NEW CARLISLE - With cooler temperatures and winds out of the northwest taking over Migley Field on Sunday afternoon, it was pretty clear what kind of ballgames to expect for the New Carlisle Newts (3-6) home opener.
But nobody could have predicted this. The Newts were swept away by the Glen Lee Skeeters, 1-0, 1-0 (F/7), 5-2 (F/27). Yes, that's a 27.
The opener was silent until the fifth inning, when Kade Stone poked a fly ball off the top of the right field fence for a long single. Alec Holland followed with a liner that got between Garrett Curless and Koby Keck, advancing Stone to third. The game's only run scored when the next batter Jason Migas grounded out to left fielder Colton Boren.
Stone scored the only run and threw a perfect game on the mound against the Newts. For New Carlisle, it was the first time in the franchise's long history that the team failed to record a hit.
Cotter took the tough loss for the Newts, a theme for the day. The Newts ace allowed just four hits in defeat.
Game two was equally quiet. Curless was able to break the hitless streak right off the bat by singling to lead off the bottom of the first. But the Newts would only muster one more hit in the game, a single by Scott Soos in the second inning.
Again, Cotter held the Skeeters to only four hits. However one of them was a round-tripper, as Holland powered a solo shot through the wind in the top of the seventh to give the game its only score.
The extra inning affair of the second game could not compare to what transpired in the finale. Holland homered again, this time in the first inning, to give the Skeeters a 1-0 lead. Given the conditions and the pattern of the first two games, it seemed like a safe advantage.
The Newts finally manufactured something in the fourth. Boren led off with a single and moved to second on a ground out. Curless singled him home to tie the game, and by the end of the afternoon, everybody at the Friendly Confines probably regretted that play.
The game didn't see another base runner until the ninth inning. The Newts didn't get their next hit until the 16th.
Cotter stymied several Skeeter rallies along the way, as Glen Lee did manage 18 hits in the marathon. Nolan Crail's six led the way.
Unfortunately for the home team, and the few fans that stayed until the end, the wheels fell off the New Carlisle defense in the 27th inning. Stone led off with a triple as the Newts threw the ball around the diamond. Holland grounded out, but Stone scored to give the Skeeters the lead.
Back to back singles by Migas and Crail set up the crushing blow, a three-run home run by Kyle Kline to put Glen Lee up 5-1.
Soos would homer in the bottom half of the inning to give the game its final tally.
The Newts losing streak now stands at five games. New Carlisle has scored five runs over that time, and the team is hitting a dismal .208 for the season.
The homestand continues next Sunday, as the Newts welcome the Warren Desperados (0-9) to Migley Field at 1:20 pm ET. Playing in their inaugural ORWBL season, Warren is still searching for their first victory of the year.
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