Danbury Sweeps Doubleheader as Valley Walks It Off on Thursday
North Adams, MA – Thursday's NECBL slate featured a little bit of everything, from a walk-off win in Holyoke to a doubleheader sweep in Danbury. The Westerners stayed red hot by taking both games from Martha's Vineyard, Valley rallied late to stun Vermont, Bristol rode a dominant pitching performance past Keene, and Newport continued its winning ways on the road.
Bristol Blues vs Keene Swamp Bats
Final Score: Blues 3, Bats 0
Bristol, CT- Justin Silverstein (High Point) was outstanding on the mound for Bristol, tossing 8.0 innings and allowing just three hits and no runs while striking out 13 Keene batters. Thomas Galusha (Bryant U) closed things out with a scoreless ninth, striking out two more to lock down his fifth save of the season and seal the shutout.
Bristol's offense did just enough, plating all three runs in the second inning. Sean Britt (St Johns) drove in the first run with an RBI single, and Jack Balcer (Quinnipiac) followed with an RBI double to make it 2-0. Britt and Balcer each finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, pacing the Blues at the plate. Cal Chance (UMass Lowell), and Nick Flores (VCU) each chipped in a base hit as well.
Keene's pitching staff battled hard despite the loss. Tyler Longoria (St John's) was especially sharp in relief, firing 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and no walks to keep the Swamp Bats within striking distance. Starter Tyler Borton (Florida Atlantic) worked 2.1 innings, and Joe Olson (Louisville) took the loss after allowing an unearned run over his final two innings of work.
Offensively, Keene struggled to find its footing against Silverstein, managing just five hits on the night. Collin Anderson (Duke) led the way going 2-for-2 with a stolen base, while Gavin Speirs (CSU), Micah Kendrick (Louisiana Lafayette), and Avery Smith (Penn State) each added a single. The Swamp Bats had chances but couldn't push a run across, stranding nine runners on base in the shutout defeat.
The Keene Swamp Bats will face the Vermont Mountaineers Friday night on home field. The Bristol Blues will travel to play against the Newport Gulls Friday night.
North Shore Navigators vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Navigators 3, Gulls 7
Lynn, MA- The Gulls held off a scrappy North Shore squad on the road, backed by a big night at the plate and just enough from the bullpen. Gus Gandy (Samford) led the way for Newport, going 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Devan Zirwas (Michigan U), Caeden Cloud (U of Kentucky), and Ryan Jaros (Rutgers) all added doubles, with Jaros collecting two hits on the day, and Ernie Echevarria (U of Pennsylvania) chipped in two RBIs of his own from the catcher's spot.
On the mound, Bryce Koch (Louisville) started strong for Newport, working 4.1 innings and striking out six, though he was tagged for a run. Joe Barbarino (Portal) picked up the win in relief, and Will Coleman (U of Kentucky) worked three innings to close it out and secure the save, scattering five hits but limiting the damage to one run.
North Shore battled back behind a strong offensive effort of their own. Grant Hunter (Binghamton U) paced the Navigators, going 3-for-5 with three doubles and three runs scored, while Tyler Shulman (Harvard) added two hits, two RBIs, and a run scored. Hunter Kingsbury (Bryant U) chipped in two hits and a stolen base, and Hudson Ellis (Oral Roberts) and Jack Rickheim (Harvard) each reached base and came around to score.
North Shore's pitching staff kept things competitive early, with Bobby Finn (Villanova U) turning in a strong relief outing of three shutout innings with seven strikeouts. Starter Jack Zimmerman (Dayton) took the loss after allowing four runs in two innings, and Brock Bullinger (Undecided) and Josh Doney (UMass Lowell) each worked multi-inning relief stints. Despite the offensive fireworks on both sides, Newport's early lead proved to be enough to escape Fraser Field with the win.
The Newport Gulls will head home to face the Bristol Blues Friday night. The North Shore Navigators will take a break and play against the Martha's Vineyard Sharks on Saturday night.
Danbury Westerners vs. Martha's Vineyard Sharks (Game One)
Final Score: Westerners 14, Sharks 6
Danbury, CT - The Danbury Westerners took both ends of their doubleheader against the Martha's Vineyard Sharks on Thursday night.
The Westerners jumped out to a six-run cushion, aided by two two-run homers from Aidan Stern (Trinity College (CT)) and Ronan Donohue (Sacred Heart). The next inning, it continued with four more runs via an RBI single from Ryan Preisano (Wake Forest) and a three-run shot from Donohue.
