A crowd of 5,137 wanted an exciting game and they got it as the men in purple took down the Danbury Westerners, arguably the best team in the NECBL southern division, by a score of 6-4.

Starter Zach Messigner got a no-decision but was solid through 6 and 1/3 innings after a rocky start.

Giving up runs in the first inning for the first time this season, Messinger gave up a solo homer to Nick Larusso to put Danbury up 1-0.

Messinger, who had some command issues in the first inning, threw a wild pitch three batters later to score Caleb Upshaw, making it 2-0 Westerners.

The University of Virginia right-hander, who came into today’s affair with three walks all season, walked four.

Keene fought back however with a David Matthews fielder’s choice, which got David Bedgood out at home but catcher Sonny Ulliana threw the ball under first basemen Nick Larusso, rolling into right field and scoring Randall Bednar.

With the game 2-1, Danbury struck again, this time from a homer to left field from Caleb Upshaw.

With it 3-1, Messinger did not look sharp but he settled in for the remainder of the six innings he went and even allowed Keene to rally in the third.

After David Bedgood, who ripped a single into center, stole second and third, a grounder to Cam Masterman hit off of Will Wagner’s bat, garnered an error when Danbury’s third basemen overthrew catcher Sonny Ulliana, scoring the Tulane left-hander.

With Wagner on second, Ryan Hogan, coming in with a staunch .350 average, ripped a double down the left-field line, easily scoring Wagner.

The game tied at three, Danbury scored for the final time in the fifth with a sac fly from Nick Larusso scoring Alex Bello, putting Danbury up 4-3.

Larusso was hot tonight for Danbury, going two for three and knocking in two of Danbury’s four total runs.

Keene would have the final laugh with their biggest rally of the night, coming in the seventh.

With starter Joe Vail out of the game for the Connecticut six-shooters, southpaw and Jacob Degrom look-alike Justin Campbell put himself in a first and third situation with one out following a Will Wagner double and a Ryan Hogan single.

David Matthews then hit an infield single, scoring Will Wagner and following a Kyle Ball single, had the bases loaded and one out.

Campbell then walked Justice Lucas to score Ryan Hogan and then Seth Caddell hit a long sac fly to right to score David Matthews, giving Keene its first lead of the night and one they did not relinquish.

Things did get interesting in the eighth with Marc Davis on the mound for the Giant Purple People Eaters. 

With two outs, Davis loaded the bases off a single from Alex Bello. With pinch hitter Noah Dickerson at the plate, Davis struck him out with that great 12-6 curve that has been ferocious all season.

Justin Willis finished off the game with a very quick 1-2-3 ninth inning, giving Keene another two-game win streak and improving to 11-7.

It is the third come-from-behind victory for the Swampbats this season and one that will be remembered as Independence Eve is one of the biggest events at Alumni field.

With another big game against the Valley Blue Sox tomorrow at 6:30, Keene will look to win its third in a row and go 2-0 against the two-time defending NECBL champions at Mackenzie Stadium.