Mainers, SwampBats Both Score Fifteen in Dominant Wins Tuesday
North Adams, MA- Tuesday's NECBL slate proved why the Sanford Mainers and Keene SwampBats are currently the top two standings in the North. Martha's Vineyard continues their dominant start, and Newport ad North Shore increase their win record.
Ocean State Waves vs. Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Mainers 15, Waves 9
Wakefield, RI - The Sanford Mainers set a season-high in runs with a 15-9 win over the Ocean State Waves on Tuesday night. The Mainers notched double-digit hits (15) and double-digit walks (13), while taking advantage of every Waves mistake throughout the course of the game. Despite Ocean State scoring six runs in the last two innings, it was too little, too late.
Sanford jumped out in the first inning, as Waves catcher Cameron Papetti (Bryant) committed an error on a double steal, scoring Nick Zampieron (Stony Brook). The next inning, with the bases loaded, Jacob Harring (Salve Regina) converted a two-run single to give the Mainers a three-run cushion.
The Waves got on the board thanks to an RBI single from Brodey Bitove (Indiana). However, the top of the fourth saw Sanford blow the game wide open. Zampieron and Harring notched a pair of RBI singles. A wild pitch scored Zampieron from third, before Brennan Staubley (Southern Connecticut) capped off a five-run fourth inning with a two-run single.
Ocean State managed a run in the fourth and the sixth off RBI singles from Gray Eubanks (Southern Mississippi) and Papetti respectively. Sanford got those right back in the seventh via a balk and an RBI groundout from Harring. Another four runs came across in the eighth inning.
The Waves finally notched their first home run of the season, thanks to a two-run shot from Papetti. Ocean State notched another four runs via an RBI single from Justin Hackett (Bryant), and a three-run home run from Bitove.
Ian Mowad (St. John's) got the win, despite giving up six runs while pitching the last three innings of the contest. Max Marchetti (Northeastern) took the loss for Ocean State, giving up three runs in one inning out of the bullpen.
Sanford will head out to Alumni Field to take on the Keene Swamp Bats on Wednesday. Ocean State will head out to take on the North Adams Steeplecats on Wednesday.
North Shore Navigators vs. Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: Navigators 5, Mountaineers 2
Lynn, MA - The North Shore Navigators notched a 5-2 win over the Vermont Mountaineers on Tuesday Evening. Hudson Ellis (Oral Roberts) had himself a day, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
The Mountaineers jumped out front with some savvy baserunning, with Alex Benevento (Brown) scoring whilst teammate David Alvarez (Eastern Kentucky) stole second himself. However, after a double and a stolen base from Ellis to start the bottom of the third, a groundout from Hunter Kingsbury (Bryant) did the job to tie the game at 1-1.
Ellis got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to take a 2-1 lead. Benevento got the job done with a sacrifice fly ball to tie the game once more. The bottom of the sixth saw a pair of RBI doubles from Ellis and Michael Brown (Hofstra) to take a 4-2 lead. An insurance run was added in the seventh via a sac fly from Tyler Shulman (Harvard).
Aidan Gelbsman (Boston College) got the win, pitching four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen. Brody Kuzior (Seton Hill) allowed two runs in his two innings of work, earning the loss. Cam Freeman (Longwood) got his first save on the season.
North Shore gets to stay home, as the Danbury Westerners will pay them a visit on Wednesday. Vermont gets to head back home, as they prep for the Upper Valley Nighthawks on Wednesday.
Newport Gulls vs North Adams SteepleCats
Final Score: Gulls 5, SteepleCats 1
North Adams, MA- Patience at the plate and power on the mound proved to be the perfect combination Tuesday night, as the Newport Gulls outlasted the North Adams SteepleCats for a 5-1 road victory.
Newport jumped out early, capitalizing on starter from North Adams, Samuel Formus (Portal). The Gulls plated two runs in the opening inning despite not recording a hit, as Formus issued five walks in just two-thirds of an inning. North Adams turned to Tyler Tedeschi (NYU), who stabilized the game by allowing just one hit while striking out four over 3.1 scoreless innings.
