Blues, Mainers, and Navigators Roll as Waves Win 11-Inning Thriller in Wednesday Action
North Adams, MA – Wednesday night across the NECBL featured dominant offensive displays, strong defensive showcases, and extra-innings drama. The Upper Valley Nighthawks exploded for an eight-run inning to cruise past Vermont, the Ocean State Waves outlasted North Adams in an 11-inning thriller, and the Navigators, Gulls, Mainers, and Blues all secured decisive victories to cap off a busy night of baseball.
Bristol Blues vs Valley Blue Sox
Final Score: Blues 5, Blue Sox 3
Bristol, CT - The Bristol Blues defeated the Valley Blue Sox 5-3 in their "School Day" game Wednesday morning.
Valley struck first in the third inning when Lucas Alberti (George Mason) drove in Brett Rogers (Middle Tennessee) on a groundout. However Bristol responded immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Antonio Ducatelli (Central Connecticut) started the rally with a two-run homer, scoring Nick Flores (VCU). Later in the frame, JJ Romatzick (Hartford) drew a bases-loaded walk which scored Christopher DiPrima (Yale University), and Trent Rice (Michigan State) added a sacrifice fly to score Nicholas Francuzenko (Towson). Bristol extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth when Francuzenko hit an RBI single to bring home Flores.
The Blue Sox fought back with two runs in the sixth. Jack Myers (Georgia Southern) scored on a double play, and Rogers followed with an RBI infield single that scored Trey Spees (Western Carolina).
Valley threatened again in the ninth, but Thomas Galusha (Bryant) secured the save. Starter Justin Silverstein (High Point) earned the win, while Alex Hill (Mary Hardin-Baylor) took the loss.
The teams will both be off tomorrow before returning to action on Friday, as the Blues travel to Joe Wolfe Field to face the North Adams SteepleCats and the Blue Sox host the North Shore Navigators.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Mainers 5, Swamp Bats 1
Keene, NH - The Sanford Mainers defeated the Keene Swamp Bats 5-1 on Wednesday night, in a game driven mostly by the defense. Both pitching staffs controlled the early frames, keeping the game scoreless through three full innings of play.
Steven Kraus (Binghamton) broke the offensive silence in the top of the fourth inning with a single to right field, then scored on a two-run homer from Nater Wachter (UConn). Sanford doubled their lead in the fifth when Brennan Staubley (Southern Connecticut State University) ripped a two-out single to right field, scoring Troy Carpenter (UMaine) and Brendan Sencaj (Bentley).
The SwampBats broke through in the seventh when Jackson Marshall (UConn) doubled and scored on an RBI single by Michael O'Brien (Little Rock). Sanford answered in the ninth to cap their win, as Kraus crushed a solo home run to center field.
On the mound, Jasper Nadel (George Washington) earned the win in relief, while Keene starter Jack Davis (UNC Asheville) was charged with the loss. Samuel Young (Richmond) ended the game by pitching a hitless 2.1 innings, securing the save for Sanford.
Both teams will have an off day tomorrow, before the Mainers travel to face the Upper Valley Nighthawks and the SwampBats host the Vermont Mountaineers on Friday night.
Danbury Westerners vs North Shore Navigators
Final Score: Navigators 8, Westerners 3
Lynn, MA- The Navigators got off to a quick start and never looked back from there in Wednesday's game.
Danati Fronduto (San Jacinto College North) had a huge day for the Navigators, leading the scoring with five RBIs. This included a three run home run in the bottom of the seventh. Hudson Ellis (Oral Roberts) also had a great day at the plate going two for two with a walk.
Jack Zimmerman (Dayton) earned his first win of the season, going 3.1 innings allowing only one run on one hit with one strike out. Koby Seelig (Columbia) was also lights out out of the bullpen, going one inning allowing no hits and now runs with two strikeouts.
The Westerners tried to rally in the top of the ninth, but were unable to climb the seven run lead the Navigators had created. Aidan Stern (Trinity College) was responsible for two of Danbury's three, with one of the RBIs coming in the top of the ninth. Kyle Garbowski (Quinnipiac) had the other RBI, with a single in the top of the ninth, but unfortunately that was all the Danbury could muster.
The Navigators will remain at home tomorrow as they host the Upper Valley Nighthawks at Fraser Field and the Westerners will have the day off.
Newport Gulls vs Mystic Schooners
Final Score: Gulls 8, Schooners 4
The Newport Gulls turned on the offense Wednesday night, using a strong all-around performance to defeat the Mystic Schooners 8-4. After the scoreless start, Newport broke through in the third inning and never looked back, combining timely hitting with a dominant pitching performance to secure the victory.
The Gulls jumped ahead in the third inning when Camden Cloud (U of Kentucky) delivered the biggest blow of the night, launching a three-run home run to right-center field that scored Mason Ligenza (Pittsburgh) and Cole Johnson (Austin Peay). Newport added another run in the fourth after Adam Broski (Michigan St.) drove in a run, extending the lead and putting pressure on the Schooners' pitching staff. Gus Gandy (Sanford) also contributed at the plate, finishing with two hits and two RBIs.
