Thompson outduels Mount to give Keene sole possession of first place in the Western Division
July 22, 2011 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
HOLYOKE, MA - Right-handed pitcher Jeff Thompson (Greenville, IN/Louisville) pitched six scoreless innings, scattering just two hits, three walks and a game-high eight strikeouts to guide the Keene Swamp Bats over the Holyoke Blue Sox, 1-0, in New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) Western Division action on Friday night at Mackenzie Stadium.
Keene, winners of four-straight, improves to a league-best 23-12 overall. Holyoke falls to 21-12.
Thompson earned his second win of the season (2-2) striking out the first six batters he faced in order to begin the contest. The only test for Thompson all night came in the bottom of the sixth inning with two outs and the bases loaded but the right-hander forced Trey Mancini (Winter Haven, FL/Notre Dame) to pop out to second base on one pitch to end Holyoke's threat.
The Swamp Bats took the lead in the next half inning as Kevin Brown (Northborough, MA/Bryant) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded plating teammate Michael Burruss (Marietta, GA/Georgia Southern) for a 1-0 advantage.
Burruss got Keene's offense going with one out in the frame with a single to centerfield. Tom Conley (Quincy, MA/UMass-Amherst) followed Burruss and was immediately hit by a curveball from Ben Mount (Coto De Caza, CA/Univ. of So. Cal) to put runners on first and second base. Derek Toadvine (Springfield, OH/Kent St.) wasted little time loading the bases in the next at-bat lining a single to centerfield on a first pitch fastball setting up Brown for his 24th RBI of the season.
Mount suffered his first loss of the season (4-1) on seven-and-one-thirds innings pitched, eight hits, one run (earned), one walk and six punchouts.
In the eighth, the Swamp Bats threatened to add an insurance run on the scoreboard after Brett DeLoach (Blackshear, GA/Georgia) and David Lyon (Emporium, PA/Kent St.) led off the frame with back-to-back consecutive singles but Mount and left-handed reliever Daniel Watts (La Grange, GA/Jacksonville St) kept the score at 1-0 recording the next three outs in order. After Mount struck out Colby May (Guyton, GA/Georgia) for his sixth and final punchout of the night, Watts entered the contest recording a strike out and a pop out to limit any further damage and keep it a one-run deficit for Holyoke.
Swamp Bats closer Kyle Gehrs (Independence, MO/Iowa Western CC) notched his team-leading fifth save of the season closing out the remainder of the contest for Keene throwing three scoreless innings on one hit, one walk and three strikeouts.
Eric Smith (La Canada, CA/Stanford) collected Holyoke's only hit off of Gehrs in the ninth inning with one out but the left-handed pitcher struck out Mancini, walked Tom Murphy (West Monroe, NY/Buffalo) and forced Justin Ringo (Palos Park, IL/Stanford) to ground out to first base to finish off the ball game.
Keene returns to action tomorrow at home against the Mystic Schooners at 6:30 pm.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 22, 2011
- Mainers Defeat In-State Rivals 3-1 - Sanford Mainers
- Mountaineers Set Single Season Stolen Base Record in 6-2 Win - Vermont Mountaineers
- Thompson outduels Mount to give Keene sole possession of first place in the Western Division - Keene Swamp Bats
- Meet the All Stars - Danbury Westerners
- Schooners Blank 'Cats 3-0 - North Adams SteepleCats
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