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Dover's Kubiet throws complete-game win over Goffstown. What does win mean for playoffs?

brandon brown, foster's daily democrat
·4 min read

DOVER - The definition of exhilarating is 'making one feel very happy, animated, or elated; thrilling.'

Dover High School senior pitcher Charlie Kubiet said the final moments of Wednesday's Division I baseball bout with Goffstown felt 'exhilarating.'

Members of the Dover High School baseball team congratulate starting pitcher Charlie Kubiet after his complete-game, 3-2 win over Goffstown in a crucial Division I game Wednesday at Dover High School.
Members of the Dover High School baseball team congratulate starting pitcher Charlie Kubiet after his complete-game, 3-2 win over Goffstown in a crucial Division I game Wednesday at Dover High School.

Kubiet, holding onto a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh, walked the leadoff hitter, and a bunt single followed. Suddenly, Goffstown was in position to tie the game and/or take the lead.

Not on Kubiet's watch.

"I like to have as much confidence as possible while pitching," Kubiet said. "So really just trying to stay confident, stay up and stay aggressive on the batters and just keep trusting my stuff."

With two on and nobody out, Kubiet got Ethan Strand to pop-up a bunt attempt for the first out. Then, Kubiet got Noah Durham to strike out swinging for the second out. On a 2-2 count, and the anxious nerves with playoff seeding on respective minds, Kubiet struck out Cam Hujsak to preserve Dover's 3-2 win.

"I was pretty confident in the outcome," he said. "Just threw a fastball right at (Hujsak), attacked and felt great. Exhilarating."

Kubiet went seven innings, allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five.

"I thought Charlie, when he commanded his fastballs, especially on the outside corner, elevated it at the perfect time to get guys to bite," Dubben said. "And that's a tough pitch to hit. He battled today, really proud of him."

Where do teams now sit in standings as playoffs near

Dover's Daniel Conrad mans first base during Wednesday's 3-2 Division I baseball win over Goffstown.
Dover's Daniel Conrad mans first base during Wednesday's 3-2 Division I baseball win over Goffstown.

Dover improves to 12-7 on the season and will close the regular season at home on Friday against Londonderry. Goffstown fell to 11-7 and will host Londonderry Thursday, and visit Salem Saturday in its season finale.

The Division l playoffs start next week, but the Green Wave came into Wednesday's game with a certain mindset.

"We came in treating it like a playoff game, and I thought we responded that way," Dubben said.

"It's been a couple of years since Dover had a home playoff game and hopefully this win secures it for us," senior Ryder Aubin said. "We're not positive, but it's a huge win against another good team in the state. This gives us some momentum going into Friday's game against another very, very good team. Playoffs are right around the corner, and all momentum and good baseball play now is huge."

Defense helps Kubiet go the distance

Dover High School pitcher Charlie Kubiet shows his emotions after striking out a Goffstown batter for the game's final out in Wednesday's 3-2 win for the Green Wave. Dover is now 12-7 on the season, and will host Londonderry on Friday in the regular-season finale.
Dover High School pitcher Charlie Kubiet shows his emotions after striking out a Goffstown batter for the game's final out in Wednesday's 3-2 win for the Green Wave. Dover is now 12-7 on the season, and will host Londonderry on Friday in the regular-season finale.

Kubiet was dominant on the mound, but the defense behind him was just as big, coming up with a crucial run-saving play in the fourth.

Dover led 2-0 after three innings, and after a single by Durham and double by Hujsak to lead off the Goffstown fourth, the Grizzlies were threatening to get on the scoreboard.

Goffstown's Ryan Dutton hit a ball pretty deep out to left field, but Nate MacGregor tracked it all the way through, made the catch and saw Durham tag from third and break for home.

MacGregor's throw from the outfield made it to Aubin, who applied the tag on Durham just before he could score, and successfully pull off the double play.

"Deep fly ball there and it should be enough to score a run," Aubin said. "An absolute beauty of a throw (by MacGregor), all props go to him."

"Absolutely huge play for us," Kubiet said. "For sure hyped for him, the whole team was. It was a great play overall, I loved that."

"In my head, I'm like that's probably going to be a run," Dubben said. "We've been working on getting behind the baseball at practice, and he did a very good job of that and made a perfect throw to home plate. (Aubin) had an unbelievable snag and tag on (Durham's) back coming into home."

Aubin scores three runs, all coming from second base

Dover senior Ryder Aubin (5) heads back to dugout after scoring one of his three runs in Wednesday's 3-2 Division I baseball win over Goffstown at Dover High School.
Dover senior Ryder Aubin (5) heads back to dugout after scoring one of his three runs in Wednesday's 3-2 Division I baseball win over Goffstown at Dover High School.

Defense wins championships, but heads-up base-running plays a pivotal role as well.

Aubin walked in his first at-bat and stole second. With two outs, MacGregor hit a fly ball to left field, which was dropped, and by the time the ball was picked up, Aubin was stepping on home to score the game's opening run.

After reaching base on a fielder's choice in the third, and again stealing second base, Aubin scored on Roger Mercier's RBI single, giving Dover a 2-0 lead. Aubin scored his third run of the game in the fifth inning, scampering all the way home from second on a wild pitch.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kubiet throws complete-game gem as Dover baseball beats Goffstown.