Dodgers miss NDBL playoffs, focusing on the future

July 31, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
Coach Michael Gemmiti likened the Bolton Dodgers’ 2014 season to that of the 2013 Blue Jays.
“We lost a lot of players, but got a lot of good guys back,” said Gemmiti. “It just didn’t work out for us.”
Gemmiti was right, as the Dodgers dropped four of their last six games to finish in 11th spot in the NDBL standings, seven points out of playoff contention.
The team began their week last Wednesday, facing the Clearview Orioles in the last home game of the season. They dug themselves into an early hole defensively, giving up one run in each of the first three innings to trail 3–0.
The woes continued into the top of the fourth, when starting pitcher Damien Allison walked the Clearview batter to load the bases with zero outs. The next batter also walked, keeping the bases loaded and adding a run. A sacrifice fly and a deep fly ball would bring in two more runs in the inning, making it a 6–0 game.
The Dodgers’ lone spark of offense came in the bottom of the fifth, when Marlon Young scored off a base hit to cut the lead to five. However, Clearview would add three more to end the game 9–1.
Gemmiti, who led the team offensively this season with a .349 batting average, couldn’t find his rhythm going zero-for-three on the night.
Orioles’ pitcher Chris Esson went a complete game, allowing only one run on six hits.
“The guy just threw a good game,” said Gemmiti. “We couldn’t get much out of him.”
Despite coming off a lopsided loss, the Dodgers were able to turn it around for their final game of the season in Angus Sunday. The visitors came out on top 8–1. It was a positive note on which to end the season, having given up the most runs in the league at 176.
After the game, coach Andrew English commented on the team’s inconsistent offensive production over the season.
“Our bats just struggled up and down all year,” English observed. “This year has been a little more down that up unfortunately. We just weren’t able to string together a rally that often. But that’s baseball, I guess.”
Coach Mark Kellett also spoke on the team’s batting, adding that his players can hit, “it’s just a matter of being able to move the bat.”