The Gulls added to their lead in the fifth when Cole Johnson (Austin Peay) delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home a run. Newport extended its advantage with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Catcher Peter Mershon (Mississippi State) provided the biggest offensive contribution, driving in two runs, while Johnson finished with an RBI of his own. Cade Brown (Georgia Tech) scored twice and stole a base, and Ryan Jaros (Rutgers), Braxton Tramel (East Carolina), and Gus Grandy (Samford) each chipped in hits as Newport finished with six hits and nine walks.
North Adams managed its lone run in the fourth inning. Evan Meier (Mt St Mary's) doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Nelphie Lopez (Portal), trimming the deficit to 2-1. The SteepleCats collected five hits in the contest, with Tony Woodie (SUNY Cobleskill) leading the way with a pair of singles. Jake Butler (George Mason) and Lopez added hits, while Nicolas LoBello (Towson) and Hunter Ray (Fairleigh Dickinson U Teaneck) combined to draw a walk.
On the mound, Newport starter Burkley Bounds (Kentucky) was effective through four innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out five. Kyler Zagar (Oklahoma State) earned the win in relief, overpowering the SteepleCats with six strikeouts across three scoreless innings. Will Allen (U of South Florida) closed the door with two shutout frames, surrendering just one hit and striking out two to complete the Gulls' 13-strikeout night.
The Newport Gulls will return home to take on the Mystic Schooners Wednesday night. The North Adams SteepleCats stay where they are to welcome the Ocean State Waves in a match Wednesday night.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Bristol Blues
Final Score: Keene Swamp Bats 15, Bristol Blues 2
Keene, N.H. – The Keene SwampBats defeated the Bristol Blues on Tuesday night in a lopsided victory, with every member of the SwampBats' starting lineup recording a hit.
After a scoreless first inning, Keene broke the game open with a six-run second. Eli Stephens (Georgia Tech), Avery Smith (Penn State), and Jackson Smith (Cincinnati) each drove in runs before Jackson Marshall (UConn) capped the frame with a three-run home run.
Bristol got on the board in the third when Justin Ruiz (High Point) launched a solo home run, but Keene responded in the fifth. Jackson Smith singled home Griffin Enis (Virginia), and Stephens struck again with a three-run homer to extend the lead.
Scott Gell (Stony Brook) scored the Blues' second and final run in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Michael O'Brien (Little Rock) tripled, then scored on an RBI single by Luke Boykin (Samford). In the seventh, O'Brien drew a bases-loaded walk then Boykin added a sacrifice fly.
Keene added two more runs in the eighth when Nico Senese (Georgia Southern) launched a two-run home run to left-center field.
Rocco Calise (Eckerd) earned the win for the SwampBats, while Bristol starter Hudson Cavallo (West Virginia) was charged with the loss.
The Blues hope to bounce back in an early game against the Valley Blue Sox tomorrow, while the SwampBats will take on the Sanford Mainers and attempt to reclaim the number one spot in the North Division.
Martha's Vineyard Sharks vs Mystic Schooners
Final Score: Sharks 8, Schooners 6
Groton, CT- After a back and forth game through the sixth inning, it was the late scoring for the Sharks that helped give them the edge over the Schooners in Tuesday's game.
The Schooners got on the board first with an RBI by Jamie Zee (Notre Dame) in the bottom of the fourth. The Sharks were quick to respond in the top of the fifth with a two RBI single by Ryan Thompson (Rhode Island). A solo home run by Joel Collado (Rhode Island), a couple walks, another RBI by Jaime Zee (Notre Dame), and some shifty baserunning gave the Schooners a 3 run lead at the end of the fifth.
But the Sharks were just getting started. They went on to score six runs in the next three innings to secure the 8-6 win. Alex Grant got his first win of the season and Warner Gearhart (Oberlin) earned his first save, closing out the ninth after an attempted comeback by the Schooners.
The Schooners will head to Newport, RI tomorrow to take on the Gulls, while the Sharks have the day off.
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