KEENE, N.H. - After an 18-run showing on Monday night, the Keene Swamp Bats were well aware of the Gulls potential offensively. The Swamp Bats were aware and consistent, holding Newport scoreless throughout the game, with one run being enough for the W.

Alex Walsh started the game off for Keene, facing the minimum and striking out Michael Gupton (Samford) for out number three. In his first start, Finbar O'Brien (Gonzaga) was able to excel and match the efficiency Walsh delivered. O'Brien also retired his first three hitters in five pitches.

Newport did not see their first base runner until the top of the third when Kyle Branch (Oklahoma) singled with one out. But after a pop-out and groundout, Branch was left stranded. Keene put two runners on in that same time frame but not simultaneously, as a Chandler Tuupo 2nd-inning single saw him forced out on a fielder's choice.

We finally saw some offense try and form in the 4th when Randy Seymour (Michigan State) hit a one-out single to extend his hit-streak to 6 games to start the young season. With two outs, Petey Craska (North Alabama) sent a piece into left-center. Seymour held up at third, but Craska was thrown out reaching for second base, and the quick spark for Newport was put out.

The Swamp Bats struggled mightily to put runners in scoring position and could not through five. A Will Fosberg (Northeastern) single, followed by a stolen base, gave Newport another opportunity in the top half of the fifth. But, a lineout by Branch and a swinging strikeout by Cade Brown (Georgia) thwarted that effort. 

Just as Newport consistently put runners on, relief pitcher Jack Cropper (Northeastern) continued the footsteps of O'Brien, who went four innings, allowing one hit and striking out four. As Cropper went back out to work in the bottom of the sixth, rain began to fall from the New Hampshire sky. And when it rains, it pours. The Gulls vacated the field, and a lengthy rain delay ensued. Although the Gulls and Swamp Bats were past the official minimum for a game to be called and marked final, no team had scored, and since these two teams only are scheduled for two matchups in the 2025 campaign, there was persistence to get the game done.

The delay lasted one hour and eight minutes as an initial speedy game stopped. The teams took the field just after 9:00 p.m. Unfortunately for the efficient Cropper and Swamp Bat relief man Joey Abbazia; the rain delay cut their appearances short as we saw new arms enter for both sides after the break. John Downing (Seton Hall) was first out of the pen for Newport in the bottom of the sixth. The rain left a mark, and as the baseball grip wore away, Downing struggled early, loading the bases after a pair of hit batters. However, Downing got himself out of the jam, getting recently named NECBL Player of the Week Zach Thompson to strike out swinging.

Incoming Swamp Bat reliever Ben Dean and Downing both faced the minimum for a quiet seventh at Alumni Field. The eighth started similarly, with Will Fosberg going down on strikes, but Kyle Branch was able to spark some magic. Following a five-pitch walk, Branch stole second and third during Cade Brown's third and final at-bat of the night. With the infield in, Dean stepped up and caught Brown looking on a 3-2 pitch that many Gulls believe to be inside on the right-handed hitter out of Georgia. With two outs, leadoff man Matt Bolton (Binghamton) sent a hard-hit ball to Tuupo at first, who corralled the baseball after a few hops and took it himself to retire the Gulls.

Gulls returner Cade Connolly (Michigan) replaced Downing and aimed to cut down the Swamp Bats. After getting the speedy Gabe Pitts to fly out, a one-out walk placed Michael O'Brien on first. O'Brien would steal second base after a great throw from Fosberg was not enough to cut down the Keene left fielder. After a strikeout, Connolly faced three-hole hitter Jack Herring, who hit a knock into right field. Matt Bolton fielded the base hit and threw home, trying to throw out O'Brien at the dish. The throw took one hop and pulled Fosberg up the third base line. The Gulls backstop made the grab off the grass, and an acrobatic tag attempt fell short as Fosberg just missed O'Brien's shoelaces, and Keene took the lead. Connolly settled back in and struck out Tuupo, but not before a run broke a scoreless game as it headed into the ninth.

Ben Dean continued into inning number three with multiple guys warming in the Swamp Bats bullpen. Following a Seymour strikeout, Michael Gupton got his first hit of the day by Ripken Reese, the second baseman. Dean dialed back in and struck out Josh Castellani (Clemson). So, who was the next batter for Newport? Unfortunately, no one. Dean's punch-out pitch found the dirt, and although catcher Zack Thompson had to retrieve the ball from the ground, he sent it across the diamond way out in front of an aggressive Gupton, who was cut down trying to move into scoring position.

A roar from the Keene side erupted as the Swamp Bats got the third and final out of another pitcher's duel where Newport found themselves on the wrong side of the win column, losing 1-0 for the second time this season. Keene jumps to a league-best 4-1, while Newport slips to .500. Dean got the W, while Connolly took the loss in his first appearance back in a Gulls uniform.

Newport cannot afford to let the sour taste of tonight's loss stick around, as they have a date with a team better not to be named. The first of six in the Pell Bridge Series kicks off Wednesday night, June 11th, as the Waves crash into Newport. The Gulls will try to get back over .500 and aim their sights to the top of the Southern Division. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. You can catch the action on ESPN+.