Valley Scores Five Unearned Runs in 9th to top Swamp Bats
July 3, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Keene Swamp Bats News Release
KEENE - For the second straight game, the Keene Swamp Bats let their opponent beat them off of late, unearned runs.
On Saturday, Keene lost to Vermont 3-1 after letting two unearned runs score in the bottom of the 8th off of an E2.
On Sunday, the Keene Swamp Bats (12-8) led the Valley Blue Sox (12-8) 4-3 entering the 9th inning, but an E6 by shortstop Jordan Howard (Jr., Lee U) and the five unearned runs that ensued doomed the Swamp Bats, as they fell to the Blue Sox 8-4 in front of a large crowd of 4,654 fans at Alumni Field.
It was Keene's second consecutive loss and their third in the last four games. The Swamp Bats and Blue Sox are now locked in a tie atop the NECBL Northern Division.
Valley right fielder Brennan Washington (Sr., Belmont) scored the first run of the game with a two-out single shot homer to left field in the top of the 2nd, making it 1-0 Blue Sox. It was Washington's first time going yard this season.
Parker Sniatynski (Jr., St. Louis) answered the bell in the bottom of the 2nd inning with a lead-off single shot home run of his own to right field, tying the game 1-1. It was also Sniatynski's first homer of the season.
Patrick Sullivan (So., Georgia) was able to reach 1st in the next at-bat on a fielding error by Valley shortstop Kyle Mottice (Jr., U of Cincinnati). After Keene catcher Tommy LaCongo followed up the error with a walk, Swamp Bats third baseman Garrett Christman (Jr., Butler) blasted an RBI single into right field to give Keene a 2-1 lead.
Keene scored their third run of the 2nd inning when second baseman Dom Iero (Jr., Kent State) grounded out to a 4-6-3 double play sacrifice to score LaCongo from 3rd. The Swamp Bats led 3-1 after two.
After a scoreless 3rd inning by both teams, the Blue Sox cut into the lead in the top of the 4th when catcher Erik Ostberg (Jr., Hartford) went yard to left field for a two-out single shot home run, making it 3-2 Swamp Bats at the end of four. Ostberg was the third different player to have his first home run of the season in Sunday's game.
Keene added a little wiggle room in the bottom of the 5th. Iero led off with a double down the first base line, and Brandt Stallings (So., Georgia Tech) brought him home with an RBI double to right field, making it 4-2 Swamp Bats after five.
Stallings now has a team-best six doubles on the season.
The Blue Sox would not go away, though. In the top of the 6th, Valley DH Hezekiah Randolph (Sr., U of New Orleans) led off with a walk, and then reached 3rd on a one-out double to right field by Ostberg. Randolph scored from 3rd off a sac fly by Blue Sox first baseman Chris Starcun (Sr., American International Col.) to make it a 4-3 ball game in favor of Keene at the end of six.
With the Swamp Bats in front 4-3 entering the 9th, the closer and NECBL-leader in saves Michael LaBeau (Sr., Castleton St.) climbed the hill looking for his 8th save of the year.
With one out in the top of the 9th, Valley third baseman Kipp Moore (Jr., Muray St. Col.) reached first on an error by the Swamp Bat shortstop Howard. It was his 11th error of the season.
Washington reached on a walk in the next at-bat for the Blue Sox, putting runners at 1st and 2nd with only one out. Derek Bauer (Sr., SNHU) flew out to center for the second out of the inning. But, Brodie Leftridge (Jr., Tennessee) loaded the bases with a two-out single to left field. LaBeau walked Mottice in the following at-bat to score the run, tying the game 4-4.
With the bases still loaded and with two outs, Blue Sox second baseman Braxton Morris (Jr., Morehead St.) singled to center field to score two more runs for Valley, giving the Blue Sox a 6-4 lead. Morris finished the game going 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
After facing seven batters in 0.2 innings and giving up three hits and two walks, LaBeau was replaced on the mound by Jamal Wade (Jr., Maryland). After tossing a wild pitch, Wade surrendered an RBI double to Randolph to make it 7-4 Blue Sox. Randolph finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
After Valley's eighth run scored off of another wild pitch, Wade was finally able to retire the side in the top of the 9th by striking out Ostberg. In total, LaBeau and Wade combined to give up four hits, two walks and two wild pitches. Valley scored five runs in the top of the 9th, but they were all unearned, because they all scored after the E6 by Howard.
Sullivan got a one-out walk and Christman reached first on catcher's interference, but Iero grounded out to second to end the game in the bottom of the 9th.
Sam Donko (Sr., VCU) was the winning pitcher for Valley. Donko tossed a hitless bottom of the 8th, striking out two batters. It was Donko's first win on the mound this season.
LaBeau took his first loss of the season on the mound, giving up three hits, two walks and five unearned runs in 0.2 innings of work.
The Swamp Bats are off on Monday and Tuesday, but hit the road Wednesday to face the New Bedford Bay Sox at Paul Walsh Field. First pitch 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 3, 2016
- Mystic 8, New Bedford 2 - Mystic Schooners
- Valley Scores Five Unearned Runs in 9th to top Swamp Bats - Keene Swamp Bats
- SteepleCats Trounce Early Deficit to Maim Moose - Sanford Mainers
- North Adams SteepleCats beat Vermont - North Adams SteepleCats
- SteepleCats Fall in Extras - North Adams SteepleCats
- SteepleCats Fall in Extras - North Adams SteepleCats
- Weekend Sweep - North Adams SteepleCats
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
