By: Brendan Bowlin

Keene, N.H. – The Nighthawks took on the Swamp Bats for the final time this season at Alumni Field on a beautiful Thursday afternoon. The Swamp Bats, who just clinched the division, look to try and knock off the momentum of Upper Valley, who is coming off a doubleheader split against the North Adams SteepleCats, who are a game ahead of the third-place spot in the North Division. 

The Swamp Bats would win their NINETEENTH game at home, swamping the Nighthawks 11-2, propelled by a big seven-run fourth inning. The Nighthawks dropped their twenty-first game of the season, falling a game and a half behind the third-place SteepleCats.

The bottom of the first started with a Ty Manolfi double off of Jack Ruditzky, in his first start after a bounce-back outing against the Bristol Blues. Ripken Reese would ground out, but that would move Manolfi ninety feet. It was the bat of Jack Herring that drove in the league’s best batter to take the early 1-0 lead. 

The top of the second was the time for the Nighthawks to respond. Matt Dieguez, fresh off his phenomenal first start as a Nighthawk, ripped a single after a Trommer strikeout. Greco up next would fly out with plenty of pop, but keeping with the theme of having big pop, in came Santiago Ordonez, he smacked a two-run home run that traveled 345 feet over the right field wall to take the lead.  

The Bats quickly responded in the bottom half of the frame as it was a leadoff bomb from Ryan Jaros on an 0-2 count that tied the game between the two division foes. Although Chandler Tuupo was able to get on with a single after the 2 knocks, Ruditzky would put the bats away 1-2-3 to escape the inning with a tie. 

The Bats weren’t done scoring in the bottom of the third, a leadoff double from Ripken Reese started things off strong. After a strong response from Ruditzsky to force the putout, Michael O’Brien, fresh off a home run in the last game against North Shore, did it again, snatching the lead right back from the Nighthawks after giving up a two-run bomb themselves that saw their one-run lead vanish. Ruditzky once more escaped the inning, but not before the bats rallied their way back for more in the next inning. 

If there’s something about the Bats that wasn’t stated enough earlier, it's that they hardly lose at Alumni Field. And tonight wasn’t going to be the night. The Bats went through the order and plated seven runs. All starting with a four-pitch walk dealt to Chandler Tuupo. He would later get to second on a wild pitch, then to third off the bat of Connor Peek, who singled. Although Ruditzky on the bump got a strikeout to Andrew Bell, his day on the bump was done, handing the ball off to Rhys Anderson, making his second appearance. A full-circle moment for the Vermont native who went to Nighthawks games as a kid and now is pitching for the team in big situations. Connor Peek took second, but not long after, it was another Ty Manolfi RBI Single to score Chandler Tuupo. Ty Manolfi also would steal second, but the throwdown from Santiago Ordonez would sail into the outfield, scoring Connor Peek. Ripken Reese walks after the wild events. Jack Herring steps in, gets ahead 3-1 before finishing the job and getting an RBI Single to score Ty Manolfi, but he and Reese both propel to second and third thanks to an off-line throw from the outfield. Michael O’Brien would ground into a fielder’s choice, but that would bring in Ripken Reese. Marshall Lipsey would walk, but first base was already unoccupied, and that’s because it was another Bats swiped bag. With the bases loaded, Ryan Jaros is up for the Bats, and he starts 2-0. The third pitch goes wild, scoring Jack Herring, and everyone on base moves over one. The next pitch also goes wild, sequencing bases, moving, and scoring in Michael O’Brien. In turn, Rhys Anderson’s day comes to a short close. Matthew Direnzo is given the reins to escape the inning. Although getting a sac fly from Chandler Tuupo to score on Marshall Lipsey, he would force a Connor Peek single that got Jaros thrown out at third from the arm of Jake Elbeery to Michael Trommer. 

Not much more came from either side as the offense on both sides halted, and the Bats would secure the 11-2 victory at Alumni Field, securing a one-loss record against the Nighthawks this season. 

The Swamp Bats scored eleven runs on eleven hits with no errors. They left five runners on base.

For the Nighthawks, it was just two runs on seven hits with just one error; they left seven on base. 

John Malone (4-1) earned the win for the Swamp Bats. In his three innings of relief, he allowed just one hit and no walks, with just one strikeout. 

Jack Ruditzky (0-1) was credited with the loss with the Nighthawks. Through his three and a third innings of work, he allowed seven hits and six earned runs. He walked one and struck out three. 

The Nighthawks return to action for a “doubleheader” against the North Shore Navigators for the final time this season at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts. 

The Nighthawks and Navigators will finish where they left off in Game 2 on July 17th. Mason Phillips will be pitching to finish the game, starting at 4:15.

Game Two will be at approximately 6:15 PM EST with Drew Koenen getting the start on the bump for the Nighthawks. If you can’t make it to the ballpark, tune in on NECBL+. 

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