Three Swamp Bats Pitchers Combine For Second No-Hitter In Franchise History
Published on June 19, 2012 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
Keene, N.H. - Kevin McAvoy (Syracuse, N.Y), Ryan Horstman (South Hadley, Mass.), and Tyler Gauthier (Lynn, Mass.) combined to pitch the second no-hitter in Swamp Bats franchise history in a 5-0 win over the Danbury Westerners. It is the first combined no-hitter for the Swamp Bats, and the second since Dan Jackson's 7 inning no-hitter in 1997.
McAvoy started the game for Keene, dominating from the outset. He pitched 6.2 innings, striking out seven batters, hitting two, and walking three. It was McAvoy's second start of the season, improving his record to 2-0.
Horstman relieved McAvoy in the top of the seventh inning with a runner on first and two outs. He then struck out Danbury shortstop Mathew Boulter (Wrentham, Mass.) to end the inning. Horstman came back for the eighth inning, striking out the leadoff batter before walking two consecutive batters.
That gave way to Gauthier, who quickly recorded the final two outs of the inning to get the Swamp Bats out of trouble. Gauthier returned for the ninth inning to finish off the no-hitter.
Gauthier started off the ninth striking out Andrew Garner (Lake Jackson, Texas) and Mike Orefice (Wappinger Falls, N.Y.) for two quick outs. The final out came when Boulter hit a slow grounder about five feet in front of Swamp Bats catcher Frankie Schwindel (Livingston, N.J.), who fielded the ball cleanly and fired it to first baseman Jared Walsh (Duluth, Ga.) to complete the no-hitter.
The Swamp Bats offense did their job as well, recording 11 hits and taking advantage of four Danbury fielding errors.
The scoring started in the bottom of the first, when Nelson Ward (Emerson, Ga.) hit a leadoff single. Ward immediately stole second base and advanced to third on a passed ball. With one out, Dylan Delacruz (East Lyme, Conn.) knocked an RBI single into centerfield, scoring Ward from third.
The Swamp Bats scored their second run of the game in the second inning after Walsh hit a 1-out double to left field. Fran Whitten (Westboro, Mass.) scored Walsh from second on a single to right field. It was Whitten's fourth RBI of the season.
The scoring continued in the third inning off back-to-back singles from Grant Kay (Omaha, Neb.) and Delacruz. After Kay's single, he stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error from Danbury catcher Michael Thomas (Elizabethtown, Ky.) after the throw hit Kay in the head. Delacruz's RBI single was his second of the game, giving him a team lead in runs batted in with seven. He finished the game 3-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
Keene finished off their scoring in the fifth inning on the second throwing error for the catcher Thomas. With Ward on second and Delacruz on first, Keene put on a double steal. Thomas threw over the Danbury third-baseman and into left field, scoring Ward and advancing Delacruz to third. Sportman then concluded the scoring with a RBI double to right field, scoring Delacruz.
With a five-run lead at hand, manager Marty Testo turned to the Swamp Bats bullpen to finish off the no-hitter. He pulled McAvoy in the seventh after 108 pitches, leaving history in the hands of his relievers.
Of course no no-hitter is made without fine fielding, and that held true for the Swamp Bats in this one. They recorded zero errors in the game, highlighted by stellar performances by middle infielders Ward and Dylan Moore (Yorba Linda, Cal.). They combined for a perfect fielding percentage on eight chances.
With the historic win, the Swamp Bats improve to 6-1 on the year, while Danbury falls to 3-6. The two teams will go head-to-head again tomorrow night in Danbury. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 19, 2012
- Late Rally Surges SteepleCats Past Vermont in Nightcap - Vermont Mountaineers
- Black's Two-RBI Double Enough To Push Past Bay Sox - Sanford Mainers
- Three Swamp Bats Pitchers Combine For Second No-Hitter In Franchise History - Keene Swamp Bats
- Mountaineers Walk-Off in Game One Against North Adams - Vermont Mountaineers
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