Despite loss, Dover baseball takes positives out of playing at historic Doubleday

COOPERSTOWN - Despite Dover High School's 1-0 loss to Concord on Thursday morning at Doubleday Field, the experience the players had lessoned the blow a little bit for the Green Wave.

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"I think this experience for the boys to come down here, see the history, go to the Hall of Fame, and get a chance to play on the same grounds that Hall of Famers and the best to have ever played the game have played on, it just makes you fall in love with the game again," Dover head coach Scott Dubben said. "That's why we play the game, for the love of the game, so it's just a really good experience to come out here. Obviously, we were on the wrong end of today, but that's baseball and baseball shows character. We're going to see how we bounce back (Friday)."

Dover sophomore pitcher Charlie Kubiet said the experience playing on Doubleday Field was "a lot of fun."

"I loved pitching here, the mound was great and it was a lot of fun," said Kubiet said, who mentioned the atmosphere had him pumped up to start. "At first yes, but then it was just kind of like any other game. But, definitely I was feeling it first in warm-ups."

Junior Colby Russell was also just as ecstatic as Kubiet to pitch at Doubleday.

"It was actually a really fun experience, seeing how many greats have played on this field," Russell said. "Also, Coach (Dubben), this was one of his hometown fields, which is a cool thing to experience. I felt a lot of energy coming out on the mound, knowing I have to throw strikes. It was a little stressful because it was a one-run game (in the sixth). But it was kind of fun throwing with that stress."

It was a pitching battle for majority of the game between Dover (5-3) and Concord (7-2) as the only run that crossed home plate came in the fourth inning.

Kubiet went five innings, allowed one run, and struck out seven. Russell relieved Kubiet and kept the deficit where it was. Russell pitched one inning and struck out two.

"We missed a couple of opportunities to score some runs, but overall I think we played an alright game," Kubiet said.

"We came down here and played a 1-0 baseball game with great pitching on both sides, kind of an old-school type game and pitcher's duel," Dubben said. "Offensively, we didn't put our best effort today, but that's baseball. Tomorrow is a new day, and we play Winnacunnet on (Friday). Hopefully, we can bounce back offensively, but I was proud of how we pitched, and competed throughout the game."

Concord starter Brooks Craigue went seven scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing just one hit, a single by Jacob Lapierre in the third.

Kubiet and Russell shine, both escape critical jams late in game

Runs were at a premium, and when Concord had a few more opportunities to build upon the lead, both Dover pitchers buckled down and recorded critical outs to keep the Tide from tacking on any insurance runs.

The first instance occurred in the fifth, an inning after Concord scored the game's only run. Concord's Kalan Gaudreault singled to left, and then Nate Wachter doubled to right, and suddenly Concord had two runners in scoring position with one out.

Kubiet didn't seem intimidated by the scenario as he locked in on the next batter - Concord's Armen Laylagian - and struck him out on four pitches. Kubiet recorded the final out on a lineout to right.

"I knew a good hitter was at the plate, so I worked off-speed with him, Kubiet said. "I threw four curveballs to him, tried to throw him off-guard and got out of it."

"Charlie was great today, I think that was his best performance of the year by far," Dubben said. "Concord is a tough team, they grind it out and they have some great wins under their belt this year. I thought (Kubiet) pitched awesome. Hopefully, that's a good sign moving forward."

Russell was in a similar situation in the sixth with runners on first and third with nobody out. Same as Kubiet, Russell didn't allow any of the runners in scoring position to score.

Russell struck out the next batter - Concord's Zanis Lauris, and then received a huge assist from the defense. Dawson Fancher, who reached on a bunt single, was thrown out stealing second when Jacob Mangum made a laser throw to second baseman Will Angers who applied the tag.

Russell struck out Griffin Norwalt, ending the inning.

"Getting out of a jam at Doubleday, that's just a really fun thing," Russell said. "Down 1-0, guy on second and third with no outs, a throw down from my catcher and then two straight strikeouts. It's just such a cool thing."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover falls to Concord at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown