Keene comeback comes up short
Published on June 21, 2016 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE - The Keene Swamp Bats have a losing streak for the first time in the 2016 season, falling to the Upper Valley Nighthawks 10-7 at Alumni Field in Keene in front of 1,011 fans on Tuesday.
It was Keene's second loss at home in their first ever matchup with the NECBL's newest franchise in Upper Valley. It was the second straight game where the Swamp Bats found themselves in a big hole after four innings. After trailing North Adams 7-0 after four on Sunday, the Swamp Bats trailed Upper Valley 5-0 at the end of four innings.
The Nighthawks got on the board early after second baseman Brian Mims of UNC-Wilmington hit an RBI double to left center in the top of the 1st to make it 1-0. DH Grayson Padgett of the University of Houston followed it up with a consecutive RBI double to left center to make it 2-0 Upper Valley at the end of one.
After the Swamp Bats were held scoreless through the first three innings, the Nighthawks added to their lead in the top of the 4th when leftfielder Joey Denison of Troy University hit another RBI double for Upper Valley to make it 3-0. Two at-bats later, an error by Keene third baseman Ryan Costello of Central Connecticut State scored Denison from 3rd base to make it 4-0 Upper Valley. Denison finished the night going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, 2 RBIs, two doubles and a home run.
A sac fly by Upper Valley shortstop Matt Maul of St. Joseph's University made it 5-0 Nighthawks after 4.
After Denison's single shot homerun to left field in the 5th, the Swamp Bats finally got on the board. Catcher Tommy LaCongo of St. Bonaventure University belted a two-run homer to left field; the first hit for LaCongo in his 23rd at-bat this season.
Leading 6-2 entering entering the 6th inning, the Nighthawks really blew the game open when Mims went yard to right field to score three more runs. Padgett then hit a single shot homer, also to right field, to make it 10-2 in the middle of the 6th. Mims finished his day going 2-for-6 with a double, a homerun, 4 RBIs and two runs scored.
The Swamp Bats wouldn't give up, however. With one on and two out in the bottom of the 6th, Keene shortstop Jordan Howard of Lee University blasted a two-run homerun to deep center field. It was Howard's fourth homer of the year, making it 10-4 Upper Valley after 6.
The Keene pitching staff finally got into a rhythm in the 7th inning, when left-handed reliever Michael Pastore of Central Connecticut State University put the Nighthawks down in order in the top of the 7th. Pastore tossed the final three innings for the Swamp Bats, holding the Nighthawks scoreless, giving up only two hits, striking out two batters and walking one other.
Keene would get two more runs back in the 7th off of RBI singles from second baseman Dom Iero of Kent State and the third baseman Costello, making it 10-6 Upper Valley entering the 8th.
Denison notched a one-out double to center field in the top of the 8th, but Upper Valley would leave him stranded at 3rd. The Nighthawks put Keene down in order in the bottom of the 8th to hold the score at 10-6.
Pastore yielded a one-out single and a walk while LaCongo added a passed ball, but the Swamp Bats defense did not allow Valley to score a run in the top of the 9th.
In the bottom of the final inning, shortstop Garrett Christman of Butler University and the second baseman got on base with consecutive one-out walks. After left fielder Parker Sniatynski of St. Louis University put runners on the corners with a 6-4 fielder's choice, pinch-hitter and Keene native Lucas Luopa of Eckerd College hit an RBI single into right field to make it 10-7 with two outs in the bottom of the 9th. However, centerfielder Brandt Stallings of Georgia Tech grounded out to Upper Valley third baseman Zack Canada of UNC-Wilmington to end the game. The Swamp Bats scored five unanswered runs, but were unable to complete the comeback.
The loss drops Keene to 7-3 on the year, and starting right-handed pitcher Zach Hart of Franklin Pierce University took his first loss on the mound this season, dropping his record to 2-1. Hart lasted four innings, but gave up eight hits and four earned runs while also striking out three batters.
Upper Valley starter Houston Mabray, a righty from the University of Houston, improved his record on the mound to 1-1 Tuesday, lasting six innings, giving up five hits, four earned runs and fanning six Swamp Bats.
The Swamp Bats are back in action at Alumni Field Wednesday, taking on the New Bedford Bay Sox. Keene is expected to start right-handed pitcher Tommy Doyle from the University of Virginia. First pitch is at 6:30, and the game can be heard on the NECBL Broadcast Network, FM 104.1 and AM 1220 ESPN Keene.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 21, 2016
- Keene comeback comes up short - Keene Swamp Bats
- Gulls Roll Past Mountaineers - Vermont Mountaineers
- Bay Sox Get Bats Going in 8-4 Win - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Winnipesaukee Explodes in the 6th, Comes Back to Top Sanford - Sanford Mainers
- Gulls Walk-Off Again, Defeat Pilgrims 6-5 - Newport Gulls
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