Late Rally Falls Short in 5-3 Setback
July 22, 2018 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
HOLYOKE, MA - The Keene SwampBats (21-16) rallied in the ninth, but fell short in a 5-3 loss to the Valley Blue Sox (26-11) on Sunday night at MacKenzie Stadium in Holyoke.
In the top of the ninth, the SwampBats brought the tying run to the plate with a runner at second and two away, but LHP Ricky Reynoso (Pacific) got Joe Breaux (Alabama) to fly to deep center and end the game.
Reynoso notched his fourth save of the summer.
Keene got a pair of runs back in the ninth on a sac fly from Cordell Dunn Jr. (Grayson College) and an RBI double from Brandon Smith (Dayton).
The SwampBats have dropped two straight for the first time since June 27-29.
Valley grabbed an early lead with four runs in the second including a two-out, two-run double from Andre Marrero (Quinnipiac). Kyle Schmidt (Richmond) also homered in the inning for the hosts.
Benny Wanger (Yale) extended the Blue Sox lead to 5-0 with a solo shot in the home half of the fifth.
SwampBats starter Colby Dunlop (UConn) gave up five runs on eight hits while walking three and fanning three in 4.1 IP. The right-hander was dealt the loss and drops to 2-2 on the season.
Blue Sox starter Timothy Josten (Cal State Fullerton) surrendered four hits to go along with three walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 IP and earned the win to even his record at 1-1. RHP Riley Lamb (USC-0.2 IP, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, K) and LHP Hayden Manning (SNHU-3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 K) followed in relief before giving way to Reynoso.
Keene got on the board in the sixth when Nick Romano (St. John's River) reached on an error charged to Valley 3B Jaylen Smith (Kennesaw St.), went to third on a pair of walks and came home when Mitchell Golden (Georgia Southern) was hit by a pitch.
Breaux (2-5) had a multi-hit game for manager Lyndon Coleman's squad, while RHP Heibert Romero (Southeastern-3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K) had a scoreless outing in relief.
The 3.2 IP marked a season-high for Romero.
The SwampBats head to North Adams to battle the SteepleCats on Monday night at Joe Wolfe Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 and RHP Erick Zecha (1-1, 5.31) out of RPI will be on the mound.
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