Mountaineers clinch playoff spot with 9-4 win over Swamp Bats

August 2, 2019 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


KEENE, N.H. - The Vermont Mountaineers were able to clinch a playoff spot in the Northern Division with a 9-4 season finale victory against the Keene Swamp Bats in New England Collegiate Baseball League action at Montpelier Recreation Field on Thursday night.

Keene's starting pitcher, Marc Davis, gave up a leadoff single to Austin Gauthier (Lorton, Va. / Hofstra University), but it was erased on an inning ending double play. Vermont's starting pitcher Ryan Murphy (Wappingers Falls, N.Y. / Le Moyne College) struck out two batters while retiring the Swamp Bats in order.

In the second inning, Davis was able to work around a two-out walk, while striking out three Mountaineer batters. After giving up a leadoff hit to Will Wagner, Murphy was able to bear down and retire the next three batters to face him.

Davis started the third by striking out the first two batters he faced. But the Mountaineers were able to strike first on a solo home run by Gauthier, his first of the season. In the bottom of the inning, David Mathews was able to get ahold of a Murphy pitch and pull it over the right field fence for his eighth home run of the season. After 3 innings, the score was knotted at 1.

Both pitchers were able to settle down in the fourth inning as both teams were held scoreless.

After the Mountaineers went quietly in the top of the fifth, the Swamp Bats took the lead in the home half. After striking out the first two hitters, Murphy then allowed Andrew MacNeil to double. Kevin Welsh followed with a double of his own which plated MacNeil. Then, Randall Bednar singled through the left side to score Welsh. The Swamp Bats carried a 3-1 lead into the sixth inning.

The flood gates opened for the Mountaineers in the sixth. Cam Climo (Billerica, Mass. / University of Massachusetts Lowell) doubled and Connor Charping (Trenton, Mich. / Western Michigan University) belted his first HR of the season which chased Davis from the game.

The new pitcher for Keene, Michael Bacica, walked Corey DiLoreto (Reading, Mass. / Northeastern University) and a few batters later, walked Gauthier with the bases loaded to score DiLoreto. The Mountaineers held a 4-3 advantage after 6.

In the seventh, Bacica was able to strikeout the first two Mountaineer batters he faced. Charping then hit a Bacica fastball for a two-out double. After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Charping was then able to score the fifth run of the game off the second wild pitch of the inning.

Murphy was able to finish his outing by striking out the side in the home half of the seventh inning. Murphy struck out 12 batters, allowed 3 runs and didn't walk a batter over seven superb innings.

In the eighth, Erick Zecha took over in relief for Bacica. Straton Podaras (Glen Head, N.Y. / Radford University) greeted Zecha by launching his fourth home run of the season over the left-center field fence. Brian Goulard (Garden City, N.Y. / Hofstra University) followed with a walk and advanced to third base on the single from Gauthier. Gauthier then proceeded to steal his 19th base of the season. With the bases loaded and two outs, Charping singled just over the out-stretched glove of Keene shortstop, Kevin Welch and picked up 2 more RBIs. DiLoreto followed with a single of his own which plated Curtis Robison (Dillsburg, Pa. / Penn State University).

Christian Sanchez was the second pitcher of the inning used by the Swamp Bats. Sanchez was finally able to end the inning after four runs crossed the plate for the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers ran the score to 9-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Ryan Steckline (Newark, DE. / Monmouth University) took over on the bump for the Mountaineers to begin the bottom of the eighth. The Swamp Bats were able to add a run on a solo home run by Welsh, his 2nd of the season.

Sanchez was able to pitch a scoreless top of the ninth, before Ryan Steckline finished off the win for the Mountaineers in the bottom half as they picked up their 25th win of the season.

In the win, Ryan Murphy picked up his fifth win of the season. Michael Bacica was charged with his second loss of the season.

The Mountaineers will await their next opponent which depends on the outcome of the Valley/North Adams double header on Friday, Aug. 2nd. To stay updated on the playoff schedule, visit www.thevermontmountaineers.com. You can always listen online on the NECBL broadcast network.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 2, 2019


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.

OurSports Central