Bullpen Can't Hold Lead, Swamp Bats Fall to Schooners 5-4
July 27, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
The Swamp Bats were unable to win their second straight as they dropped a 5-4 decision at the hands of the Mystic Schooners on Sunday night.
Keene is now 16-19 on the season, while Mystic won for the fifth time in six games and improves to 21-15.
Starter Dominic Severino (Central Conn State) had to leave the game due to injury after 4.2 innings. Severino took a line drive in the upper thigh area off the bat of Mystic's Toby Handley (Stony Brook).
At the time of his departure, the Swamp Bats led 2-1 but were unable to hold the lead. Jack Roberts (Virginia) relieved Severino and was charged with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and struck out one. Roberts drops to 0-2 on the season.
Keene took an early lead in the bottom half of the first inning as Robbie Coman (Virginia) plated Alex Liquori (Kennesaw State) with an RBI fielder's choice. Liquori had led off the inning with a single.
The Schooners tied it at one apiece in the bottom of the same frame as Handley led off with a double, moved to third on a single and scored on an RBI single by Steve Laurino (Marist).
The score would hold until the top of the fourth when Coman singled to start the inning, advanced to third on back-to-back walks and scored on an RBI groundout by Aubrey McCarty (Vanderbilt).
Mystic took the lead for good with four runs in the home half of the sixth. With runners at first and second with one out, Aaron Hill (UConn) roped a two-run double to left center that scored both and gave the hosts a 3-2 lead. One batter later, Hill scored on a throwing error by Keene's Bret Dennis (St. John's). Chase Livingston (Rhode Island) drove in the final run of the inning with an RBI single.
The Swamp Bats got a pair back in the top half of the eighth, but that was the closest they would come. Liqouri doubled to lead off, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Coman picked up his second RBI of the night with an RBI single that scored Connor Fitzsimons (Central Conn State) to make it 5-4.
A.J. Turnier (Southern Conn State) picked up the win for Mystic, going four innings in relief of starter Josh Pape (Georgia College and State) and allowing two runs on one hit, walking two and striking out three. He is now 2-3 on the season.
Nick Brass (Stony Brook) retired the Swamp Bats in order in the ninth for his first save.
Keene will be back in action tomorrow night when they host the North Adams SteepleCats for a 6:30 game at Alumni Field.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 27, 2014
- Mountaineers Fall in 10 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mainers snap 2 game skid with 7-to-0 win at Laconia - Sanford Mainers
- Bullpen Can't Hold Lead, Swamp Bats Fall to Schooners 5-4 - Keene Swamp Bats
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