By Maxwell Paul McLaughlin
Brewster, M.A. – The Whitecaps took game one of the Eastern Division Final by a score of 6-3 over the Y-D Red Sox.
With the win, the Whitecaps have won their seventh straight playoff game dating back to last season and the first round of this season.
“When your team is having fun, and everyone is coming together, that’s the sign of a championship team, and that’s what our guys look to be right now,” Bench coach Joe Pace said.
The Whitecaps jumped to another first-inning lead with a Dylan Goldstein (Florida Atlantic) solo shot into the trees over the right field fence.
Goldstein only arrived with about a week left in the season and brought a lethal bat to a team that needed someone like Goldstein to bring a huge burst of energy.
The Red Sox tied the game in the top of the second after a hard-hit ball got by the first baseman David Mendham (Oklahoma State), scoring a Red Sox runner from third.
The Red Sox then took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third after a lead-off triple and a sacrifice fly to get the run in to score.
The Whitecaps regained the lead in the bottom of the third after a David Mendham (Oklahoma State) single; Carson Demartini (Virginia Tech) hit a two-run home run to dead center field.
Carson Liggett (Louisville) came in relief and gave up a home run to Johnny Long (Long Beach State) to knot the game at three apiece.
In the bottom of the fifth, Carson Demartini (Virginia Tech) struck again with another two-run home run to give the Whitecaps a 5-3 lead.
The long ball has carried the Whitecaps through the playoffs, which is quite odd considering the lack of home runs in the regular season.
The Whitecaps added another run in the bottom of the seventh off a David Mendham (Oklahoma State) solo home run.
The game stayed tied at 6-3 and was closed out by Jack Stroud (Texas State). Stroud pitched the last three innings and didn’t allow the Red Sox offense back in the game.
Carson Demartini was the hero of game one with a tremendous day at the plate. Demartini had two home runs and a double.
The Whitecaps will now travel to the hostel Red Wilson Field Monday afternoon for game two in the series and a chance to get back to the Cape League Championship.