Swamp Bats Split Doubleheader
July 19, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE - A pair of scheduled sevens turned into a pair of eight-inning games at Alumni Field Tuesday, as the Keene Swamp Bats (15-17) fell to the Upper Valley Nighthawks (12-20) 4-2 in eight innings in game two of Tuesday's double dip. Keene took game one 8-7, which was also decided in eight.
The loss keeps Keene in 4th place in the NECBL Northern Division standings, holding them in the final playoff spot for the time being. The Swamp Bats are now three games out of 1st.
Swamp Bats left-handed pitcher Ryan Avidano (Jr., U of Georgia) got off to a great start on the mound for Keene, putting the Nighthawks down in order in the top of the 1st, striking out two.
Keene put the first runs on the board in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Centerfielder Jordan Howard (Jr., Lee U) led off with a walk and stole second. With one out, Howard was brought home off an RBI-single by DH Aubrey McCarty (Jr., Florida A&M). First baseman Patrick Sullivan (So., U of Georgia) followed that up in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own to give the Swamp Bats a 2-0 lead after two.
Sullivan finished 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk. McCarty now has a hit in each of his first three appearances as a Swamp Bat this season.
The Nighthawks tied the game in the top of the 4th when DH Trent Leimkuehler (Sr., St. Louis U) hammered a two-run homer into deep center to knot the game at 2-2 halfway through the 4th.
Leimkuehler finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, two RBIs and a strikeout.
The Swamp Bats tallied three more hits between the 4th and 8th innings, including doubles from Sullivan and right fielder Parker Sniatynski (Jr., St. Louis U), but stranded four base runners in the final five innings and were put down in order in both the 4th and 8th.
Keene stranded five base runners in the entire game, while the Nighthawks stranded six.
In the top of the 7th, Upper Valley first baseman Austin Embler (Jr., UNC-Greensboro) got on with a two-out single, and Avidano was replaced on the mound by the righty Jamal Wade (Jr., U of Maryland).
Avidano finished the game with a season-high 6.2 innings of work in the no-decision. Avidano surrendered six hits and two earned runs while fanning a season-best seven batters.
Keene third baseman Lucas Loupa (Sr., Eckerd Col,) got on in the bottom of the 7th with a two-out single, but shortstop Joshua Shaw (So., St. John's) grounded out to send the game to extras.
Upper Valley third baseman Al Molina (Jr., Seton Hall U) led off the top of the 8th with a walk. Left fielder Joseph Denison (Sr., Troy U) went yard to deep center for a two-run shot to give the Nighthawks a 4-2 lead.
Denison led the way for the Nighthawks offensively, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
The Swamp Bats were put down in order in the bottom of the 8th by Upper Valley right-handed reliever Wes Engle (So., Texas St.). Engle got his first win of the season on the mound, tossing 3.1 innings, allowing only two hits and one walk. He also struck out four, including two in the bottom of the 8th.
Wade was the losing pitcher for Keene, dropping his record to 1-1 on the mound. Wade tossed 1.1 innings and gave up only two hits, but one of them was the game-winning home by Denison. Wade also tallied two strikeouts to one walk.
The Swamp Bats have the day off Wednesday, but are back in action at home Thursday against the Mystic Schooners, who have the best record in the league at 20-12 and sit atop the NECBL Southern Division. It will be the first matchup between the two this season. First pitch from Alumni Field 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 19, 2016
- Mystic 9 , New Bedford 3 - Mystic Schooners
- Bats Win 8-7 - Keene Swamp Bats
- Swamp Bats Split Doubleheader - Keene Swamp Bats
- North Adams Tops Vermont 7-2 - Vermont Mountaineers
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