The NECBL Daily Rundown - 7/3/22 - Blues Sweep DH, Nighthawks Outslug Vermont

July 4, 2022 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) News Release

Bristol Blues Sweep Winnipesaukee Muskrats in Doubleheader

Robbie Mills Sports Complex, Laconia, N.H. - The Bristol Blues (17-6) improved on their stellar record, sweeping the Winnipesaukee Muskrats (10-12) in a doubleheader at Robbie Mills Sports Complex on Sunday night.

GAME ONE: Bristol 5 - Winnipesaukee 0

W - Mason Ulsh 1-0 (Quinnipiac): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

L - Kyle Roche 2-3 (Franklin Pierce): 2.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K

The Blues wasted no time, scoring in the first inning off a single by Ryan Wilson (Davidson) which allowed AJ Gaich (Yale) to score after having led off the inning with a walk. Wilson would later be batted in off a single by Joseph Rios (Central Connecticut) to put Bristol up 2-0.

Bristol added to their lead throughout the game with runs scoring off a Boston Smith (Cincinnati) single in the third inning and a double steal involving Rios and Ben Huber (Connecticut) in the fifth. A single by Zach Stephenson (Connecticut) in the top of the seventh capped off scoring for game one of the doubleheader and ensured victory for the Blues.

GAME TWO: Bristol 8 - Winnipesaukee 7

W - Joseph Rios 1-0 (Central Connecticut): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

L - Kohl Abrams 0-1 (North Carolina Asheville): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Game two of the doubleheader started in favor of the Muskrats, as Brendan Concannon (Paris JC) led off the game with a single on the first pitch and scored on the next at-bat off a double by Jacob Corson (Bucknell), who was driven in later in the inning off a single by Abrams. A Sebastian Mueller (Quinnipiac) single scored an additional two runs, quickly followed by an RBI double from Cole Palmeri (Colby College) to give Winnipesaukee a five-run advantage halfway through the first inning.

The Muskrats would tack on two more runs with an RBI single by Grayson Preslar (North Carolina Asheville) in the second inning and an additional run batted in by Patrick Roche (Boston College) in the fifth. Trailing 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Blues began their comeback with back-to-back singles from Derek Tenney (Hartford) and Calvin McCall (URI) with Tenney scoring off a sac fly by Stephenson and McCall scoring off a double by Griffin Arnone (Elon) who would himself be driven in by an RBI single from Carson Swank (Yale) to cut the deficit to 7-5.

An error by the shortstop to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning spelled disaster for the Muskrats as the Blues loaded the bases with two walks and scored their first run of the inning when Stephenson was hit by a pitch. Another walk would tie the game at 7-7, setting up Rios who hit a walk-off single to win the game in dramatic fashion.

The Muskrats gear up for a Fourth of July matchup hosting the Mystic Schooners starting at 6:00 p.m. while the Blues enjoy the Monday off for the holiday before returning to action on Tuesday, July 5th, with a road contest against the North Adams SteepleCats beginning at 6:30 p.m.

North Shore Navigators 10 - Mystic Schooners 7

W - Cooper Smith 1-1 (Stetson): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

L - Bowen Baker 2-1 (Fairfield): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Dodd Memorial Stadium in Norwich, CT - Despite going down early, the North Shore Navigators (6-16) downed the Mystic Schooners (10-10) in a high scoring affair.

Mystic got off to a flying start in the bottom of the first. The Schooners scored four runs thanks to an Eddie Micheletti (George Washington) single, a walk and a hit by pitch.

North Shore scored nine unanswered runs to take the lead. In the top of the second, they scored twice off a Jake McElroy (Holy Cross) single. In the fifth, the Navigators tacked on three more runs through a Max Viera (Northeastern) three-run homer.

Another North Shore run was added in the sixth when Jonathan Luders (Seton Hall) stroked an RBI single into the outfield. Luders led the Navs with three hits on the night. The Navigators scored three more runs in the top of the eighth, making it a 9-2 game.

North Shore reliever Cooper Smith (Stetson) was a big reason the Navigators were able to create a seven run lead. After coming in at the beginning of the second inning, Smith pitched through the seventh, giving up just three hits and striking out six over six innings. While he was on the mound, the Navigators scored six of their ten runs.

The Schooners finally hit back in the bottom of the eighth. A wild pitch and a Kevin Ferrer (Connecticut) single plated two Mystic runners. Both teams traded runs in the ninth to keep the North Shore lead at three.

North Shore travels to Newport to face the Gulls (13-8) later today at 6:35 p.m. while Mystic heads to Winnipesaukee to play the Muskrats (10-12) at 6:00 p.m.

Upper Valley Nighthawks 10 - Vermont Mountaineers 9

W - Patrick Williams 1-0 (Lipscomb): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

L - Zach Byron 0-1 (Wofford): 3.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

S - Trey Nordmann 3 (Lipscomb): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Maxfield Sports Complex in Hartford, VT - The Upper Valley Nighthawks (12-10) delivered the Vermont Mountaineers (21-3) their third loss in a thrilling back-and-forth game.

In the bottom of the fifth inning in a 3-3 game, the Nighthawks ignited a rally. Ty Kaufman (North Carolina Asheville) singled and Tyler Sorrentino (Charleston) walked to lead off the inning. With one out, Ryan Ignoffo (Eastern Illinois) hit an RBI double. During Jonathan Hogart's (Louisiana Tech) plate appearance, Sorrentino scored on a wild pitch, then Hogart walked. William Sullivan (Troy) hit an RBI single to make it 6-3, then Clay Stearns walked to load the bases. In Luca Trigiani's (St. Joseph's) plate appearance, Hogart scored on a wild pitch and Sullivan scored on a groundout. The next batter, Kyle Novak, hit an RBI single to make it a six-run game.

