Swamp Bats Get Swept After 7th Inning Rally Falls Short
July 25, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
NORTH ADAMS - The Keene Swamp Bats (16-21) have split two doubleheaders this season; one with Upper Valley and another with Ocean State. Two of their four wins in the month of July have come off from doubleheaders.
That wasn't the case Sunday, as the Swamp Bats fell to the North Adams Steeplecats (20-18) 3-2 in game two in front of 416 fans at Joe Wolfe Field, giving the Steeplecats a Sunday sweep.
North Adams beat Keene 10-3 in game one of Sunday's twofer action. The Swamp Bats went 3-3 against the Steeplecats this season.
The Swamp Bats have now lost six of their last seven, are 4-15 in July, and 2-8 in their last 10. Keene is now 7.5 games out of first place in the NECBL Northern Division. They sit 1.5 games behind 4th place Vermont (17-19) for the final playoff spot. The Swamp Bats have made the playoffs every year except 1998 and 2015.
Keene started right-handed pitcher Rob Carrillo (So., SNHU) on the mound in game two, and the North Adams batting order gave him fits early. Centerfielder Daniel Holst (SE Missouri St. U), second baseman Dustin Shirley (Jr., Dartmouth), and shortstop Easton Johnson (Jr., U of Texas-Arlington) were the first three batters Carrillo faced, and they all notched a hit in the top of the 1st. Holst led off the game with a triple to deep right field, while Shirley and Johnson each singled in the following at-bats. Shirley's single scored Shirley from 1st, to give the Steeplecats a 1-0 lead.
The Swamp Bats are now 3-17 when their opponent scores the first run.
With runners on 1st and 2nd in the top of the 1st and only one out, North Adams first baseman Noah Vaughan (So., U of Texas-Arlington) struck out for the second out, but Keene catcher Tommy LaCongo (Sr., St. Bonaventure) misfired on a pickoff attempt to 3rd base. The error allowed Shirley to score, making it 2-0 Steeplecats. North Adams tacked on another run when catcher John Mazza (Jr., Northeastern) hit an RBI single to left, making it a 3-0 ballgame.
Carrillo settled in after a disastrous first inning, holding the Steeplecats scoreless for the rest of the game, allowing only four hits through the final five innings. Carrillo still took the loss on the mound, dropping his season record to 0-3. Through six innings, the Melrose, MA native surrendered eight hits, three earned runs and four walks while also striking out two.
Carrillo is the first pitcher for Keene and only the seventh in the NECBL this season to throw a complete game.
The Swamp Bats didn't get on the board until the top of the 5th. Left fielder Ryan Costello (So., Central Connecticut St.) led off with a single to right. Right fielder Jack Morock (So., Iowa Western CC) followed in the next at-bat with a single to left and was able to reach second an error by North Adams left fielder Nick Riotto (Sr., Penn St.).
With no outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Keene scored their first run off a sac fly to center by 1st baseman Patrick Sullivan (So., U of Georgia). After LaCongo struck out for the inning's second out, third baseman Garrett Christman (Jr., U of Butler) hit an RBI single to right, making a 3-2 ballgame after five.
Christman has batted for a .326 average in the month of July.
North Adams put together a threat in the bottom of the 6th, looking to tack on insurance runs. With a runner on first and only one out, Riotto singled to left. Shirley was then hit by a pitch two at-bats later to load the bases with two outs. Keene manager Jim Negrych called an infield pitcher's conference, but left Carrillo in the game. The Swamp Bats got the third out in the next at-bat when Johnson flew out to left field.
The Steeplecats stranded 10 runners on base through the entire game. Keene stranded four.
The Swamp Bats got the tying run aboard in the top of the 1st when Sullivan singled to left with only one out. He was then replaced on the base paths by Jamal Wade (Jr., U of Maryland). In the next at-bat, Parker Sniatynski (Jr., St. Louis U) came in to pinch hit for LaCongo. Sniatynski struck out swinging on a full count, and Mazza caught Wade stealing second on a relay throw to end the game.
North Adams' starter Braxton Wilks (Sr., Abilene Christian U) was the winning pitcher. The lefty from Sugar Land, TX finished with five innings, giving up three hits, one earned run and two while fanning three batters. Steeplecats closer Tanner Bird (Sr., Franklin Pierce U) got his 10th save of the season, giving up one hit and striking out one through three batters faced. Bird now leads the NECBL in saves.
The Swamp Bats hit the road again Monday for a meeting with the Plymouth Pilgrims (16-21) at Forges Field. The Pilgrims sit in last place of the NECBL Southern Division. Keene has a 1-6 record this season against last place teams. First pitch is scheduled 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 25, 2016
- Recap: Plymouth 13, Mystic 4 - Mystic Schooners
- Keene No Match for Plymouth Pitching in 7-2 Loss - Keene Swamp Bats
- Mountaineers and Nighthawks Rained Out - Vermont Mountaineers
- 2016 NECBL Weekly Roundup #7 - NECBL
- Swamp Bats Get Swept After 7th Inning Rally Falls Short - Keene Swamp Bats
- SteepleCats Swamp the Bats - North Adams SteepleCats
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