Ocean State Beats Keene
July 12, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
WAKEFIELD - After snapping a three-game losing streak in game one of Tuesday's doubleheader, the Keene Swamp Bats (14-13) could not keep the momentum going as the Ocean State Waves (17-10) picked up a 3-0 victory in seven innings in the second game of the Twofer-Tuesday in front of 456 fans at Old Mountain Field.
It was the second time this season the Swamp Bats have been shut out, and their eighth loss in the last 11 games. Keene is now 2-6 in the month of July.
Michael Pastore (Sr., Central Connecticut St.) made his first start of the season on the mound, and the left-hander out of Wynantskill, NY pitched well early, putting the Waves down in order in the bottom of the 1st, throwing one strikeout.
Ocean State third baseman Dean Lockery (Jr., Central Connecticut St.) led off the bottom of the 2nd with a walk, and then stole second off a wild pitch from Pastore. First baseman and NECBL All Star Austin Upshaw (Jr., Kennesaw St.) followed that up with a single to right field. With runners on the corners and nobody out, second baseman Alex Holderbach (So., Eastern Kentucky U) flew out to deep centerfield to score Lockery from 3rd, making it 1-0 Waves after two.
The Swamp Bats are now 1-12 when their opponent scores first.
After another scoreless inning for Keene in the top of the 3rd, Pastore regained his swagger on the mound in the bottom of the frame, putting the Waves down in order, with two of the outs coming via strikeout.
The Swamp Bats got a single from left fielder Parker Sniatynski (Jr., St. Louis U) in the top of the 4th, but left him stranded at first.
Keene only notched four hits, and left four runners stranded on base.
Ocean State's starting pitcher Ben Onyshko (Jr., Stetson U) picked up the win on the mound for the Waves. Through 5.2 innings, Onyshko surrendered only four hits and dished out four Ks without any walks.
In the bottom of the 5th, Pastore walked Ocean State catcher David Real (Sr., Stony Brook) to put runners on 1st and 2nd with only one out. Ivon Clough (Jr., SNHU) came out of the Swamp Bats bullpen to retire the next two batters in order.
Pastore took the loss on the mound for Keene for his first decision, but still had a respectable first start. He finished with a season-high 4.2 innings pitched and four strikeouts. Pastore also surrendered three hits and one earned run.
After another scoreless inning by the Swamp Bats in the top of the 6th, the Waves put the nail in the coffin in the bottom of the inning. Short-stop and NECBL All Star Grant Williams (Jr., Kennesaw St.) led off with a double to left field, which was followed up with another double by DH Grant Martellini (So., Boston College), putting runners at 2nd and 3rd with nobody out.
Martellini finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
After Clough intentionally walked Lockery to load the bases, Upshaw hit a two-run RBI double to right field to give the Waves a 3-0 lead. However, on the relay throw from Keene right fielder Jack Morock (So., Iowa Western CC), catcher Evan McFarland (Sr., Lock Haven U) tagged out Lockery at home to get the first out of the inning.
Clough was able to retire the next two batters in order to get out of the inning. He finished with 1.1 innings pitched, three hits, two earned runs and one walk.
Ocean State closer Robert Hitt (Jr., Quinnipiac U) entered the game in the top of the 7th, putting the Swamp Bats down in order, striking out two of the three.
Hitt earned his eighth save of the year, giving him the lead for most in the NECBL.
The Swamp Bats are back home Wednesday, taking on the Vermont Mountaineers for the fifth and final time in the regular season. First pitch from Alumni Field is set for 6:30. 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 July 12, 2016
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