Ali Koskoris

Keene N.H. – The Keene Swamp Bats and the Sanford Mainers resumed a game originally started on July 15^th that was suspended due to rain. Keene headed into the bottom of the second inning this afternoon trailing Sandford 9-5.

Previously, Austin Wheeler (Georgia) hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning, his third home run on the season.   The Swamp Bats also earned a run on an error for the Mainers’ shortstop, Mark Weist (Spring Arbor), which recorded a run-batted-in for JP Sportman (Central Connecticut St.).

In the top of the second, the Mainers scored nine runs off of Keene pitching.  Starter Ryan Horstman gave up eight runs (St. John’s) on an RBI triple by Weist, RBI doubles from Paul Kornenfield (Georgia Tech) and Will Cooper (Vanderbilt), a two-RBI double by Nate LaPointe (Boston College), and an RBI single from Jordan Hagel (Maryland).  Horstman ended his outing going 1.2 innings, giving up eight runs on six hits and two walks, with two strike outs.  Joey Ceja (Louisville) entered to close out the inning and gave up a two-run home run to Weist before recording the third out.

Sanford continued its torrid hitting today against Ceja.  The Mainers plated four in the top of the third off an RBI single from Jose Torralba (Canisius) and a three-run home run by Jordan Betts (Duke). 

Sandford scored one run in both the fourth and fifth innings off of solo homers from Ino Patron (Long Beach St.) and Betts.  It is the eleventh time Betts has gone deep this summer.

Keene earned its first run of the day in the seventh inning off of Mainers’ starter John Gorman (Boston College).  Dylan Delacruz (Central Connecticut St.) slammed a solo home run to right-center field with one out, his sixth homer of the season.  The Swamp Bats continued to rally, loading the bases, but were unable to score, as Gorman kept his head and retired the next two batters on a strikeout and a groundout.  Heading into the eighth inning, Sanford led the Swamp Bats 15-6. 

The Mainers brought out Al Zeiher (Spring Arbor) for the eighth, and Keene proceeded to score six runs.  Cameron O’Brien (Louisville) led off with a walk, and, after a lineout, Dylan Moore (Cypress Community College) and Delacruz followed with consecutive singles to load the bases.  With two outs, Sportman and Mike Papi (Virginia) hit successive two-RBI doubles to make the score 15-10.  Sportman’s three RBI on the game gives him the franchise record for RBI in a season and earns him second place in the NECBL for RBI.  Jared Walsh stepped up to the plate next, and ripped a two-run home run, his tenth of the season.

Trailing Sanford by just three runs, the Swamp Bats headed into the ninth inning with reliever Rob Rogers (Keystone College) to toe the rubber.  The Mainers’ first three batters reached base, and Hagel hit a sacrifice lineout to put Sanford up 16-12.  Betts followed with an RBI single, and the Mainers earned another run on a pass ball. 

Despite a leadoff homerun from O’Brien in the bottom of the ninth, Keene was unable to do any more damage, and dropped the game, 18-13.  O’Brien finished the game going 3-4 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI.

Gorman earns the win and Horstman gets the loss.  Keene drops to 27-13, while Sanford improves to 15-25. 

The Swamp Bats are back in action Wednesday afternoon for a double header against the Vermont Mountaineers.  The first game is scheduled for 4:00pm, and the second is scheduled for 6:30pm.