FROM NECBL RELEASE
Laconia third baseman Danny Collins and North Adams pitcher Matt Longfield claimed the NECBL’s Player and Pitcher of the Week for the period ending on Saturday, July 14th.
Collins, who is the League’s average and home run leader, hit .450 and slugged 1.150 in five games. He slammed three doubles, a triple and three homers while driving in eight. More importantly, Collins’ homer in Laconia’s 13-4 win against Mystic on July 14th tied the 14 year-old NECBL record held jointly by Gil Barkman and Aaron Fera.
The sophomore comes to Laconia after an outstanding spring for Troy. An ABCA second team All-Region pick, Collins hit .318, slugged .562 and ranked in the top four in the Sun Belt Conference in doubles, homers, RBI and total bases. Collins also won the NECBL’s Player of the Week for the period of June 9th to June 15th.
The SteepleCats spell relief “L-O-N-G-F-I-E-L-D.” Longfield appeared in four games out of the bullpen, facing 20 batters and striking out 10 of them. In 5.1 innings of work, he didn’t walk a batter and surrendered just three hits and one run. Longfield, a 6’5″ lefty, earned the win on July 11th at Holyoke with four strikeouts in 1.1 innings.
This spring, Longfield appeared in 17 games for Villanova, striking out 20 in 12.2 innings.
