Danbury Extends Win Streak, Keene Sweeps Doubleheader
North Adams, MA – Friday night across the NECBL featured a doubleheader sweep by the Keene Swamp Bats, Danbury extending its winning streak to seven games, and another explosive inning from the Newport Gulls. Martha's Vineyard continued its strong second half with a home win over Ocean State, while Upper Valley edged Sanford in a tightly contested North Division matchup.
Mystic Schooners vs. Danbury Westerners
Final Score: Westerners 4, Schooners 1
Mystic, CT - The Danbury Westerners notched their seventh straight win with a 4-1 victory over the Mystic Schooners on Friday night.
A bases loaded fielder's choice brought in the first run of the game for Mystic in the bottom of the first. Danbury only mustered three hits through six innings. However, they finally broke through in the seventh, tying the game back up with an RBI groundout from Garrett McGovern (Longwood).
However, the game broke wide open later in the inning with a three-run homer from Ryan Martin (Dallas Baptist), his third home run in the last four games. Despite getting the tying run to the plate with one out, Chris Walsh (Northeastern) grounded into a double play to end the game.
Hayden Lee (Salve Regina) took the win with three shutout innings out of the bullpen for the Westerners. Colby Correia (Endicott) took the loss, giving up two runs in ⅔'s of an inning.
Danbury will head back home for another in-state matchup against the Bristol Blues on Saturday. Mystic has themselves a doubleheader on Saturday against the Valley Blue Sox.
Sanford Mainers vs Upper Valley Nighthawks
Final Score: Sanford 1, Nighthawks 2
Sanford put together eight hits but couldn't string enough together against the Nighthawks' arms. Jack Tate (St. John's) led the way going 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Nater Wachter (UConn), Brian Connolly (Rhode Island) and Antonio Morales (Maryland) each chipped in a hit. For Upper Valley, James Love (Eastern Illinois) and Alejandro Puig (Dartmouth) each added a base knock to support Kelsey's big night at the plate.
On the mound, Vincent Luther (Binghamton) was outstanding for Upper Valley, tossing five scoreless innings to start. Nick Tamburro (College of New Jersey) picked up the win in relief despite surrendering Sanford's run over three innings, and Julian Rondon (Liberty) slammed the door with a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the season. Charlie Hale (UConn) kept Sanford in it with four strong innings to open, but Michael Bradshaw (Merrimack) took the loss after allowing two runs across three innings of relief.
Sanford heads to Keene to face the Swamp Bats next, while Upper Valley hosts the North Adams SteepleCats.
Bristol Blues vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Gulls 10, Blues 2
Newport, RI- Eight runs in the fourth inning got the Gulls the win over the Blues Friday night.
The Gulls offense exploded in the fourth inning. Ryan Jaros (Rutgers) got the scoring started with a single to right center to score Colby Wallace (Eastern Carolina). Devan Zirwas (Eastern Michigan) followed with a double down the line tallying two more on for the Gulls. Ernie Echevarria followed close behind with another RBI single, this time to left center. Gus Gandy (Samford) finished off the Gulls monster inning with a huge grand slam to right center.
The Gulls added on two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth when Wallace scored on an error and Mason Ligenza (Pittsburgh) singled to left to follow.
The Gulls pitching staff was also lights out in tonight's game. Victor Frederick (St. Johns) earned the win throwing six innings allowing no earned runs on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. John Mass (Boston College) earned the save, throwing the final three innings allowing no runs and no hits with only one walk and six strikeouts.
The Blues scored their two lone runs in the top of the sixth. Cal Chance (UMass Lowell) reached on a fielder's choice that scored Martavius Thomas from third. Thomas Zwirecki (Rutgers) then hit an RBI single. Unfortunately for the Blues, the Gulls pitching staff was able to hold them to just two hits all game.
Jonas Aponick, Torin Kassebaum and Noah Terzo (Central Connecticut) were all strong out of the bullpen for the Blues. Aponick threw two innings allowing no runs on only two hits and two walks with a strikeout. Kassebaum threw one inning allowing no runs with two hits, one walk and two strikeouts. Terzo threw the last inning allowing no earned runs with three hits, no walks and two strikeouts. However, the Gulls had already done their damage.
The Blues will stay on the road as they head to Rogers Park to take on the Danbury Westerners tomorrow. The Gulls will also be on the road tomorrow as they head to Old Mountain Field to take on the Ocean State Waves.
Ocean State Waves vs Martha's Vineyard Sharks
Final Score: Sharks 8, Waves 2
Oak Bluffs, MA – The Martha's Vineyard Sharks capitalized on key scoring opportunities and pulled away late to secure an 8-2 victory over the Ocean State Waves.
The Sharks broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second frame on an RBI groundout from Austin Pierzynski (Alabama Birmingham).
Nick Rubino (Wake Forest) extended the advantage in the third, driving in Carter Bentley (Northeastern) with a line-drive single to center field.
Ocean State scratched across an unearned run in the fifth, but Martha's Vineyard answered in the bottom half.
Jackson Taylor (Clemson) delivered a bases-loaded single to right-center, scoring Kevin Hall (Alabama Birmingham) and Bentley to push the lead to 4-1.
After the Waves added another unearned run in the seventh, Rubino put the game out of reach in the bottom of the eighth, launching a two-run home run to left-center.
Pitcher Landon O'Donnell (Portal) earned the win for Martha's Vineyard with two innings of hitless relief, while Ocean State starter Thorpe Musci (Kennesaw State) took the loss.
The Waves hope to break their seven-game losing streak tomorrow as they host the Newport Gulls, while the Sharks take on the North Shore Navigators at home.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: Swamp Bats 7, Mountaineers 1
Keene, NH – The Keene Swamp Bats completed a doubleheader sweep of the Vermont Mountaineers with a 7-1 victory on Friday at Alumni Field.
Vermont grabbed an early advantage in the top of the first inning when Elliot Miles (UMass Boston) scored on an error, but Keene answered with three runs in the bottom of the second.
Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) launched a solo home run to left field to ignite the rally, and Dylan Fitzsimmons (St. John's) added a two-run shot to right field later in the frame to put the Swamp Bats ahead for good.
Keene broke the game open across the middle innings, using a solo blast from Jackson Smith (Cincinnati) in the third and a two-run fourth inning that featured an RBI single from Smith.
Keene hopes to stay hot as they host the Sanford Mainers tomorrow, while the Mountaineers don't play until Tuesday, between days off and the All-Star Game. They return to action when they take a turn hosting the Mainers.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: Swamp Bats 4, Mountaineers 2
Keene, NH – The Keene Swamp Bats notched a 4-2 victory over the Vermont Mountaineers in game one of a doubleheader on Friday at Alumni Field.
After two scoreless frames, Keene broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third inning.
Dylan Fitzsimmons (St. John's) kicked off the scoring with a solo home run to center field.
Later in the frame, Micah Kendrick (Louisiana Lafayette) reached on a fielder's choice paired with a throwing error, allowing Avery Smith (Penn State) to cross the plate.
Nico Senese (Georgia Southern) immediately followed with an RBI single to right field to cap a three-run rally.
The Swamp Bats extended their advantage in the bottom of the sixth when Petey Craska (North Alabama) blasted a solo home run to left field.
Vermont mounted a late response in the top of the seventh as Chase Ecker (West Virginia) launched a two-run home run to center field to bring home Alex Benevento (Brown), but the rally fell short.
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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.
