Keene Swamp Bats Rally Late to Edge Newport Gulls
July 4, 2013 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
Newport, RI - The Newport Gulls held the lead on three separate occasions, but were unable to hang on as the Keene Swamp Bats rallied with a pair of runs in the eighth inning to hand the Gulls their second consecutive loss on the road at Alumni Field on Wednesday, July 3rd.
Newport reliever Sean Hartnett delivered three shutout innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk while striking out six Swamp Bats before giving way to Kyle Hart, making his first appearance of the season, to start the eighth inning. Protecting a one-run 7-6 lead, Hart recorded just one out and issued a pair of walks before being lifted for Kyle Wilcox. After striking out Keene shortstop Zach Lucas, Wilcox surrendered three straight singles to third baseman Matt Ford, centerfielder J.P. Sportman and right fielder Brian O'Grady allowing the Swamp Bats to take the lead.
The Gulls offense took full advantage of Keene starting pitcher Nathan Kirby's control issues in the first inning to jump out to the early lead on the road. Kirby, the reigning NECBL Pitcher of the Week, had not been scored upon in his previous eight innings of work, but surrendered three runs in the first inning after issuing three consecutive walks with the bases loaded and two out. Newport third baseman Joel McKeithan, right fielder David Graybill and catcher Austin Barr drove in runs with bases loaded walks to give the Gulls an early 3-0 lead.
A pair of errors by the Gulls in the bottom half of the inning allowed the Swamp Bats to plate a pair of runs, cutting the Newport lead to a single run. The Swamp Bats tied the game in the third inning before both teams tacked on three runs in the fourth inning to push the score to 6-6. The Gulls broke the tie in the seventh inning when shortstop Trace Tam Sing grounded into a fielders choice to push across the go-ahead run.
Newport starting pitcher Darin Gillies took home a no decision after allowing six runs (two earned) on five hits with one walk and one strikeout. Kirby was also handed a no-decision after lasting just three and two thirds, giving up six runs (four earned) on five hits with five walks and seven strikeouts.
Keene improves to 4-11 overall this season with the victory, while Newport falls to 11-5 overall, just one game ahead of the Ocean State Waves in the Eastern Division standings.
Newport will be back in action taking on the Ocean State Waves at Cardines Field on Thursday, July 4th. The Gulls will send left-hander James Mulry (2-0, 0.96 ERA) to the mound for his first start at home this season. Ocean State will counter with Liam O'Sullivan (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Since moving to Newport in 2001, the Gulls have captured the New England Collegiate Baseball League championship, the Fay Vincent Sr. Cup, an NECBL-record five times, and in 2012 were named the No. 1 summer collegiate team in the country by Perfect Game USA in Perfect Game's Top 50 final rankings, capping a record-breaking season by Newport and marking the first time ever that an NECBL franchise has been ranked No. 1 nationally.
The Gulls, which attract more than 50,000 fans annually to historic Cardines Field in Newport, recruit players from the top college baseball programs in the country, and to date have sent six alumni to Major League Baseball teams, and over 150 players to professional baseball teams ranging from Independent leagues to Triple-A.
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