Swamp Bats erase deficit, earn walk-off win in home opener
June 11, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
The Keene Swamp Bats won their home opener Saturday night in dramatic fashion, knocking off the North Adams Steeplecats in a 5-4 walk-off in 11 innings in front of 2,160 fans at Alumni Field.
The Swamp Bats came back from a four-run deficit and outhit the Steeplecats 11-8. Keene's pitching staff was dominant in the victory, issuing a whopping 19 Ks on the night. The Swamp Bats are now off to a 2-0 start.
Keene starting pitcher Joey Murray, a right-hander out of Kent State University, set the tone early by striking out the side in the top of the 1st. The Swamp Bats were able to get a pair of singles in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to get a run across. Murray had a stellar night on the mound overall for the Swamp Bats, lasting 6.2 innings and tossing a dozen strikeouts to just one walk, earning the win on the mound. Dylan Sbordone came in for relief in the 7th. Sbordone finished with 1.1 innings and 2 Ks.
North Adams shortstop Justin Shirley got it going for the Steeplecats in the top of the 2nd with a one-out double into right field. After Shirley stole third, the Steeplecats scored the first run when second basemen C.J. Price hit an RBI single into center to bring Shirley home, giving the Steeplecats a 1-0 lead. Then with two outs, right fielder Noah Vaughan blasted a three-run homer to right-center, making it 3-0 Steeplecats after two. Keaton Wright followed suit in the top of the third with a single-shot homer into deep center to give North Adams a 4-0 lead.
After being retired in order for three innings in a row, the Swamp Bats finally got some runs back in the bottom of the 6th. After second baseman Dom Iero got a one-out walk, left-fielder Parker Sniatynski brought him home with an RBI-double to left field, making it 4-1 Steeplecats. In the next at-bat, third basemen Ryan Costello blasted an RBI-single to right field to cut the lead in half at 4-2.
After Murray and Sbordone held the Steeplecats scoreless for five straight innings, the Swamp Bats tied the game in the bottom of the 8th. Costello hit a lead-off single into left, and centerfielder Brandt Stallings followed it up with a two-run homerun into center, tying the game at four runs a piece.
Swamp Bats right-hander Michael LaBeau came in and tossed a scoreless top of the 9th, including two strikeouts. But, Steeplecats reliever Tim Fallon held the Swamp Bats scoreless in the bottom half of the 9th. LaBeau stood firm in the top of of the 10th, giving up only an infield single and tossing three more strikeouts. LaBeau lasted three innings and tossed five strikeouts.
Swamp Bats first basemen Patrick Sullivan did notch a two-out single to center in the bottom of the 10th, but Keene was held scoreless in the frame. The Swamp Bats returned the favor; LaBeau tossed another scoreless frame in the top of the 11th to keep it knotted at 4.
With one out in the bottom of the 11th, Swamp Bats catcher Tommy LaCongo walked and shortstop Garrett Christman was hit by a pitch in the following at-bat. With two on and one out, Swamp Bats second baseman Dom Iero hit a walk-off RBI single into center to bring LaCongo home for the winning run.
Andrew Camiolo took the loss on the mound for the Steeplecats, who drop to 1-2 on the season.
The Swamp Bats are back in action Sunday, making a return trip to Holyoke, MA to face the Valley Blue Sox. First pitch is at 6:30, and the game can be heard on 104.1 FM, 1220 AM ESPN Keene.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 11, 2016
- Swamp Bats erase deficit, earn walk-off win in home opener - Keene Swamp Bats
- Nighthawks Top Mountaineers 6-4 - Vermont Mountaineers
- Four Errors Prove Costly for SteepleCats - North Adams SteepleCats
- Schooners earn 12-11 win - Mystic Schooners
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