Baseball team cruises to third straight win
BY STEVE SHEPPARD INDEPENDENT SPORTS EDITOR
Behind another strong pitching performance from Eric Lowell, the Whalers dismantled visiting Sturgis Monday afternoon, 12-1.

MICHAEL GALVIN/The Independent Going somewhere? When he's not pitching, Eric Lowell can sometimes be found at shortstop, where he puts the stops on a New Testament runner last Saturday.

Nantucket scored four runs in the first inning and was in control throughout, scoring three more times in both the third and fourth innings to put the game out of reach.

Lowell, who pitched six innings and had 10 strikeouts, ran his record to 4-1 while the Whalers improved to 7-4 on the season. Tomas Smaliorius retired the side in order in a seventh inning relief stint.

Combined with Saturday's home doubleheader sweep of New Testament, Monday's game was Nantucket's third victory in a row and fifth win in its last six contests.

The Whalers need just one more victory to qualify for the postseason. Coach Art Crowley hopes that victory comes today at Blue Hills or Saturday against Provincetown.

"We can do it," Crowley said after Monday's game. "P-town's always scrappy, though."

The coach pointed to the quality pitching the team's gotten from starters like Lowell, Smaliorius, Chris Welch and Anthony Valero as one reason for this season's turnaround. "We're gaining confidence with time," he said.

Against New Testament, Welch struck out nine and walked just one in the first game, while Valero fanned six in the nightcap. Jamie Reid had a fine day at the plate, going 4 for 5, and Will Soverino went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs.

The squad's timely hitting against Sturgis featured a triple from Ethan Bell, and doubles by captain

Adam Spencer and Welch. I