Wednesday Delivers Two Walk-Offs and a One-Hit Gem
North Adams, MA – Wednesday night across the NECBL featured late-inning drama, highlighted by walk-off victories from Bristol and Newport. Valley erased an early three-run deficit to rally past Sanford, Danbury stayed red-hot with a dominant shutout win, and Vermont broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning to top Keene
Vermont Mountaineers vs. Keene Swamp Bats
Final Score: Mountaineers 9, Swamp Bats 1
Montpelier, VT - The Vermont Mountaineers take a 9-1 victory at Montpelier Recreation Field against the Keene Swamp Bats on Wednesday night.
A wild pitch gave Keene the lead in the top of the third. An RBI fielder's choice in the fifth tied the game at 1-1, before Alex Benevento (Brown) took the lead later in the inning with an RBI single.
Vermont capitalized on some crucial mistakes from Keene in the seventh. An error from shortstop Jackson Smith (Cincinnati) brought in the first run of the inning. An RBI groundout plated the second. A pair of RBI singles from Charlie Niehaus (Cincinnati) and Aidan Botti (URI) brought in two more, before a passed ball scored Botti to cap off a five-run seventh inning.
Benevento, as well as Vincent Davis (Winthrop) knocked in RBI singles for insurance runs, but they didn't need them. Nolan Urian (URI) got the win with two shutout innings out of the bullpen. Aiden O'Connell (Duke) took the loss, allowing two runs in 4.2 innings.
Vermont will head out to Mackenzie Field to take on the Valley Blue Sox on Thursday. Keene will resume a game on Thursday, initially suspended on June 28th, against the Bristol Blues at Muzzy Field.
Valley Blue Sox vs. Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Blue Sox 7, Mainers 5
Holyoke, MA - The Valley Blue Sox overcame a 3-0 first inning deficit to take a 7-5 victory at home over the Sanford Mainers on Wednesday night.
Sanford plated three runs in the top of the first, thanks to a Nater Wachter (UConn) RBI single, and two Blue Sox errors. Esteban Garcia (Boston College) broke the shutout with an RBI double in the third, before Trey Spees (Western Carolina) drove in a run with an RBI single, before an outfield error brought in a second run to tie the game at 3-3.
An Antonio Morales (Maryland College Park) RBI double and a Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) RBI single put Sanford up 5-3 in the sixth. However, Valley exploded for four runs in the bottom of the seventh, before icing the game without much pressure.
Jon Shields (Angelo State) got the win with two shutout innings out of the pen. Jake Dally (Binghamton) took the loss, allowing four runs in his inning pitched. Jake LeFrancois (UMass Lowell) got his fourth save of the season.
Valley will get a visit from the Vermont Mountaineers on Thursday, while Sanford has Thursday off before a trip to White River Junction to face the Upper Valley Nighthawks.
Ocean State Waves vs Danbury Westerners
Final Score: Westerners 13, Waves 0
Danbury, CT- The Danbury Westerners pitching staff put together a near-perfect night, combining on a one-hitter to blank the Ocean State Waves 13-0 on the road Wednesday. Danbury's offense did the rest, pounding out 15 hits and taking control early to send Ocean State to its fourth straight loss.
Danbury's bats were relentless from top to bottom. Kyle Garbowski (Quinnipiac University) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Gavin Donohue (Sacred Heart University) and Ronan Donohue (Sacred Heart University) each homered and combined for four RBI and four runs scored. Jack Lutte (Denison University) chipped in two hits and two RBI, Garrett McGovern (Merrimack Col) drove in two more, and Ryan Martin (Dallas Baptist) capped the outburst with a home run and a team-high four RBI. Aidan Stern (Trinity College) reached base multiple times and stole a bag as part of an offense that sent 36 men to the plate.
