Doubleheader Splits, Comebacks and a Snapped Home Streaks Highlight Sunday Across the New England League
North Adams, MA – Sunday’s NECBL slate featured everything, a pair of doubleheader splits to a six-run comeback inning and the end of an unbeaten home run. Keene erased an early deficit to power past Valley, Sanford and North Adams traded blowout victories, Ocean State handed Vermont its first home loss of the summer, and Mystic rode dominant pitching to a road win over Bristol.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Valley Blue Sox
Final Score: Swamp Bats 10, Blue Sox 4
Holyoke, MA - The Keene SwampBats broke open a tight game with a restless offensive attack, scoring 10 runs on 14 hits to defeat the Valley Blue Sox, 10-4, on Sunday afternoon. After falling behind early, Keene responded with a decisive fourth inning and never looked back.
Valley struck first in the opening inning. Lucas Alberti (George Mason) put the Blue Sox on the board with an RBI groundout that scored Nick Tomasetto (Seton Hall), and Trevor Harmon (San Francisco) followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Jack Myers (Southern U) for a 2-0 advantage. Harmon added the lead in the third inning, ripping an RBI double to left field to score Tomasetto and make it 3-0.
Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) scored Keene's first run on Jackson Smith's (Cincinnati) sacrifice fly before Micah Kendrick (Kansas State) lined an RBI single to cut the deficit to one. Moments later, Jackson Marshall (UConn) delivered the biggest swing of the inning, shooting a two-run single to center field that plated Eli Stephens (Georgia Tech) and Kendrick, giving Keene its first lead at 4-3. Michael O'Brien (Little Rock) followed with an RBI hit, and Griffin Enis (Virginia) added a run-scoring groundout as the SwampBats capped a six-run frame and seized control, 6-3.
Keene continued to apply pressure throughout the afternoon. Kendrick finished with a huge offensive performance, going 2-for-6 with three RBIs and a run scored. Smith sparked the lineup from the lead off spot, collecting four hits in four at-bats, scoring once, driving in a run, drawing a walk, and adding a sacrifice fly. O'Brien contributed two hits and an RBI, while Marshall drove in two runs. T.J. Schuyler (Indiana) chipped in two hits and an RBI, and Megilo crossed the plate twice.
The Blue Sox managed just five hits on the day. Harmon led the way offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBIs, accounting for most of Valley's production. Myers added a pair of hits and scored once, while Brett Rogers (Middle Tennessee) scored a run and Tomasetto crossed the plate twice despite going hit less after drawing two walks.
Starter Joe Olson (Louisville) worked two innings before Brayden Gilson (Florida Atlantic) bridged the middle frames, allowing two runs while striking out three innings. The game turned over to Brody Krzysiak (Kent State), who slammed the door with a dominant outing. Krzysiak tossed four scoreless innings, allowing no hits while striking out nine, retiring all 12 batters he faced to earn the victory and secure the SwampBats' comeback triumph.
Valley's pitching staff struggled to contain Keene's offense after the early innings. Starter Riley Willams (Mt. St. Mary's) tossed three scoreless frames before the SwampBats broke through against reliever Owen Basso (Lafayette), who was charged with six runs. Dom Ruggiero (Portal), Gregory Bruno (Seton Hall), and Jason Pinsonnault (Western New England) combined to finish the game, but Keene's balanced lineup had already built an insurmountable lead.
The Keene SwampBats will head home to play against the Upper Valley Nighthawks Monday night. The Valley Blue Sox will compete against the Bristol Blues at home Monday night.
Sanford Mainers vs. North Adams Steeplecats (Game One)
Final Score: SteepleCats 8, Mainers 2
Sanford, ME - The Sanford Mainers and North Adams Steeplecats split their Sunday double header, with the SteepleCats winning game one 8-2, and the Mainers taking game two 11-3.
The SteepleCats scored their first two runs in the second inning, as Nicholas LoBello (Towson) grounded out to third base, driving in a run. Colsen Loughren (Mass. Maritime) drove in another run with an RBI single. LoBello drew a bases loaded walk in the fourth to score another.
However, North Adams popped off in the fifth inning. Chris Diaz (Marist) and Evan Meier (Mt. St. Mary's) notched back-to-back RBI singles to go up 5-0. LoBello came through once again, this time with a two-run double. Loughren followed up with an RBI single of his own to cap off a five-run fifth inning. Nater Wachter (UConn) broke the shutout with a two-run triple in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Niklas Pavia (Portal) got the win, pitching six innings and giving up two runs on three hits and four walks. Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) took the loss, giving up two runs, one earned in his two innings of work.
