Gulls Shut Down by Navigators in Game Two

The Newport Gulls continued the Eastern Conference Championship series against their division foes, the second seeded North Shore Navigators, Friday night. Entering the game with a 1-0 series lead, in the best of 3 games, the Gulls hoped to close out the series and reach the finals for a second straight year. Evidently that dream will have to wait at least one more day, as the Gulls were shut down by North Shore starter, Michael Johnson.

Johnson pitched an absolute gem in the victory, going 8.1 innings, allowing only 3 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 4. Johnson stepped up big with the win, as it was only his second of the year.

His counterpart, Gulls' starter Eric Eadington, was pinned with the loss, yet threw an impressive 6.2 innings and conceded only 1 earned run on 3 hits and whiffing 5.  Eadington's only earned run was given up in the first inning with two outs on a passed ball. The Gull's bullpen did their job yet again, as Cory Nelson and Dexter Price shut down the opposition for the remaining 1.1 innings.

Although the pitching proved to be strong again for the Gulls, the bats were silenced for the first time in the 2010 playoffs. Collectively, the 2-7 hitters recorded 0 hits and only 1 walk all game.

The Gulls will try and rebound from an upsetting offensive display Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Cardines Field.