Valley Blue Sox vs. Keene SwampBats - Game one

Final Score/7: Keene 6, Valley 2

 

Keene, NH- The Keene Swampbats took game one of the doubleheader against the Valley Blue Sox, defeating the Blue Sox 6-2 in the seven-inning game. The SwampBats started the game early, knocking in three runs in the first inning. Dylan Cupp (Mississippi State) was able to cross home plate after Nick Romano (Florida Atlantic) distracted the defense with a ground out. Jack Herring (East Carolina) was able to score on an error made by the Valley catcher, and Marshall Lispey (Florida Atlantic) scored after an error by the shortstop. 

 

Keene continued their offensive output in the top of the fourth inning. Ripken Reese (Kent State) stepped up to the plate and launched a ball over the wall, scoring Ty Mainolfi (Dayton), adding two more runs to the scoreboard. In the top of the sixth inning, Reese got on the board again with his second home run of the game, adding the solo shot to bring the lead to 6-0.

 

The Blue Sox were able to bring some runs home in the bottom of the sixth inning. Clay Burdette (Xavier) marched up to the plate and drove a ball deep over the wall for a two-run shot. However, it wasn't enough for the two runs, as Keene‘s defense was able to shut out the Blue Sox to secure the victory in the shortened game.

 

The SwampBats pitcher, Alex Walsh (Jacksonville), was issued the win while his counterpart, Blue Sox ace Gregory Shaw (UConn), was issued the loss of the game

 

Game Two was set for a 7:26 pm start.

 

See the first game box score here

 

 

Keene SwampBats vs Valley Blue Sox - Game Two

Final Score/7: Keene 3, Valley 0

Keene, NH- The Keene Swampbats completed the sweep of the Valley Blue Sox Wednesday night with a score of 3-0 in game two. The 7:26 pm game started with a defensive battle, and both teams kept each other scoreless through three innings. The SwampBats were the first to break the stalemate in the bottom of the fourth inning when Nick Romano (Florida Atlantic) was able to score following a Zack Thompson (Gardner-Webb) ground out. 

Keene continued to score in the bottom half of the fifth, after shutting out the Blue Sox in the top of the fifth. Jack Herring (Florida Atlantic) knocked in a run for an RBI single, and Dylan Cupp (Mississippi State) was able to reach home after a fielder’s choice play. 

 

Keene continued its defensive dominance, striking out the first three batters in the top of the seventh inning to secure the victory and complete he sweep of Valley. 

 

Keene’s ace John Malone (Samford) was granted the win behind an eight-strikeout performance. Blue Sox pitcher Ethan Slowik (St. Joseph’s) was issued the loss. 

 

The SwampBats are back in action Thursday night with another doubleheader against the Upper Valley Nighthawks. The Valley Blue Sox return to action Friday night as they host the visiting Bristol Blues

 

Read the box score for game two here

 

 

North Adams SteepleCats vs. Newport Gulls

Final Score: North Adams 2, Newport 1

 

Newport, RI - Despite five errors and striking out 18 times, the North Adams SteepleCats pulled through and defeated the Newport Gulls 2-1 on Wednesday night. 

 

North Adams’ Dawson Montesa (Adelphi) was magnificent on the mound, shutting down the Gulls hitters through the first five frames. He finished his outing with zero hits and five strikeouts while only walking two. Meanwhile, Leighton Harris (Kentucky) got the start for the Gulls and was just as dominant. Through four innings, Harris finished with eight strikeouts, only giving up one hit and one walk. 

 

The bats stayed silent until the top of the sixth, as Robert Stang (Dayton) blasted a two-run home run to get the SteepleCats on the board. Although only one of three hits on the day for North Adams, it proved to be enough as the Gulls could only muster one run on one hit. Newport also left 12 runners on base through a combination of walks, errors, and hit by pitches, but could not get their big break against composed SteepleCats pitching.

 

With the win, North Adams improves to 2-5 while the Gulls remain just above .500 at 7-6. The SteepleCats host the Mystic Schooners tomorrow at 6:30 pm, while the Gulls’ next matchup is also against the Schooners at home this Friday at 6:35 pm. 

