Three Walk-Off Wins Headline Wild Wednesday Night Across the NECBL
North Adams, MA – Wednesday night across the NECBL featured dramatic finishes at every turn, highlighted by walk-off victories from Newport, North Adams, and Bristol. The Gulls erased a four-run ninth-inning deficit to stun Valley, the SteepleCats scored twice in the ninth to edge Vermont, and the Blues outlasted Ocean State in 11 innings. Elsewhere, Martha’s Vineyard erupted for 16 runs against Keene, Upper Valley shut out North Shore, and Sanford held off Mystic in a tight contest.
Mystic Schooners vs. Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Mainers 3, Schooners 2
Mystic, CT - The Sanford Mainers win a close 3-2 contest over the Mystic Schooners on Wednesday night. Despite Mystic pulling within one run in the eighth, they couldn't tie the game back up during this bullpen game for the ages.
Troy Carpenter (UMaine) struck in the top of the first inning, hitting his second bomb of the season to give Sanford an early 1-0 lead. Sam Miller (Binghamton) and Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) added back-to-back RBI singles to make it 3-0 through two innings. A second inning RBI double from Anthony Belisario (Portal) put Mystic on the board.
After the fourth inning, Jake Dally (Binghamton) took over in the fifth, and pitched three shutout innings for Sanford. After three innings, Mystic deployed the bullpen, who pitched six shutout innings to keep Sanford at bay. Despite scoring a run off Samuel Young (Richmond) in the eighth thanks to a balk, they were unable to do so in the ninth.
Dally got the win for his efforts, and Young got the two-inning save. Dominic Pontbriant (South Florida) got the loss, allowing all three Sanford runs in his three innings of work.
The Mainers will head not too far to Rogers Park to take on the Danbury Westerners Thursday. The Schooners will stay at home as the Bristol Blues will pay a visit on Thursday.
Upper Valley Nighthawks vs. North Shore Navigators
Final Score: Nighthawks 8, Navigators 0
White River Junction, VT - The Upper Valley Nighthawks thoroughly dominated the North Shore Navigators in an 8-0 win in White River Junction on Wednesday night. After allowing a hit in the first inning, the Navigators couldn't notch another one during the final eight innings.
The bottom of the second saw Upper Valley start with six straight baserunners, which the Nighthawks turned into five runs. The first two via bases loaded walks, one from a wild pitch, and a two-run single from Frank Kelly (High Point), which ended the night for North Shore starter Aidan Gelbsman (Boston College) before he could record an out in the second.
James Love (Eastern Illinois) grounded out to third base in the fourth, driving in another run. The next inning, William Hurt (Virginia Tech) drove a two-run single up the middle to extend the lead to 8-0 through five frames. Despite having two runners on with no outs in the ninth, North Shore couldn't come through to break the shutout in the ninth.
Joey Young (Xavier) got the win, pitching two shutout innings out of the bullpen while striking out four batters. Gelbsman got the loss, failing to get an out in the second inning while giving up five runs on no hits, six walks and a hit batter.
The Nighthawks will travel to Rhode Island to take on the Ocean State Waves on Thursday. The Navigators look to rebound as they head to New Hampshire for a double-header with the Keene Swampbats on Thursday.
North Adams SteepleCats vs Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: SteepleCats 5, Mountaineers 4
North Adams, MA- The North Adams SteepleCats scored two runs in the ninth inning to pull away for a 5-4 victory over the Vermont Mountaineers, improving to 3-12 while dropping Vermont to 6-12.
For Vermont, Brayden Leonard (Villanova U) led the way going 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Alex Benevento (Brown) and David Alvarez (Eastern Kentucky) each drove in a run. Nick Mullen (George Washington) added a hit and scored a run, and Benevento swiped two bags on the night. Vermont's three errors gave North Adams opportunities they made the most of.
On the North Adams side, Nelphie Lopez (Portal) paced the offense with a hit, a run, and a double. Bobby Stang (Dayton U) and Parker Camelo (Rhode Island College) each drove in a run, and Camelo also stole a base. Jake Butler (George Mason) added two hits for the SteepleCats.
On the mound, Parker Guthrie (Washington U) earned the win for North Adams at 1-0, tossing a clean final inning. Gage Wheaton (Niagara U) was outstanding, going four innings and allowing just one run while striking out four. Vermont's Davis Budd (Western Carolina U) took the loss, dropping to 0-2 after allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning, while Dominic DeLoreto (Northwestern U) and Hank Lippman (William & Mary) each worked three solid innings in a losing effort.
North Adams SteepleCats will return on the screen Friday night against the Upper Valley Nighthawks. The Vermont Mountaineers will be back at home on Friday against the Keene Swamp Bats.
