Mountaineers, Blue Sox Erupt in Statement Wins as Mainers Claim First Place; Sharks Continue Hot Start
North Adams, MA – Friday night across the NECBL featured a pair of dominant offensive performances, a shutout that vaulted Sanford into first place in the North Division, and another strong showing from Martha’s Vineyard as the Sharks continued their impressive start to the season. Vermont and Valley each cruised to double-digit victories, while Danbury edged Bristol in a tightly contested pitchers’ duel and Upper Valley relied on strong pitching to secure a road win.
Mystic Schooners vs. Valley Blue Sox
Blue Sox 11, Schooners 3
Mystic, CT - The Valley Blue Sox take a dominant 11-3 win over the Mystic Schooners on Friday evening. The Schooners couldn't overcome a nine-run first inning from Valley, as seven different Blue Sox players recorded at least one RBI.
The Blue Sox managed to chase off Mystic starter Trace Hartman (Stetson) before he could record a single out, scoring a run with a Trevor Harmon (San Francisco) RBI single and leaving runners on the corners for Connor Shaw (San Diego St.) to try and take care of.
Valley continued to capitalize as Jack Myers (Georgia Southern), Nick Tomasetto (Seton Hall), Nico Soul (Appalachian St.), Joshua Toole (Coastal Carolina) and Lucas Alberti (George Mason) all recorded RBI hits during the first frame of play.
Mystic got some semblance of offense going in the second inning in a big way. After a walk from Anthony Ruggiero (Northeastern), Devin Russell (Maryland) launched a two-run home run over the fence, his second of the season.
Mystic immediately loaded the bases on Kaden Kimble (Mt. St. Mary's), who came in for starter and reigning NECBL pitcher of the week Dylan Reid (Brown). Despite this, Mystic only pushed one across thanks to Casey Wensley (Bryant) drawing a walk.
Anthony Grabau (Fordham) decided to join the action, launching a two-run home run to bring the game to its final score.
Reid got the win, pitching five innings and giving up two runs on five hits and three walks. Hartman got the loss allowing three runs without recording an out. Kimble wound up pitching the last four innings of the ball game, earning himself the save.
The Blue Sox head to Connecticut to play the Danbury Westerners on Saturday. Mystic will look to bounce back at Old Mountain Field as they take on the Ocean State Waves.
North Adams Steeplecats vs. Upper Valley Nighthawks
Nighthawks 5, Steeplecats 1
North Adams, MA - The Upper Valley Nighthawks take a 5-1 victory over the North Adams Steeplecats on Friday night. The pitching duo of Trey Sejnoha (Dartmouth) and Nick Tamburro (College of New Jersey) kept North Adams at bay for the first eight innings.
Charley Magoulick (Rider) got the Nighthawk offense started in the third inning with a two-out, two-run double. They added to it in the fifth with a two-out rally. Cole Huett (Bellarmine) got plunked by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Jake Bell (Bellarmine) notched a two-run single to make it a 5-0 ballgame.
The Steeplecats broke the shutout in the eighth inning thanks to a Chris Diaz (Marist) RBI double. However, Brian Smith (Canisius) shut the door with no problem in the ninth, sitting the SteepleCats down 1-2-3.
Tamburro got the win, pitching 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk. Jake Foster (Rhode Island College) took the loss allowing five runs, two earned on seven hits and a walk.
The Nighthawks have themselves a double header on Saturday at the Shark Tank, taking on the Martha's Vineyard Sharks. North Adams will stay home as they play the North Shore Navigators on Saturday.
Keene SwampBats vs Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Mainers 4, SwampBats 0
Sanford, ME – The Sanford Mainers shut out the Keene SwampBats in a dominant 4-0 victory at Goodall Park on Friday night. The Mainers struck early in the bottom of the first inning when Nick Zampieron (Stony Brook) walked, stole second, and scored on a wild pitch. Sanford extended the lead in the third inning. After Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) singled and Albert De La Rosa (Maine) walked, Troy Carpenter (Maine) drove them both in with a two-RBI double to right center. The final run came in the seventh inning as Zampieron singled, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from De La Rosa.
Facing a strong Sanford pitching staff, Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) and Eli Stephens (Georgia Tech) managed the only two hits for Keene - both singles to left field. Starter Andrew Middleton (Portal) struck out seven across four hitless innings for the Mainers. Reliever Jake Dally (Binghamton) earned the win, allowing one hit over three frames, while Keene starter Hunter Colagrande (Stony Brook) was given the loss.
The contest marks the second meeting between the two teams this season, following a 6-5 Keene victory in their previous matchup. With the win, the Mainers (5-2) move past the SwampBats (4-2-1) to take over first place in the North Division standings.
Sanford hopes to pick up another win tomorrow night at home against the Newport Gulls, while Keene has an off day before traveling to Mackenzie Stadium to face the Valley Blue Sox for a Sunday day game.
