Swamp Bats Hot in 17-9 Victory
Published on June 22, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
Keene, N.H. - The Swamp Bats hitters came alive tonight against the Vermont Mountaineers, defeating the Western Division rival 17-9. The 17 runs for the Swamp Bats are the most they have scored in a game so far this season.
Keene was led by strong offensive performances by Fran Whitten (Westboro, Mass.), Nelson Ward (Emerson, Ga.), JP Sportman (Schenectady, N.Y.), and Dylan Delacruz (East Lyme, Conn.). They combined for 13 RBI and eight runs scored on the evening.
Vermont got the scoring started in the first inning, when AJ Robinson (Peoria, Ariz.) led off the game with a solo home run, his first of the year.
The Swamp Bats answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning and did not look back. Sportman hit an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Ward from second base. On a throwing error from the Vermont centerfielder Brian O'Grady (Warminster, Penn.) on the single, Grant Kay (Omaha, Neb.) scored from first, giving Keene a 2-1 lead.
Whitten led off the second inning for Keene with a solo home run over the right field fence, giving the Swamp Bats a 3-2 lead. Keene got two unearned runs to finish off the second after a throwing error from Vermont second baseman Brett Johnson (Little Elm, Texas) that kept the inning going.
Keene put up six runs in the bottom of the third to break the game open. After a Frankie Schwindel (Livingston, N.J.) lead-off single, Whitten blasted his second home run of the game over the fence in left field. It was Whitten's team-leading fourth home run of the year.
The scoring continued with four consecutive hits, including a two-RBI single off the bat of Ward. Delacruz finished the scoring in the third on an RBI groundout. The Swamp Bats lead lasted the rest of the game, despite a valiant comeback effort from Vermont.
Walker Stadler (Glenview, Ill.) started for Vermont, but was pulled in the middle of the six-run third inning for Keene. His final line read: 2+ innings pitched, nine runs (seven earned), nine hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Tyler Rogers (Littleton, Col.) relieved Stadler, throwing three scoreless innings of relief against Keene after giving up the final two runs of the third.
Vermont's comeback attempt included runs in the fourth and sixth before a four run top of the seventh put them within three of Keene. The Mountaineers' recorded three hits in the seventh, highlighted by an RBI single by Robinson and a two-run double from Johnson. Heading into the seventh inning stretch, the Swamp Bats led 11-8.
The Swamp Bats immediately responded with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 14-8 lead. Delacruz knocked a two-run double down the left field line with the bases loaded, and Sportman followed up with an RBI single of his own.
Keene added three more runs in the eighth for good for measure on a two RBI single from Sportman and an RBI double from Schwindel. Sportman finished the game 3-6 with four runs batted in. Delacruz also had four RBI to go along with one run scored.
Ward possibly had the best night of all for Keene, going 4-4 with two walks, two RBI and five runs scored. He reached base on all six at-bats on the evening.
Rob Rogers (Islip, N.Y.) started for Keene, pitching six strong innings, only giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He earned the win in his first start of the season. Ryan Horstman (South Hadley, Mass.) pitched well in relief to close the game for Keene. He threw 2.2 innings, giving up one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts.
Stadler received the loss for Vermont, his first of the season.
With the win, Keene improves to 8-2 on the year, while Vermont falls to 6-6.
The Swamp Bats will travel up to Montpelier, VT tomorrow night to face the Mountaineers in the second of a home-and-home series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 22, 2012
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