Gehrs's seven-out save preserves Swamp Bats' ninth win of the season
Published on June 23, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
Montpelier, VT - In the second of back-to-back games between Keene and Vermont, the Swamp Bats traveled into Recreation Field and defeated the Mountaineers 3-2. Despite numerous chances, the Mountaineers just were not able to tie up the game against Keene, losing their second consecutive game.
Both starters tonight, Joe Pistorese (Kalispel, Mt.) for Keene and Brad Schnelle (Moon Township, Penn.) for Vermont pitched well in a game that can only be defined as a pitchers' duel. The game remained scoreless for the first couple of innings before the Swamp Bats got the scoring started in the top of the third.
With one out in the third, Dylan Delacruz (East Lyme, Conn.) and JP Sportman (Schenectady, N.Y.) hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second. After a Fran Whitten (Westboro, Mass.) strikeout, Frankie Schwindel (Livingston, N.J.) knocked a single into left field, scoring Delacruz for the first run of the game.
Vermont answered quickly with a run of their own in the bottom of the third. Ricky Boas ( Wildomar, Cal.) led off the inning with a single for the Mountaineers. After being sacrificed over to second, Aaron Barbosa (Dracut, Mass.) singled him in to tie the game at one.
The Swamp Bats regained the lead in the fourth inning off an RBI single from Grant Kay (Omaha, Neb.). Kay entered the game sixth in the NECBL in batting average with a .375 mark. He finished the game 1-5 with an RBI.
The 2-1 Keene lead did not last for long however, as Vermont responded with a solo home run from Michael White (East Orange, N.J.) to tie the game at two. It was White's first home run of the season.
Keene added their third run in the fifth inning to take the lead for good over Vermont. After Whitten reached base on a single and advanced to second on a throwing error, Cameron O'Brien (Tulsa, Okla.) brought him in with a RBI single past the Vermont shortstop Boas.
Vermont did not threaten again until the bottom of the seventh, after Pistorese was taken out of the game. David Mahoney (Colechester, Conn.) started the inning on the mound for Keene, striking out the first batter he faced before giving up back-to-back singles to Ryan Karl (Towaca, N.J.) and John Mishu (Nashville, Tenn.). Tyler Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.) then relieved Mahoney, but immediately walked PJ Jones (Vancouver, Wash.) to load the bases with one out. After striking out Boas for the second out of the inning, the Swamp Bats brought in Kyle Gehrs (Independence, Mo.) to get the final seven outs of the game.
With two down and the bases loaded, Gehrs got Brian O'Grady (Warminster, Penn.) to pop up to Schwindel to get Keene out of the jam and leave the Mountaineers off the board.
After a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth for Gehrs and scoreless innings for the Swamp Bats, he came back out for the bottom of the ninth to preserve the 3-2 lead. Unfortunately for Keene, this would not be without drama.
Gehrs hit the first batter he faced, White, with a pitch to start the ninth. The next batter, Chris Cook (Annapolis, Md.), tried to drop a sacrifice bunt to advance White to second, but Gehrs made a great play, fielding the bunt in front of him and throwing it to second in time to get White out for the first out of the inning. Mishu then blooped a single into shallow left field to put runners on first and second and only one. But on the very next pitch, Vermont, the NECBL leaders in steals this year, attempted a double steal that would have put two runners in scoring position.
The Swamp Bats had none of that though, with O'Brien throwing out the lead-runner Cook at third for the second out of the inning. It was the second Vermont base runner caught stealing in the game, and it could not have come at a bigger moment in the game. Despite a vehement argument from Vermont manager John Russo, the call stood. With two down and Mishu leading off of second, Gerhs struck out Jones swinging for the final out of the game.
Pistorese earned the win for Keene, his second of the year, after tossing six innings of two run ball and striking out 3. Vermont starter Schnelle got the loss, his first of the year.
With the win, Keene stays in first place in the Western Division and improves their record to 9-2, while Vermont falls to 6-7 on the year.
The Swamp Bats are back in action Sunday against the second-place North Adams SteepleCats in North Adams, Mass. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 pm.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 23, 2012
- Gehrs's seven-out save preserves Swamp Bats' ninth win of the season - Keene Swamp Bats
- Lights out in Laconia - Newport Gulls
- Keene Escapes Montpelier With 3-2 Win - Vermont Mountaineers
- Narodowy Help 'Cats Slip by Holyoke, 4-2 - North Adams SteepleCats
- Tonight's Game Postponed - Sanford Mainers
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.