 

Box Score

 

 

Sanford Mainers vs Vermont Mountaineers

Final Score: Mainers 4, Mountaineers 9

Sanford, ME – The Vermont Mountaineers earned their fourth win of the season with a 9–4 victory over the Sanford Mainers on Tuesday night at Goodall Park. Vermont used a four-run third inning to break the game open and added insurance across the middle innings to fend off multiple Sanford rallies.

The Mountaineers struck first in the top of the first inning, as Jaylen Hernandez (Winthrop) launched a solo home run to right field for an early 1-0 lead. Foster Apple (Stetson) followed up with a solo shot of his own in the second to extend the lead to 2-0.

Vermont’s explosive third inning featured aggressive base running, two Sanford errors, and RBIs from Addison Ainsworth (United States Military Academy) and Conlan Daniel (Wright State). A wild pitch allowed Ainsworth to score, and another allowed Matthew Minckler (Delaware) to plate the fourth run of the frame, putting the Mountaineers ahead 6-1.

Sanford clawed back with a run in the bottom of the third when Brendan Sencaj (Bentley) scored on a groundout, but Vermont answered immediately in the fifth with David Alvarez (Northwest Florida St) doubling and scoring on an Apple RBI single.

In the sixth, Joey Pagano (St. Joseph’s) belted a solo homer to make it 8-2. The Mainers responded in the bottom half with a two-run frame, including a double by Sencaj and an RBI double from Brian Connolly (Rhode Island). However, Sanford left the bases loaded to end the threat.

Both teams scored one more run apiece with Vermont tacking on a run in the eighth, capitalizing on a wild pitch, while Sanford had runners on base in the eighth and ninth, but couldn’t bring them around.

Adam Martin (Stonehill College) earned the win in relief for Vermont. Sanford starter Jason Libby (Maine-Orono) was tagged with the loss. The Mainers will host the Bristol Blues Thursday night, while the Mountaineers will resume action Friday night, hosting the North Adams SteepleCats.

Box Score

 

Bristol Blues vs Danbury Westerners

Final Score: Blues 11, Westerners 1

Bristol, CT – The Bristol Blues dominated offensively and cruised to an 11-1 victory over the Danbury Westerners on Tuesday night at Muzzy Field. A combination of great hitting and dominant pitching helped the Blues improve to a South Division best 8-4 on the season, while Danbury dropped back to .500 at 4-4.

The game remained scoreless through two innings before Danbury struck first in the top of the third, as Gabriel Tirado (UConn) launched a solo home run to left to give the Westerners a 1-0 lead. That would be the lone run for Danbury, whose bats were held to just four hits all night.

Bristol wasted no time responding. In the bottom of the third, CJ Egrie (Holy Cross) was hit by a pitch and scored on an RBI double to right from Gianno Merlonghi (Central Connecticut State). Nate Lincoln (Marist) added an RBI groundout to cap a three-run frame and give the Blues a 3-1 lead.

The Bristol offense continued to apply pressure in the fourth, as a combination of a hit-by-pitch, a walk, and a Danbury error brought in two more runs. The Blues plated one in the fifth on a fielder’s choice and tacked on three more in the sixth behind RBI knocks from Merlonghi and Lincoln. The duo struck again in the eighth, each driving in a run to put the game out of reach.

Merlonghi led the charge for Bristol, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs and a walk, while Ahlers, Lincoln, and Egrie each scored twice. On the mound, James Gilleran (Stonehill College) earned the win with three scoreless innings. Westerners hurler Cole Gibson (New Haven) was credited with the loss. Blues’ relievers Blaine Lyne (Texas A&M), Aiden Cook (Xavier), and James Ellis (Saint Peter’s) combined for six innings of one-run ball while striking out eight.

The Westerners will head to South Kingston on Thursday to visit the Ocean State Waves, while Bristol heads on the road for a matchup against the Sanford Mainers on Thursday.

Box Score