Sanford Mainers vs. North Adams SteepleCats (Game Two)
Final Score: Mainers 11, Steeplecats 3,
The Mainers started the bottom of the first by loading the bases for Troy Carpenter (UMaine). He came through with a bases-clearing double to go up 3-0. He later scored on a wild pitch that inning.
The bottom of the third saw Wachter notch a two-run single. After that, Brennan Staubley (Southern Connecticut) and Brian Connolly (Rhode Island) both put together RBI singles to extend the lead to 8-0. After a wild pitch put both in scoring position, Sam Miller (Binghamton) drove them both in to reach double-digit runs on the game. Lastly, a Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) RBI single capped off a seven-run third inning.
The SteepleCats, thanks to a couple of Mainers throwing errors, scored two runs in the seventh inning to prevent the shutout. Sean Stephenson (Iona) knocked in another run with an RBI single, but got thrown out trying for second base to end the game. Kevin Brown (Wesleyan) got the win with a shutout inning out of the bullpen. Gage Wheaton (Niagara) took the loss, allowing all 11 runs in 2.1 innings.
Ocean State Waves vs Vermont Mountaineers (Game 1)
Final Score: Mountaineers 10, Waves 3
Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Mountaineers beat the Ocean State Waves 10-3 in the opening game of Sunday's doubleheader. The Mountaineers struck first in the top of the first inning when David Alvarez (Eastern Kentucky) laced a two-run double. The Waves responded in the bottom half when Samuel Fernandez (Stetson) drove in Charlie Saul (Bryant) with an RBI single.
Vermont broke the game open in the top of the second, exploding for six runs. Alex Benevento (Brown) hit an RBI groundout before Alvarez ripped an RBI single. After Samuel Bradley (Western Kentucky) lined an RBI single to score Alvarez, Nick Mullen (George Washington) scored on a double steal attempt. JJ Parsons (UNC Greensboro) capped the rally with a two-run single to score Elliot Miles (UMass Boston) and Bradley. The Waves made an effort in the bottom half, with Cameron Papetti (Bryant) scoring on a sacrifice fly from Saul. The Mountaineers extended their lead in the sixth inning as Mullen hit a two-run single to score Benevento and Tyler Jones (Portal). The Waves scored their final run in the bottom half when Brodey Bitove (Indiana) hit an RBI double scoring Papetti.
Vermont Mountaineers vs Ocean State Waves (Game 2)
Final Score: Waves 3, Mountaineers 1
Montpelier, VT – The Ocean State Waves handed the Vermont Mountaineers their first home loss of the season with a 3-1 victory in game two of Sunday's doubleheader. A pitching duel kept both teams quiet through four innings. Vermont starter Rex Hauser (Maine) threw four scoreless innings, while Elliott Eaton (Princeton) had three hitless for the Waves. The Mountaineers finally broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth when Sebastian Collender (Middle Georgia State) scored on an RBI single by Elliot Miles (UMass Boston).
Ocean State answered immediately with a three-run rally in the top of the sixth. Blaize Ward (Missouri) started with a leadoff double, before he scored on a two-RBI double from Justin Hackett (Bryant) to take the lead. Liam Flynn (Nichols College) followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-1. Dylan McCarthy (Stonehill) earned the victory in relief, while Jackson Hulcher (Portal) took the loss. Trey Telfer (Indiana) threw 1.1 hitless innings to earn the save.
Both teams enjoy a well-deserved off day tomorrow before returning to action on Tuesday. The Waves return home to host the Sanford Mainers, looking to spark a win streak against a team that remains undefeated on the road. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers travel to Fraser Field to face the North Shore Navigators, a matchup Vermont has dominated so far this season with 3-1 and 11-1 victories.
Mystic Schooners vs Bristol Blues
Final Score: Schooners 4, Blues 1
Bristol, CT - An outstanding performance by the Schooners' pitching staff helped lead them to Sunday's victory against the Blues.
Dominic Pontbriant (South Florida) earned his first win of the season for the Schooners, going four innings only allowing three hits with no earned runs and three strikeouts. On the other end, Connor Lane (UConn) earned his second save of the season, throwing 0.2 innings with no hits, no runs, and a strike out. The rest of the bullpen was strong, allowing only one hit in 4.1 innings.
A couple of singles by Jack Harley (Stetson) and Bryce Detwiler (Connecticut) in the top of the eighth inning helped give the Schooners the edge.
Steve Polizzi (Portal) had a strong game at the plate for the Blues, going two for two with two walks. Bristol's lone run came in the bottom of the third when Trent Rice (Michigan State) scored on a sacrifice fly by Christopher DiPrima (Yale University). Unfortunately that was all the Blues could get in tonight's game.
The Blues head to MacKenzie Stadium tomorrow to take on the Valley Blue Sox, while the Schooners will have the day off.