Valley Blue Sox vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Gulls 12, Blue Sox 11
Newport RI- The Newport Gulls rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to stun the Valley Blue Sox 12-11 in a high scoring NECBL barnburner, improving 9-7-1 while Valley fell to 8-6-1.
Lucas Alberti (George Mason) headlined the Blue Sox offense, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored. Antony Grabau (Fordham) homered and drove in three, while Joshua Toole (Coastal Carolina U) also went deep and added an RBI. Nico Soul (Appalachian St) was huge in the middle of the order, going 1-for-4 with three RBI and a double. Jack Myers (Georgia Southern U) added three hits and two runs, and Anthony Tirado (UMass Amherst) chipped in two hits and an RBI for Valley.
For Newport, Caeden Cloud (U of Kentucky) was the offensive star, homering and driving in three runs while 3-for-5. Devan Zirwas (Coastal Carolina) went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, and Brandon Larson (USC) drove in three off the bench. Braxton Tramel (East Carolina U) added two RBI and a double, while Ryan Novak (UMiami) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Cade Brown (Central Florida) contributed an RBI despite going hitless.
On the mound, Branden Booth (Mississippi) earned the win for Newport at 1-0, tossing 1.2 innings of one-run ball.Valley's Jack Ensell (Barry U) took the loss, surrendering four runs in two innings of relief to fall to 0-1. Maddex LaBuda (Quinnipiac) was the bright spot, tossing 3.2 solid innings with three strikeouts.
Newport did just enough when it mattered most, capping off an unforgettable comeback to take the series win. Newport will return Friday night at home against the Ocean State Waves. The Valley Blue Sox will also return home to play against the Bristol Blues Friday night.
Bristol Blues vs Ocean State Waves
Final Score: Bristol Blues 3, Ocean State Waves 2
Bristol, CT – The Bristol Blues defeated the Ocean State Waves in an eleven inning marathon on Wednesday night with their first walkoff of the season, 3-2.
The Blues struck first in the second inning when Evan Menzel (UConn) drove in Cal Chance (UMass Lowell) with an RBI single. Bristol extended the lead in the third frame as Ryan Maggy (WVU) laced an RBI single to plate Christopher DiPrima (Yale).
Bristol starter Kyle Peters (UConn) kept the Waves offense quiet, tossing five shutout innings, while Waves reliever Cooper Maher (Duke) kept them in the game with 4 one-hit frames.
Ocean State mounted a late rally, starting in the seventh when Gabriel Milano (UMiami) launched a solo home run. In the ninth, pinch-hitter Brodey Bitove (Portal) singled and scored on an RBI single from Milano to tie the game.
After a scoreless tenth, Colin Crowley (Winthrop) dropped a bunt and reached on a throwing error, which allowed Trent Rice (Michigan State) to walk off with the game-winning run in the eleventh.
Thomas Galusha (Bryant) earned the victory for Bristol after striking out three in the eleventh, while Trey Telfer (San Diego) took the loss.
The Waves hope to bounce back tomorrow hosting the Upper Valley Nighthawks, while the Bues look to stay hot against the Mystic Schooners tomorrow.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Marthas Vineyard Sharks
Final Score: Marthas Vineyard Sharks 16, Keene Swamp Bats 7
Keene, N.H. - The Marthas Vineyard Sharks offensive powerhouse exploded for an eighteen-hit performance to defeat the Keene Swamp Bats 16-7 on Wednesday night.
Ryan Thompson (URI) got the runs started early with an RBI double in the first, while Austin Pierzynski (Alabama - Birmingham) and Jackson Roper (Wake Forest) drove in runs during the second inning with base hits.
A four-run third inning kept the Sharks hot, featuring an RBI single by Bryan Sornas (Holy Cross) and a Griffin Crain (Louisville) RBI single.
The Sharks added six more insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings, highlighted by an RBI double from Crain and a two-RBI single from Thompson.
The Swamp Bats countered in the bottom half of the sixth as three home runs from Michael O'Brien (Little Rock), T.J. Schuyler (Georgia Southern), and Jackson Smith (Cincinnati) narrowed the deficit to 13-6.
However, Thompson put the game out of reach in the eighth and capped the Shark's scoring with a three-run home run.
On the mound, Ben Waterman (Lafayette College) earned the victory with three no-hit relief innings, while starter Aiden O'Connell (Duke) took the loss for Keene.
Tthe SwampBats will be facing the North Shore Navigators tomorrow night in a make-up game rescheduled from 6/22, while the the Sharks return to action on Friday against the Navigators at Fraser Field.
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The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat collegiate summer league featuring teams across all six New England states. Since its founding in 1994, the NECBL has produced more than 230 Major League Baseball alumni, including nearly 30 first-round MLB Draft selections. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
