Sharks Edge Vermont, Gulls Silence SwampBats in Tuesday NECBL Action
North Adams, MA – Tuesday night across the NECBL featured a pair of tightly contested games as Martha’s Vineyard rallied past Vermont behind a go-ahead seventh inning and Newport rode a strong pitching performance to a road victory over Keene. The Sharks maintained their hold on first place in the South Division, while the Gulls limited the SwampBats to just three hits in a 3-1 win.
Keene Swamp Bats vs Newport Gulls
Final Score: Gulls 3, Swamp Bats 1
Keene, NH – The Newport Gulls secured a 3-1 victory over the Keene Swamp Bats at Alumni Field on Tuesday night behind stellar pitching and capitalization on defensive mistakes.
Newport jumped ahead in the top of the second inning when Peter Mershon (Coastal Carolina University) scored on a failed pickoff attempt error, followed immediately by an RBI single from Richard Tejeda (USC) to build an early 2-0 advantage.
The Gulls extended their lead in the fourth inning when Brandon Larson (USC) launched a solo home run to center field.
Keene answered in the bottom of the fourth as Chris Polemeni (UConn) reached and stole third base and scored on the throw from the catcher to cut the deficit to two. However, the SwampBats' offense stalled there, managing only three hits all game against the Gulls' staff.
Newport reliever Will Allen (USF) earned the win in relief, while Parker Rhodes (Mississippi State) closed out the final three innings to earn the save. Starter Noah Berry (Samford) was charged with the loss for Keene after allowing all three runs.
Tomorrow, the Gulls will host the Valley Blue Sox while the SwampBats take on the first-place Martha's Vineyard Sharks at home.
Martha's Vineyard Sharks vs Vermont Mountaineers
Final Score: Sharks 4, Mountaineers 3
Montpelier, VT- Despite a multi- home run game for the Mountaineers, the league leading Sharks had the edge in Tuesday's game.
It was a back and forth game until the Sharks took the final lead in the top of the seventh, off a two RBI single by Jackson Taylor (Clemson). The Sharks struck first in the top of the first inning on an RBI by Nick Barron (Northwestern). Shortly to follow, Bryce Rudisill (Mt St Mary's) smashed a solo homerun in the bottom of the second, and the Mountaineers struck again to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth on a walk to Sebastian Collender (Middle Georgia State).
The Sharks took the lead in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Wesley Scott (Louisiana Tech), and the Mountaineers followed once again with a solo homerun, this time Alex Benevento (Brown). But Taylor's single in the top of the seventh was all the Sharks needed after that to run away with the win.
Alex Grant (Northwestern) earned his second win of the season going three innings allowing only one hit and one walk with five strike outs.
The Mountaineers head to North Adams tomorrow to take on the Steeple Cats, as the Sharks head to Alumni Field to take on the Keene SwampBats.
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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.