A Kevin Hall (Alabama Birmingham) RBI single in the third and a Carter Bentley (Northeastern) RBI double in the fifth put the first two MV runs on the board. However, Ryan Martin (Dallas Baptist) got those runs back with a two-run shot, Danbury's fourth homer of the game.
Despite Martha's Vineyard notching four runs in the top of the sixth, Danbury scored two more in the bottom half to get to the final score. Tyler Stone (Portal) got the win, pitching four innings of one run ball. Owen Sarna (Alabama) took the loss, allowing six runs in his one inning of work.
Danbury Westerners vs. Martha's Vineyard Sharks (Game Two)
Final Score: Westerners 7, Sharks 4
Danbury, CT - All-Star starting Kyle Garbowski (Quinnipiac) broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the first with a solo home run. Jack Lutte (Denison) added an RBI single in the fourth. Will Bavaro (Florida St.) hit a solo jack to cut the deficit in half for the Sharks.
However, a bases loaded walk paired with a two-run double from Garrett McGovern (Longwood) right after made it 5-1 Danbury. Unfortunately for MV, a throwing error from Bavaro at shortstop drove in another two runs, as opposed to being the final out of the fifth.
Despite a two-run bomb from Wesley Scott (Louisiana Tech) in the sixth, and a second solo shot from Bavaro, the Sharks couldn't come back. Hayden Tarsia (Binghamton) threw five innings of one-run ball to earn the win. Ryan Gold (Kennesaw St.) got the loss, allowing one run in three innings.
Danbury will travel out to Fitch High School for an inter-state matchup against the Mystic Schooners. The Sharks will look to rebound against the Ocean State Waves on Friday.
North Adams SteepleCats vs Ocean State Waves
Final Score: SteepleCats 6, Waves 2
South Kingstown, RI- The SteepleCats were able to take the win Thursday night after taking advantage of some late defensive mistakes from the Waves.
Sebastian Rhoades (Delgado Community College) helped get the scoring started in the top of the third for the SteepleCats, when he reached on a fielder's choice that scored Colsen Loughren (UMass Maritime) from third. The SteepleCats added on four in the eighth inning. Jake Gladu (Franklin Pierce) had an RBI on a ground ball to the shortstop. The next three SteepleCats runs were scored off defensive miscues. An error and a wild pitch cost the Waves big time in the eighth. Nelphie Lopez (Portal) added on an extra insurance run in the top of the ninth with a solo homerun.
The pitching was also vital to the SteepleCats win.The three relievers out of the bullpen allowed no earned runs. Jakob Foster (Mt. St. Mary's) threw 1.1 innings allowing only one hit and one walk with one strikeout. Liam Riordan (RPI) earned the win for the SteepleCats, throwing one inning, allowing no and only one walk. Richie Kerstetter (CCSU) earned the save throwing the final two innings, allowing three hits and no walks with five strikeouts.
Gabriel Milano (UMiami) and Zach Plasschaert (Fresno State) had the two lone RBIs for the Waves. Despite the Waves outhitting the SteepleCats, they were unable to put them together to produce a few more runs.
Ocean State will head on the road tomorrow as they head to the Shark Tank to take on the Martha's Vineyard Sharks. North Adams will have the day off as they prepare to head to Maxfield Sports Complex to take on the Upper Valley Nighthawks on Saturday.
Valley Blue Sox vs Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: Valley Blue Sox 5, Vermont Mountaineers 4
Holyoke, MA – Ryan Frontera (Seton Hall) delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to propel the Valley Blue Sox past the Vermont Mountaineers, 5-4, on Thursday night.
Vermont built an early cushion in the fourth inning, capitalizing on an error alongside a sacrifice fly from Bryce Rudisill (Mount Saint Mary's) and an RBI triple by JJ Parsons (UNC Greensboro) to take a 3-0 lead.
The Mountaineers extended their advantage to 4-1 in the fifth when Alex Benevento (Brown) singled home Sam Winsett (Middle Tennessee State).
However, Valley mounted a late comeback, scoring one run in four consecutive frames.
Anthony Tirado (Penn State) drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth, Nico Soul (Appalachian St.) drove in a run in the seventh, and Frontera tied the game with an RBI single in the eighth after Esteban Garcia (Boston College) stole two bases.
In the ninth, Soul singled and advanced on a walk before Frontera lined his game-winning hit to left field.
The Mountaineers hope to bounce back tomorrow as they take on the Keene SwampBats in a doubleheader, while the Blue Sox have a day off before returning to a doubleheader against the Mystic Schooners on Saturday.
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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.
