Big Blast Lifts SwampBats
July 3, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE, NH - Brandon Smith's (Dayton) go-ahead two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference in the game as the Keene SwampBats (11-11) won their third straight with a 7-3 victory over the Vermont Mountaineers (6-15) on Tuesday night at Alumni Field in Keene.
Smith's decisive blast off of RHP Andrew Kneussle (Canisius) followed a leadoff single from Charlie Concannon (St. Joseph's) in the inning and broke a three-all tie.
Kneussle (4.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 K) was dealt the loss for the Mountaineers and falls to 0-2 on the summer.
The SwampBats had 17 hits in the game and five different players had multi-hit contests: Joe Breaux (2-5, RBI), Alex Carballo (Kennesaw State-2-4, BB, SB, R), Concannon (2-5, 2 R), Mitchell Golden (Georgia Southern-3-4, SB, R) and Smith (4-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R).
Smith has recorded consecutive four-hit games for manager Lyndon Coleman's club and is the second SwampBats player to record five RBI in a game after Breaux also plated five on June 20 vs. Vermont.
Vermont grabbed an early 1-0 lead with a run in the first as Bryce Kelley (Michigan State) reached with a leadoff single, went to second on a walk and scored later in the frame on an error charged to SwampBats 2B Rudy Aguilar (St. John's).
The Mountaineers stretched the lead to 3-0 in the second via RBI singles from Brett Malm (Adelphi) and Samuel Duran (Nova Southeastern).
SwampBats starter Evan Sperling (Virginia) gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits to go along with five walks and seven strikeouts over 6.0 IP to earn the win and even his record at 2-2.
Keene tied the game at three apiece with a trio of runs in the home half of the third as a single and walk put two men on before both runs scored later in the inning on Smith's two-out, two-run double and Breaux (Alabama) tied the game with an RBI single to plate Smith.
Mountaineers starter Brian Herrmann (Stony Brook) surrendered the three runs on five hits to go along with a walk and three striekouts in 2.2 IP.
The trio of RHP Jeffrey Praml (Southern New Hampshire-2.0 IP, H, 2 BB, K), LHP Ian Exposito (St. Thomas-0.2 IP) and RHP Andrew Houde (Keene State-0.1 IP, H) combined to toss three scoreless innings of relief for Keene.
The SwampBats will have an off day on Wednesday before heading to Vermont on Thursday to take on the Upper Valley Nighthawks at Maxfield Sports Complex. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and RHP Kyle Whitten (0-1, 8.10) out of the University of Virginia will get the start for Keene.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 3, 2018
- 17 Hit Outburst Leads Keene Past Vermont, 7-3 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Big Blast Lifts SwampBats - Keene Swamp Bats
- Gulls Split Double-Header against Upper Valley - Newport Gulls
- Nighthawks Split Doubleheader with Gulls - Upper Valley Nighthawks
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
