May 17, 2023 3 min read

This was exactly the kind of game – high-scoring, runs in almost every inning – you don’t want to get into with the New York Boulders

The Boulders have a knack for blowing up scoreboards with their hitting. New York led the Frontier League in scoring last year by a wide margin and returned much of that lineup this year.

The New York Boulders are not the Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig-led 1927 New York Yankees, but they’re the closest thing the Frontier League has to offer.

The Wild Things did a good job of matching New York’s run production for nine innings, and even had two golden chances to secure a win late in regulation play Wednesday night. But where the Wild Things had the edge on the Boulders was in a one-inning tiebreaker shootout.

Melvin Novoa hit a line-drive single to right centerfield, on an 0-2 pitch, that scored Nick Gotta from third base and gave Washington a wild 10-9 victory in 10 innings.

Washington scored twice in the bottom of the 10th after New York had scored in the top of the frame on an RBI single by Chris Kwitzer for a 9-8 lead.

If the 10 innings of fireworks weren’t enough, they continued after Gotta scored the game-winning run.

Moments after Gotta crossed home plate, New York manager T.J. Stanton began shouting at somebody on the Wild Things’ side of the field as Washington celebrated its victory. Stanton stood at home plate, shouting and pointing, with the three members of the Wild Things’ coaching staff in front of him. Washington manager Tom Vaeth then put a two-handed shove into Stanton’s chest and players from both teams raced toward home plate.

After about a minute, order was restored and no punches were thrown.

Frontier League deputy commissioner Steve Tahsler attended the game and was on the field during the incident.

Washington led 8-7 before New York tied it in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Giovanni Garbella that scored Kwitzer.

Washington had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth but Wagner Lagrange bounced into an inning-ending double play.

In the ninth, New York’s David Vinsky was thrown out at home plate when he tried to score from third base on a slow chopper to Washington third baseman Ian Walters. The Wild Things couldn’t take advantage in the bottom of the ninth as they left the bases loaded.

After New York scored in the top of the 10th, Washington began the bottom of the inning with Abraham Segura on second base as the tiebreaker runner. He moved to third when Gotta singled to left centerfield and scored when New York pitcher Dawson Lane made an errant pickoff throw to first base. The ball into the right-field bullpen and Gotta raced all the way to third base.

After Tristan Peterson struck out, the Boulders intentionally walked Lagrange to set up a potential double play and face Novoa.

Andrew Czech homered and drove in three for Washington. His home run was a line drive to right field that came off the bat at 109 mph. Scotty Dubrule was 3-for-3 with three doubles and two RBI.

New York second baseman Tucker Nathans drove in four runs.

Lukas Young (1-0) was the winning pitcher with one inning of relief.

The Wild Things and Boulders will conclude the series tonight (7:05 p.m.) with Kobe Foster, last year’s Frontier League Rookie of the Year, pitching for Washington against New York’s Tyler Keysor (0-0, 9.82).