Steeplecats stop streaking Swamp Bats, 5-3

June 24, 2012 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release


North Adams, MA - The Swamp Bats' three game winning streak was brought to an end against the North Adams Steeplecats Sunday in a 5-3 loss. Even with the loss however, Keene remains in first place in the Western Division over North Adams by a half game.

Andrew Grant (Westboro, Mass.) got the start for Keene; his first start of the year. He went up against 6'7 Charlie Law (Linwood, N.J.) for the Steeplecats in his first start of the year as well.

The Swamp Bats jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on three consecutive singles. Jared Walsh (Duluth, Ga.) led off the inning with a single, with Dylan Moore (Yorba Linda, Cal.) following suit a couple pitches later. Nelson Ward (Emerson, Ga.) stepped up next and knocked an RBI single into left field, scoring Walsh from second. Moore advanced to third on the play, and was driven in on a sacrifice fly from Grant Kay (Omaha, Neb.) for the second Keene run of the inning.

North Adams responded immediately in the bottom of the third with three runs of their own to take the lead. With Grant struggling on the mound, the first three Steeplecats up in the inning reach base on hits. Julian Santos (Miami, Fla.) led the inning off with a single and was brought home on an RBI double from Dillon Bass (Four Oaks, N.C.). Shane Klemcke (Roxport, Texas) then reached base on a bunt single, advancing Bass to third. Jeff Roy (Cranston, R.I) brought him in with a sacrifice fly for the second run of the inning. North Adams took the lead a couple batters later on another sacrifice fly, this time from Esteban Tresgallo (Guatnabe, Puerto Rico).

The Steeplecats increased their lead the very next inning thanks to poor fielding from Keene. Tyler Palmer (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) led the inning off with a walk and then scored after Santos's single to right went under the glove of Austin Wheeler (Lilburn, Ga.) and rolled all the way to the wall. Santos was driven in from third a couple of batters later on a RBI single from Klemcke to give North Adams a 5-2 lead.

That chased Grant from the game, who finished with 3.1 innings pitched, five earned runs on six hits with four walks. Joey Ceja (Ottawa, Ill.) entered the game in relief, and got the next two outs to get Keene out of the jam.

That would be all the scoring that North Adams needed, as despite a solo home run from Kay in the sixth, his third of the year, the Swamp Bats did not put up any more offense.

Keene did threat in the top of the ninth, with runners on second and third and only one out, but Steeplecats closer Matt Longfield (Cutler Bay, Fla.) closed things out for North Adams. He got Walsh to fly out to shallow right and Moore to strike out swinging to end the game.

Law earned the win for North Adams after pitching six innings, giving up three earned runs and striking out four on the start.

With the win, North Adams improves to 10-5 on the year, with Keene falling to 9-3.

The Swamp Bats have Monday off before taking the field at home on Tuesday against the Danbury Westerners. First pitch at Alumni Field is scheduled for 6:30 pm.



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 24, 2012


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