Comeback Bats steal one from Vermont, win 6-5
June 26, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE, N.H. - The Keene Swamp Bats scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come back and defeat the Vermont Mountaineers 6-5 in front of a crowd of 1,007 at Alumni Field Thursday night.
The Swamp Bats had the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth inning when Zach Lauricella (St. John's) was given new life after a dropped pop-up in foul ground by catcher Josh Treff (Northeastern). Lauricella ripped a single to centerfield scoring Patrick McGrath (Washington State) to cut the deficit to 5-3. Jarred Mederos (St. John's) then laced a two run double down the left field line to tie the game at five. Lauricella scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run on a passed ball by Treff to give the Swamp Bats the 6-5 lead.
"First swing I was just trying to hit the ball as hard as I could and after I fouled it off I made the adjustment to just try and get a hit drive in a couple of runs for us and it ended up happening. I just sat back on the curveball and hit it over the third baseman's head" Mederos said.
"It feels really great, it's a great atmosphere here with all the fans here and I'm glad to please them."
Ben Criscuolo (Southern New Hampshire) who came into the game in the top of the eighth inning finished off the Mountaineers in the ninth, striking out the side around an error by Mederos. He picked up the win, his first of the season.
With the win, Keene snaps their two-game losing streak and improves their record to 6-9. Vermont falls to 9-6. It was the Swamp Bats fifth straight come from behind victory.
"We never quit that's the main thing," Mederos added.
Sam Spencer (Castleton) who came into the game in the eighth inning in relief of Dalton Goss (Alabama-Huntsville) was charged with the blown save and the loss.
The Mountaineers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Colin Lyman (Louisville) scoring Chandler Brock (Alabama-Huntsville) who reached on a lead-off infield single. Brock then stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball by Connor Fitzsimons (Central Connecticut State) with no outs in the inning.
Vermont then doubled their lead to 2-0 in the third inning when Lyman scored on a sacrifice fly by Trey Amburgey (St. Petersburg). Lyman started the rally with a one out bunt single. He then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Fitzsimons on the steal attempt.
The Mountaineers combined for seven stolen bases against the Swamp Bats, four of them coming off of starter Alex Robinson (Maryland) on the mound. Robinson, making his first start of the summer for Keene, labored through three innings of work giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked one and struck out four on 67 pitches.
In the fourth inning, Lauricella hit a solo home run to straight away center field to put Keene on the board, 2-1. The blast ended the Swamp Bats scoring drought of 21 straight scoreless innings.
The Mountaineers however came right back with a run of their own in the top half of the fifth inning when Brock lead off the inning with an infield hit and advanced to second on a throwing error by McGrath. Lyman then sacrificed Brock to third, who subsequently scored on an RBI single by Mike Vigliarolo (St. Louis) to make it 3-1 Vermont.
The Swamp Bats got a run back in the bottom half of the frame to cut the deficit to 3-2. Keene had runners on first and second with one out when Fitzsimons ripped a double to the left-center field gap scoring Alex Liqouri (Kennesaw State). McGrath who was waved around to potentially score the tying run was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first for the second out of the inning.
That was it for Vermont starter Ryan Davis (Le Moyne) who went five innings, gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits and four strikeouts on 75 pitches.
Vermont grabbed a pair of insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to give them a 5-2 lead.
The Swamp Bats go back on the road tomorrow as they travel to North Adams, Mass. to take on the North Adams SteepleCats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 26, 2014
- Comeback Bats steal one from Vermont, win 6-5 - Keene Swamp Bats
- VT Mountaineers fall to Keene - Vermont Mountaineers
- Mainers win 4 in a row! - Sanford Mainers
- Rain-Out Rescheduled: Mainers vs Mountaineers July 28th at 6:30 pm - Sanford Mainers
- Mountaineers Make-Up Date Announced - Vermont Mountaineers
- League Finalizes Itinerary for 2014 NECBL All-Star Game - NECBL
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