Vermont Mountaineers vs North Shore Navigators
Final Score: Mountaineers 11, Navigators 1
Lynn, MA- The Mountaineers ran away with a quick lead in tonight's game and never looked back after scoring six runs in the first two innings.
Bryce Rudisill (Mt. St. Mary's) had a big day at the plate for the Mountaineers. He had the first RBI of the game on a single to center in the top of the first and the last RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth. Alex Benevento (Brown) also had a big game, with a two run single in the top of the second and a huge RBI triple in the top of the sixth. Kevin Hager (Cornell) also had a strong day at the plate going two for four and scoring two of the Mountaineers runs.
Nicholas Falla (San Diego St. U) earned his first win of the season tonight, going three innings allowing only two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. It was a strong day overall for the Mountaineers staff, with Hank Lippman (Williams & Mary) and Davis Budd (Western Carolina) both throwing an inning out of the bullpen and allowing no runs.
John Milewski (Brandeis) was lights out out of the bullpen for the Navigators, going three and one third innings, allowing only one hit with no walks and three strike outs. Maddix Simpson (Ohio State) drove in the Navigators lone run in the bottom of the second, but the Navigators were never able to catch up.
The Mountaineers travel home to host the Bristol Blues tomorrow, while the Navigators head to North Adams to take on the SteepleCats.
Martha's Vineyard Sharks vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Sharks 5, Gulls 2
The Martha's Vineyard Sharks rode strong pitching and timely hitting to a 5-2 victory over the Newport Gulls, collecting seven hits and striking out 12 Newport batters in a complete team effort.
The Sharks jumped ahead early and never looked back, scoring five runs on seven hits while taking advantage of five walks issued by Newport pitching. Left fielder Griffin Crain (Louisville) led the offense with a two-hit performance, scoring a run and drawing a walk. Centerfielder Will Hampton (Vanderbilt) crossed the plate twice and reached base with a walk, helping set the tone at the top of the lineup.
Martha's Vineyard received contributions from Ty Fredo (Mt. St. Mary's) and Jackson Taylor (Clemson). Fredo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while Taylor added an RBI single. Carter Bentley (Northeastern) chipped in with a double and scored a run, and shortstop Jackson Roper (Wake Forest) added two hits as the Sharks consistently put pressure on the Gulls' defense.
The Sharks' pitching staff was dominant. Starter Serigne Sartre (Mt. St. Mary's) earned the win, improving to 1-0 after allowing just two runs on five hits over six innings. The right-hander struck out seven while walking one. Reliever Ben Waterman (Lafayette) was outstanding in relief, tossing three scoreless innings without allowing a hit and striking out five to record the save.
Newport's offense was led by right fielder Devan Zirwas (Michigan), who went 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk. Tristan Salinas (Rutgers-New Brunswick) added a double and drove in a run, while Braxton Tramel (East Carolina) collected a hit and scored one of the Gulls' two runs. Shortstop Caeden Cloud (Kentucky) also contributed a hit and stole a base.
The Gulls threatened at times but were unable to capitalize against the Sharks' pitching. On the mound, Will Coleman (Kentucky) took the loss despite allowing only one earned run over four innings. Jake Kennedy (Oklahoma State) and Kyler Zagar (Oklahoma State) combined to keep Newport within striking distance, but the offense could not overcome Martha's Vineyard's early lead.
Martha Vineyard Sharks will compete in two games against the Upper Valley Nighthawks at home on Saturday. The Newport Gulls will travel to play against the Sanford Mainers on Saturday night.
Danbury Westerners vs Bristol Blues
Final Score: Westerners 3, Blues 2
Bristol, CT- Despite an attempted comeback in the bottom of the sixth by the Blues, the Westerners were able to come away with a close win on Friday night.
It was a strong night for the pitching staffs on both sides of the ball. Cole Gibson (New Haven) had a great start for the Westerners going four innings and allowing only one hit with four strikeouts. Simon Yochum (Davidson), Alex Payne (Lafayette) and Michael Delph (West Point) were all strong out of the bullpen for the Westerners, only giving up two hits between the three of them and allowing no runs. The Westerners' staff as a whole had nine strikeouts in tonight's game.
The Blues' bullpen was also on tonight, with Jack Ruditzky (Rider), Samuel Schmidt (Jacksonville State), and Thomas Galusha (Bryant) each throwing an inning out of the bullpen, allowing no runs. The Blues' staff as a whole had ten strike outs in tonight's game.
Both teams were scrappy, finding any way to score on errors, fielder's choices, and wild pitches. It was Jayden Novak (La Salle), who led off the top of the sixth with a single and ultimately scored on a wild pitch, that secured the lead for the Westerners to come away with a win.
The Westerners head home to Rogers Park tomorrow to host the Valley Blue Sox as the Blues head up to Vermont to face the Westerners.
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The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat collegiate summer league featuring teams across all six New England states. Since its founding in 1994, the NECBL has produced more than 230 Major League Baseball alumni, including nearly 30 first-round MLB Draft selections. For continuing coverage of the NECBL, visit NECBL.com and follow the league on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
