Swamp Bats sweep Vermont Mountaineers in double header
August 1, 2012 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
Keene N.H. - Keene defeated Vermont 9-4 and 6-2 in a double header at home. Each game was played in seven innings.
The Swamp Bats took game one on a comeback rally in the sixth inning highlighted by a three-run homer by Fran Whitten (Maine), his tenth of the season.
The score was knotted at 1-1 after two innings. Michael White (Louisville) hit an RBI single off of Swamp Bats starter Chad Rafferty (St. Joseph's College) in the top of the second. Keene matched the Mountaineers' run on a solo home run by Mike Papi (Virginia). It is Papi's third homer of the summer.
Vermont and Keene continued to exchange runs, as the Mountaineers scored two in the fourth and the Swamp Bats scored one in the fifth. Vermont earned its runs off a leadoff homer from Rob Kelly that extended his NECBL single season RBI record to 45 and an RBI single by White. Keene scored off an RBI single by Jared Walsh (Georgia) and impressive base running from Austin Wheeler (Georgia), who avoided a tag at home to make the score 3-2.
Vermont did not stay quiet, as red-hot White hit a solo homer off of Keene reliever Joshua Ingham (Central Connecticut St.) in the sixth to put the Mountaineers back up by two.
Offensive rallying and smart base-running earned the Swamp Bats seven runs in the sixth inning. Frankie Schwindel (St. John's) led off the inning with a walk, and advanced to third on a single from Papi. Papi took second base on a wild pitch. Catcher PJ Jones (Washington St.) overthrew second, allowing Schwindel to score. A Grant Kay (Iowa Western Community College) walk chased Mountaineer reliever Walker Stadler (Indiana) off the rubber and Steve Ostapeck (Villanova) replaced him on the mound.
Keene continued to rally, though, as Brett Barrett (Southern Maine) RBI singled and Whitten smoked a three-run home run, his tenth of the season. Wheeler followed with a triple, and Dylan Moore (Cypress Community College) knocked Wheeler in with a lineout to right field. Dylan Delacruz (Central Connecticut St.) doubled and scored the Swamp Bats' last run on a fielding error from left fielder Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern).
The Swamp Bats kept the seventh inning scoreless with a notable 2-6 pick off by Whitten and Moore and strong pitching from Ingham. He ended the game by striking out Brian O'Grady (Rutgers).
Ingham earns the win and Stadler receives the loss. Keene improves to 28-13 and Vermont falls to 18-22.
Keene continued its strong hitting in game two. Delacruz singled in the first with one out against Vermont starter Luke Crocker (Clark University), but was caught stealing by catcher Casey Brighton (Plattsburgh) for the second out. The Swamp Bats rallied with two, though, as JP Sportman (Central Connecticut St.) and Schwindel hit back-to-back singles. Kay followed with a rocket of a home run to put Keene up 3-0.
The Mountaineers managed to put up one run in the top of the second inning on an RBI single by Ryan Karl (Louisville) to make the score 3-1.
The Swamp Bats continued their torrid hitting in the third, starting with a leadoff homer by Delacruz, his seventh of the summer. Sportman walked and Kay smashed his second home run of the game one out later, making the score 6-1. It is Kay's eleventh home run, tying him for third in the NECBL.
Joe Pistorese toed the rubber for Keene, pitching a strong five innings, giving up just one run on five hits with six strike outs.
Walsh took the mound for the sixth inning and retired the three batters he faced, striking out two.
Tyler Gauthier (Southern NH) closed for the Swamp Bats, striking out White to end the game.
Pistorese (4-1) earns the win and Corey MacDonald (Hawaii) gets the loss. Keene improves to 29-13 and Vermont falls to 18-23.
With the two losses, the Mountaineers have not yet earned a playoff spot and must win their next game or the Holyoke Blue Sox must lose a game. If Vermont loses and Holyoke wins, Vermont will have to beat Holyoke in a play-in game at Alumni Field at 12pm on Friday to clinch the playoff spot.
The Swamp Bats are back in action Friday night for the first game of the playoffs against a team that has yet to be determined. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm.
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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from August 1, 2012
- Bay Sox Head to the Playoffs - New Bedford Bay Sox
- Blue Sox Season Comes to a Close - Valley Blue Sox
- Law and Roy's Historic Nights Propel 'Cats over Danbury in Finale - North Adams SteepleCats
- Swamp Bats sweep Vermont Mountaineers in double header - Keene Swamp Bats
- Vermont Swept in Doubleheader at Keene - Vermont Mountaineers
- Blue Sox Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with 6-5 Win - Valley Blue Sox
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