Swamp Bats explode for seven runs in the fifth for 9-7 come-from-behind victory
June 19, 2014 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE, N.H. - The Keene Swamp Bats exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, sending 12 men to the plate to erase a six run deficit in a 9-7 win over the Valley Blue Sox for their second win in a row.
The Swamp Bats offense exploded for nine runs and 18 hits in the victory.
The Blue Sox brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning but Ben Crisculo (Southern New Hampshire) was able to strike out the side in the ninth to preserve the win and record his first save of the season.
Valley starter Zach Strecker (Kentucky) was cruising through the first four innings of work but fell apart in the fifth inning as the Swamp Bats were able to string together eight straight hits before an out was recorded.
The inning started with an infield hit by Taylor Perez (St. Leo). Patrick McGrath (Washington State) then lined a double to left and Connor Fitzsimons drove (Central Connecticut) Perez in with an RBI single up the middle. The hit parade continued with an RBI single by Ryan Summers (Louisville) driving in McGrath to make it 6-2 Blue Sox. Brady Sheetz (Hartford) kept the inning going with a base hit and Bret Dennis (St. John's) cut the lead in half with an RBI single of his own driving in Fitzsimons. Zach Lauricella (St. John's) made it a new ballgame with a bases-clearing three run double to tie it up at six.
"I was just trying to be aggressive up there, not trying to do too much, fought off a few pitches trying to get a good to pitch to hit and I got it, hit a double there and it's a good feeling to get us a few RBIs and gave us a chance to keep us in the game," Lauricella said.
Lauricella was the last batter Strecker would face as he failed to record an out in the fifth inning. Strecker was charged with seven runs; all earned on 10 hits, walked one and struck out two in just four innings of work on 67 pitches. Strecker had pitched 11 scoreless innings prior to the fifth inning.
Fitzsimons who has struggled for much of the year broke out of his slump big time going 3-5 with an RBI.
"It feels good. It's nice to finally have a batting average," Fitzsimons said. "I've just tried to stay positive and everyone has been in my corner, coaches, teammates, friends, family... I knew I was going to come out."
The Swamp Bats then took the 7-6 lead when Conner Simonetti (Kent State) hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Lauricella to finish the scoring in the inning.
Keene added another run in the sixth inning when Aubrey McCarty (Vanderbilt) hit an RBI single that plated Sheetz to give the Swamp Bats an 8-6 lead. The run was unearned.
It wasn't easy however as the Swamp Bats had to play from behind from the get-go as they gave up a lead in the first inning for the second straight night. Keene starter, Matt Blandino (Central Connecticut St) gave up a two-run home run to Trey Sikes (Savannah State) with two outs, putting the Blue Sox on the board, up 2-0. Storm Wilson (Kentucky) led off the inning on an error by the shortstop Perez. It was just his second error of the season.
The Blue Sox added a single run in the third inning to make it 3-0 when Todd Ezold (UMass-Boston) scored on a fielder's choice by Bobby Zarubin (Stanford). Wilson was tagged out at third on the play to allow Zarubin to score.
In the top of the fifth, Valley added three more runs on a two run home run by Bobby Stahel (Southern Cal) and a solo shot by Sikes to make it 6-0 Blue Sox. It was Sikes' second home run of the ball game.
A home run by Angelo La Bruna (Southern Cal) in the top of the eighth inning cut the Blue Sox deficit to one, 8-7.
A sac fly by McGrath in the bottom half of the eighth inning however extended the Swamp Bats lead back to two with an insurance run, scoring Alex Liquori (Kennesaw State) who came in to pinch run for McCarty to make his 2014 NECBL debut, making it 9-7.
With the win, the Swamp Bats improve to 3-7, while the Blue Sox fall to 5-5 with the loss.
The Swamp Bats' next game is Friday night at the Sanford Mainers with a 6:30 first pitch.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 19, 2014
- Swamp Bats explode for seven runs in the fifth for 9-7 come-from-behind victory - Keene Swamp Bats
- Valley Blue Sox Suffer Heartbreaking Loss at Keene - Valley Blue Sox
- Blue Sox Struggle in Loss to Schooners - Valley Blue Sox
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.
