Yard Goats right-hander Noah Davis pitched an eight-inning complete game but was tagged with the loss, as the Reading Fightin Phils defeated the Hartford 2-1 on Friday night at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was the first eight-inning complete game for a Yard Goats pitcher since Jack Wynkoop on Aug. 26, 2017, in New Hampshire.
Brenton Doyle provided the Yard Goats’ only run Friday with a home run in the fifth inning. Reading used four relievers to prevent Hartford from reaching a franchise-best 25 games above .500.
The Fightin Phils scored the first run of the game in the third inning as Simon Muzziotti hit a home run. Reading made it 2-0 in the fourth as Vito Frischia scored on a throwing error. Davis retired the final 10 batters he faced, including the side in order in the final three innings. He allowed just one hit after the fourth inning.
Meanwhile, Reading got an outstanding performance from its bullpen as four relievers held down Hartford’s hot offense. After scoring 10 runs in each of the previous two games, the Yard Goats managed only one run and five hits.
The Yard Goats had some chances late in the game with a runner at second base and one out in each of the last three innings. Reading closer Brian Marconi worked the final two innings and recorded four strikeouts for his 14th save.
WCSU fills out men’s basketball staff: Western Connecticut State University coach Guy Rancourt announced the hiring of Jacob Klee as a new assistant men’s basketball coach. Klee replaces Nolan Meehan who served two seasons with Rancourt and recently accepted a position at Division I Quinnipiac University. A native of Roslyn Height, N.Y., Klee comes to WestConn after serving as a graduate assistant and director of basketball operations at Division I University of Missouri-Kansas City.