Newport continued to build momentum throughout the game, with Johnson sparking the offense by reaching base three times and scoring three runs. On the mound, Jake Keenedy (Oklahoma St.) earned the win after tossing 4.2 scoreless innings in relief, striking out nine while allowing just three hits.
Mystic fought back with a late push, scoring four runs in the fourth inning to cut into the deficit. Scott Penney led the Schooners offensively with a hit and an RBI, while Bryce Detwiler (Connecticut) and Camden Righi (Connecticut) also drove in runs. Anthony Belisario (Portal) and Justin Best (Manhattan) each added hits and helped keep Mystic within striking distance.
Despite the comeback attempt, Newport's pitching staff shut the door late, with Will Taylor (Trinity U) and the bullpen keeping the Schooners from completing the rally. The Gulls' combination of power hitting, clutch run production, and strong pitching lifted them to an 8-4 win and improved their season record.
Newport Gulls will head to Ocean State Waves and compete Thursday night. Mystic Schooners will play against the North Adam SteepleCats Thursday night.
North Adams Steeplecats vs. Ocean State Waves
Final Score: Waves 9, Steeplecats 6
North Adams, MA - The Ocean State Waves notch a 9-6 win over the North Adams Steeplecats in 11 innings. The Waves scored four runs in the 11th to put the game out of reach.
Two batters in, Thomas Meluskey (New Mexico St.)slapped a single to right field. However, the ball made its way past right fielder Hunter Ray (Portal), allowing leadoff hitter Blaize Ward (Missouri) to score as well as Meluskey, putting Ocean State ahead 2-0. Samuel Fernandez (Stetson) added to it with an RBI single.
North Adams got on the board thanks to an error from Ocean State, courtesy of first baseman Zach Plasschaert (Arizona) scoring a run from third base. Luckily for them, the fifth and sixth saw much better results. Bobby Stang (Dayton) launched a two-run home run to tie the game at 3-3 in the fifth. Ray, looking to make up for his error in the first inning, launched a two-run bomb of his own to take the lead in the sixth.
Plasschaert scored on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to get Ocean State within one run. Jack LaRose (UConn) became the hero for the Waves in the ninth, lacing a single down the right field line to tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the ninth.
In the bottom of the 10th, despite having the bases loaded with one out, a double play put paid to North Adams plans to walk it off. In the 11th, Ocean State took advantage. Adonis Medina (Rhode Island (U of)) hit a sac fly to left field to go up 6-5. Plasschaert came through with a two-run double to extend the lead, and got driven in by Gavin Marchese (Monroe). Despite North Adams scoring on a wild pitch, no other runs were mustered.
Andrew Jacobs (Arizona) got the win, allowing one unearned run in the 11th and final inning. Jakob Foster (Portal) took the loss, allowing four runs in 2.1 innings.
Vermont Mountaineers vs. Upper Valley Nighthawks
Final Score: Nighthawks 13, Mountaineers 6
Montpelier, VT - The Upper Valley Nighthawks took a resounding 13-6 victory over the Vermont Mountaineers on Wednesday night. Upper Valley scored most of their runs in the third inning, with eight of them coming during that inning.
Tyler Jones (Portal), with two runners on and two outs, got the scoring started with a three-run blast to put the Mountaineers up 3-0 through one inning. Upper Valley responded in the top of the second with a two-run single courtesy of Frank Kelly (High Point).
Upper Valley took their first lead in the top of the third and then some. With the bases loaded, Alex Kelsey (Kentucky) grounded a ball to second baseman Brayden Leonard (Villanova). His throw ended up in the dirt, tying the game at 3-3. The next batter, Alejandro Puig (Dartmouth), smacked a double to left center field, clearing the bases and marking the end of the night for Vermont starter Nicholas Falla (San Diego St.).
Kelly came through with an RBI single, and James Love (Eastern Ellinois) scored two with a single of his own. Finally, a sacrifice fly ball from Nick Quagliato (Portal) marked the eighth and final run of the inning.
An error from Love, as well as a sac fly from Bryce Rudisill (Mt. St. Mary's) plated two more runs in the sixth for Vermont. Nick Mullen (George Washington), taking advantage of his teammate David Alvarez (Eastern Kentucky) stealing second, scampered home to plate another run, making it 11-6.
AJ Demastrie (Dartmouth) scored in the eighth due to a passed ball to make it 12-6 Upper Valley. The Nighthawks scored one more in the ninth to get the game to its final score. Anthony Bubba (Quinnipiac) notched five innings while giving up three runs, earning him the win. Falla took the loss, allowing seven runs in two-plus innings.
Upper Valley will next travel to face the North Shore Navigators on Thursday. Vermont has a day off before a trip to New Hampshire to face the Keene Swamp Bats.
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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.