However, the Mountaineers were ready to retaliate. Vermont loaded the bases with two outs, then scored a run off of an error. Then, Evan Fox (Stony Brook) hit a 2-run single to make it 9-6. The bases were re-loaded on a Gerry Siracusa (UMass Lowell) walk then Tom Josten (Central Florida) hit a 3-run double to tie it up.

Upper Valley broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning. Kaufman and Sorrentino each singled to lead the inning off, then Max Grant (Canisius) bunted both of them over. Ignoffo was intentionally walked, then Hogart hit a ground ball to the left of the second baseman and got an RBI groundout to grab the lead. Upper Valley's Trey Nordmann threw a scoreless ninth inning to secure the victory.

The Nighthawks will look to defeat another divisional opponent tomorrow at 6 p.m. when they play the Keene Swamp Bats. The Mountaineers will look to get back on track in a home divisional matchup with the Winnipesaukee Muskrats at 6:30 p.m.

Danbury Westerners 5 - Valley Blue Sox 2

W - Sam Majewski 1-0 (Mitchell) 1 IP 0 H 0 ER 0 BB 1 K

L - Terry Murray 0-1 (Rhode Island College) 2 IP 5H 3 ER 0 BB 2 K

McKenzie Stadium in Holyoke, MA - The Danbury Westerners (11-12) defeated the Valley Blue Sox (11-12) with some late inning heroics.

The Blue Sox wasted no time getting on the board as Lucas DiLuca (Eastern Illinois) hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first to immediately put Valley up 1-0. Valley struck again in the fourth on a sac fly from Chase Hanson (Hope International) Meanwhile, Valley starting pitcher Jack Kramer (Sacred Heart) cruised through the first five innings, allowing zero runs on three hits and five strikeouts. Danbury started their comeback in the seventh inning when Michael Becchetti's (Fairfield) single scored two runs thanks two an error.

The game was tied heading into the ninth when the Westerners broke it open. Becchetti plated the go ahead run on a sac fly, and Billy Gerlott (Penn State) and Nicholas Romano (Georgia Tech) provided insurance with an RBI double and single respectively. With Danbury now having a three run lead, Vincent Bianchi (St Johns) locked it down in the ninth, securing the victory for the Westerners.

The Westerners will have an off day Monday before returning to Rogers Park on Tuesday to take on those same Valley Blue Sox. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. The Blue Sox will head to North Adams to face the Steeplecats on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Keene Swamp Bats 10 - Sanford Mainers 6

W - Grant Besser 1-0 (Florida Southwestern): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

L - Blake MacMillan 1-2 (Niagra): 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Alumni Field in Keene, N.H. - The Keene Swamp Bats (9-14) battled for a 10-6 victory over the Sanford Mainers (10-13).

The Mainers were down 6-4 in the top of the seventh with men on second and third base with two outs when Devan Bade (Binghamton) hit a 2-run single to tie it up. When it came time for the Swamp Bats to bat again, it did not take long for them to regain the lead. After Jackson Ross (Florida Atlantic) took a ball in the dirt for the first pitch, he drove a ball over the left field wall to make it 7-6.

After Keene's Grant Besser provided a shutdown inning, the Swamp Bats' offense was at it again. After loading the bases, Dan Covino (Central Connecticut State) drew an RBI walk. Later in the inning, Carter Mathison (Indiana) and Tony Santa Maria (Rutgers New Brunswick) hit back-to-back RBI singles to make it 10-6.

Earlier in the game, Keene's Lucas Costello (Wake Forest) drove three runs in on two singles. Mathison had a 2-run single, and Sanford's Joey Rezek (East Carolina) hit a 2-run single.

The Swamp Bats will be on the road for a divisional matchup against the Upper Valley Nighthawks tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Mainers will have a couple days off before getting back in action with a rematch against Keene at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Ocean State Waves 4 - Martha's Vineyard Sharks 2

W - Ayden Head 1-0 (Georgetown): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

L - Dylan Jacobs 0-2 (Florida State): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

S - Parker Bard 1 (Dayton): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

The Shark Tank in Oak Bluffs, MA - The Ocean State Waves (10-14) defeated the Martha's Vineyard Sharks (12-10) by the score of 4-2.

The Waves scored their runs both with some small ball and power. In the first inning with runners on the corners, Khyree Miller beat out a double play and drove in Kyle Maves (Quinnipiac). Then in the second inning, Daniel Baruch (Boston College) hit the first pitch of the inning over the fence for a home run to make it 2-0. Their other runs were driven in by Justin Szestowicki (North Carolina) on an RBI groundout and RBI flyout.

Ocean State's pitching staff kept the game in control for the Waves, as it combined for 15 strikeouts throughout the game. Jack Erbeck (Fairfield), Brandyn Garcia (Quinnipiac), and Parker Bard, who were the Waves' final three pitchers, recorded all nine of their combined outs via the strikeout.

The Waves will be on the road tomorrow against the Mystic Schooners for a 6:30 p.m. game. The Sharks will have a couple of days off before facing the North Adams SteepleCats on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 4, 2022

• Ignoffo and Seitter Receive Week 4 NECBL Honors - NECBL
• The NECBL Daily Rundown - 7/3/22 - Blues Sweep DH, Nighthawks Outslug Vermont - NECBL
• Mainers End Holiday Weekend with Loss to Keene - Sanford Mainers

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