On the mound, Cole Gibson (University of New Haven) was outstanding for the win, tossing five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while striking out eight. Jackson Shepelsky (Lehigh University) and Tyler Fahey finished it off with two scoreless innings apiece, extending Danbury's combined no-hit bid deep into the game. Boston Flannery (North Carolina) took the loss for Ocean State after allowing six runs in three innings, and the bullpen had a tough time slowing the Danbury lineup down.
It was a rough night for the Waves, whose only hit came off the bat of Liam Flynn (Bryant University), with Max Farrell (San Diego State), Jack LaRose (URI), Jackson Bradfield (Kennesaw State) and Zach Plasschaert (Fresno State) unable to find much traction against Danbury's arms.
It's a game to shake off — Ocean State will look to regroup and get back on track in its next outing against North Adams Thursday night. The Danbury Westerns will take on the Martha's Vineyard Sharks at home field Thursday night.
Mystic Schooners vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Newport Gulls 3, Mystic Schooners 2
Newport, RI – The Newport Gulls used a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Mystic Schooners 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Mystic's starter Mike Poncini (Georgetown) set the tone, throwing five shutout 1-hit innings with five strikeouts.
Mystic grabbed the lead in the third when Anthony Belisario (Portal) scored on a sacrifice fly from Thomas O'Connell (UVA).
The Schooners extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth after Chris Walsh (Northeastern) walked, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch.
Newport broke through in the ninth, as Ryan Jaros (Rutgers) delivered a two-RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
Moments later, Jaros advanced on a balk, moved to third on a wild pitch, and collided with the third baseman while rounding third. Jaros was awarded home on an obstruction call, scoring the game-winning run.
Mason Christopher (Seton Hall) earned the win after throwing 1-hit scoreless innings of relief. Connor Lane (UConn) took the loss for Mystic.
The Gulls hope to stay hot as they travel to Fraser Field and take on the North Shore Navigators tomorrow, while the Schooners have a day off before hosting the Danbury Westerners on Friday.
Upper Valley Nighthawks vs Bristol Blues
Final Score: Blues 9, Nighthawks 8
Bristol, CT- The Blues pulled off the walk off win Wednesday night against the Nighthawks after going into the ninth inning down by two.
Cal Chance (UMass Lowell) started off the scoring with a huge two run homerun to right field in the bottom of the fourth. Chance went two for three at the plate with a walk in tonight's game. The Nighthawks followed suit with two runs of their own in the next half inning. Jonathan Holt (St. Joseph's) had an RBI single to left that scored Alejandro Puig (Dartmouth). Frank Kelly (High Point) followed with a sacrifice fly to center. In the bottom of the inning, Antonio Ducatelli (Fairfield) had a clutch 3 RBI double down the left field line to clear the bases.
The Nighthawks struck again in the seventh and eighth. Nick Quagliato (Boston College) hit a two RBI double up the middle to add on the the Nighthawks total. James Love (Eastern Illinois) then scored on a wild pitch. Holt followed with an additional RBI in the top of the eighth, with a sacrifice fly on a hard hit ball to right.
Nicholas Francuzenko (Towson) tied up the game for the Blues in the bottom of the eighth with his own sacrifice fly on a hard hit ball to right. AJ DeMastrie (Dartmouth) gave the Nighthawks a two run lead in the top of the ninth with a single through the right side.
With their back against the wall in the bottom of the ninth, the Blues pulled off the walked off win. Christopher DiPrima (Yale) got the rally going with a single up the middle to score Evan Menzel (UConn). With the bases loaded, Martavius Thomas (Arkansas- Pine Bluff) was hit by a pitch, allowing Nick Flores (VCU) to easily walk in and tie the game. With a single up the middle, Francuzenko brought in the winning run and gave the Blues the walk off win.
The Blues look to take this momentum into tomorrow as they finish their game against the Keene SwampBats that was suspended due to weather on June 28th. The Nighthawks will have the day off tomorrow as they head home and prepare to host the Sanford Mainers on Friday.
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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.
