Hart Leads SwampBats to Fourth Consecutive Win
June 14, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE - It was another dominant pitching performance by Franklin Pierce's Zach Hart as he goes 6.2 IP giving up three hits, one earned run, one walk, and four strikeouts, leading the SwampBats to a 6-3 victory over the Danbury Westerners.
Hart picked up where he left off last Thursday down in Holyoke as he continued to keep hitters off balance and forced a lot of weak groundballs. He improves to 2-0 in his two starts with 11 strikeouts and only one walk.
"My slider was working and I was really using that slider and fastball combo," said Hart. "It was keeping [Danbury] off balance."
In the SwampBats previous game against the Valley Blue Sox, they were only able to muscle out two hits and one run but that was not the case tonight against Danbury. The 'Bats got four runs across in the bottom the first inning thanks to the shaky pitching performance by Westerners' starter Alex Vargas. In the his only inning of work, Vargas faced eight batters, walked four, gave up three earned runs on one hit, hit a batter, and struck out one.
Westerners' right-handed pitcher Ryan Testani came in relief of Vargas and kept the SwampBats hitters in check until Georgia Tech's Brandt Stallings hit a solo home run over the left field fence to make it 5-0.
While the 'Bats offense came alive in this game, their defense remained solid. Catcher Tommy LaCongo (St. Bonaventure U) threw out Danbury's Jesse Uttendorfer on an attempt to steal third base and the centerfielder Stallings made a great diving catch in the top of the eighth inning.
Pitchers Dylan Sbordone (Southern New Hampshire U), Carmen Giampetruzzi (Boston Col), Ivon Clough (Southern New Hampshire U), Andrew O'Brien (Riverside Community Col), came in relief of Hart and closed out the game, giving the SwampBats the victory.
The SwampBats improve to a record of four wins and zero losses on the season and remain the only undefeated team in New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL).
"The chemistry the boys have so far has been really awesome. It's almost like they've already spent a summer together and it's only been a week," said SwampBats Pitching Coach Chris Cody.
Another great crowd was on hand at Alumni Field to witness the victory with an attendance of 1,198, all wearing their American flag apparel in honor of Flag Day.
The SwampBats are back in action tomorrow at Alumni Field when they take on the Valley Blue Sox for the third time this season. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 14, 2016
- Mountaineers Fall to Winnipeasaukee, 8-5 - Vermont Mountaineers
- SteepleCats Hammer Mainers on the Road - Sanford Mainers
- Hart Leads SwampBats to Fourth Consecutive Win - Keene Swamp Bats
- SteepleCats Cruise to Victory - North Adams SteepleCats
- Mainers Walk-Off in Extras to Win Home Opener - Sanford Mainers
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