NEWPORT, RI – The Newport Gulls (18-7) downed the SwampBats (17-8) to claim the best record in the NECBL in early July. Despite nine hits, the SwampBats were unable to hold on as the Gulls took advantage of four Keene errors in an 8-5 final.

After a first inning of allowing three runs, the SwampBats responded with one of their own after an RBI from Gabe Pitts (Central Connecticut), as the night's starter, Kyle Peters (UConn), responded with a 1-2-3 inning in the second.

With another run scored in the third inning by the Gulls, the SwampBats responded yet again in the fourth. This time Ryan Jaros (Rutgers) hit Ty Mainolfi (Boston College) in, followed by Pitts hitting a sharp ground ball past the shortstop to score Jaros as they pulled within one run of the Gulls.

Benjamin (Skip) Shenosky (Penn St) came in for relief in the fourth, shifting the momentum as he kept the Gulls scoreless. The SwampBats rode off that momentum as Xavier Perez (Houston) hit a solo home run to tie it at four in the top of the fifth. 

Marshall Lipsey (Florida Atlantic) came in to pinch hit in the 6th inning, as he started the Bats off with a base hit. Jack Herring (East Carolina) scored Lipsey on an RBI single to then take the lead.

However, the Gulls took over in the seventh inning after scoring three runs, making it a 7-5 lead over the SwampBats.

With another insurance run added on in the eighth inning, the deficit was too much to overcome as the SwampBats fell to the Gulls 8-5.

The Bats are right back at it on Saturday, July 5th, to take on the Bristol Blues back home at Alumni Field. First pitch is set for 6:35, streaming on ESPN+.