The former Sanford Mainer scored the first two Silkworm runs before driving in the game winner in Manchester’s 3-2 victory over North Adams Friday night at Northwest Park.

Manchester manager Al Leyva installed Micowski in the leadoff spot for the first time since he joined the team Wednesday night in Holyoke and it paid an immediate dividend. He led off the first and third innings with singles, stole second after each and scored on RBI singles by Sean O’Hara (first) and Mike Gallic (third).

“I’m comfortable in the leadoff spot,” Micowski said after lifting the Silkworms to their first win at home in five tries. “I do that at school (UVM) and that is what where I was hitting in Sanford, so I’m not new to it.”

Micowski was hitting .367 in 11 games for the Mainers before a hand injury sidelined the Haddam, CT native. “My hand is starting to feel better, it’s not as loose, which is making me feel more comfortable at the plate,” Micowski said.

The Silkworms (12-19) loaded the bases in both the 10th and 11th innings against reliever Tim Norton (0-2) after North Adams starter Craig Crumbly threw 110 pitches over nine innings. Crumbly gave up two runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts and no walks. Norton got out of the jam in the 10th but got behind Micowski 2-1 with one out in the 11th.

“I was definitely taking the first pitch,” Micowski said in review of the game’s last at-bat. “I wanted to see that guy (Norton) because before I just bunted on him, so I worked the count, it was 2-1 and I had a feeling he was going to come back with a fast ball, so I was just waiting on it on ripped it through the hole.” The game winner was pulled into right field by the left-handed hitting Micowski, plating Mike Bourdon with the game winner.

Ryan McGrath, sporting a new sidearm delivery, held the SteepleCats scoreless on one hit over the final three innings to pick up the win, his second against no defeats.  James Kukucka, who has pitched at least six innings in his last three starts, threw 76 pitches (48 strikes) and turned the tied game over to Jordon Wolfe with one-out in the seventh and the go-ahead runner at second.

Wolfe, who has struggled with his first batter at times, got out of the inherited jam, using just six pitches. He pitched a perfect eighth and retired all five batters he faced before giving way to McGrath.

Both North Adams runs came off sacrifice flies – by Paul Hoilman in the first and by Ryan Delgado in the sixth. Manchester had 12 hits – all singles – including two by leading hitter and All-Star representative Matt Grosso. Bourdon also had a pair of singles for the winners. The three Manchester pitchers limited North Adams to six hits.

A Good Reason to be at the Park on Time

Marla D’Amato had the crowd buzzing after she made her Silkworm debut singing the National Anthem a few weeks ago. The players and coaches were still discussing her vocal power while eating their post game meal that night, wondering how General Manager Ed Slegeski was able to land such a talent.

Turns out Marla, who sang the Anthem at Northwest Park for the fourth time on Friday, wasn’t on tour, but teaching preschool at the at the Vernon YMCA. The Vernon native and friend of long time Silkworm host parents Tom and Joan Welch, has overcome stage fright and is fulfilling a long time dream.

“I always sang in chorus in school, but was nervous about singing in public,” the 26-year old graduate Eastern Connecticut State University graduate student said. “But I started singing karaoke and always wanted to sing the National Anthem, but never had the chance.”

The Silkworms gave her that chance, and may look back in years to come and say, “we knew Marla D’Amato when…”