Ocean State Stuns Newport, Keene Knocks Off Sanford in Friday NECBL Action
North Adams, MA – Friday night across the NECBL featured a dramatic ninth-inning comeback, an upset in the North Division, and another close win for the South Division leaders. Ocean State scored three runs in the ninth to rally past Newport, Keene handed Sanford a decisive loss, and Martha's Vineyard edged Bristol to maintain its hold on first place. Elsewhere, Mystic erupted for 11 runs against Valley, while North Adams broke open a close game late to defeat Upper Valley.
Upper Valley Nighthawks vs. North Adams Steeplecats
Final Score: Steeplecats 11, Nighthawks 6
White River Junction, VT - The North Adams Steeplecats take an 11-6 win over the Upper Valley Nighthawks on Friday night. The Steeplecats pushed through early offensive struggles to put up double-digit runs.
After notching one hit in the first four frames, North Adams broke the scoreless tie in the fifth. With two outs, Tony Woodie (SUNY Cobleskill) knocked a two-run double down the left field line to make it 2-0. Upper Valley responded in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run double from Cole Huett (Bellarmine, and an Alex Kelsey (Kentucky) sac fly to take the lead.
The Cats got those back and then some in the top of the seventh. After an RBI single from Sebastian Rhoades (Delgado CC), North Adams forced three bases loaded walks to take a 6-3 lead. North Adams then put the brakes on a potential Nighthawks comeback with a five-run eighth inning to go up 11-3.
A Kelsey RBI double in the bottom of the eighth brought the game to 11-4. Another pair of runs came in via a two-run single from Levi Jones (San Diego St.), although the comeback didn't go beyond that.
Valley Blue Sox vs. Mystic Schooners
Final Score: Schooners 11, Blue Sox 2
Holyoke, MA - The Mystic Schooners dominated the Valley Blue Sox for an 11-2 win on Friday night. The Schooners jumped out early and never looked back, scoring eight of their runs in the first three innings.
After a scoreless first, Mystic went ballistic in the second and third innings. Two RBI doubles, a sac fly and a wild pitch put together a four-run second inning. Another wild pitch, as well as a three-run home run from Devin Russell (Maryland) gave the Schooners another four runs in the third.
Mystic scored on a pair of errors in the fifth inning, and a sac fly from Russell in the seventh. The only runs Valley could muster all game were from RBI groundouts from Lucas Alberti (George Mason) and Nick Tomasetto (Seton Hall).
Mike Poncini (Georgetown) got the win, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings. Andrew Speranza took the loss, allowing eight runs in his three innings of work.
Mystic will head back home for their July 4th matchup, as the Newport Gulls visit town. Valley will head out to face another Connecticut team, heading over to face the Bristol Blues on the 4th.
Martha's Vineyard Sharks vs. Bristol Blues
Final Score: Sharks 3, Blues 2
Bristol, CT - The Martha's Vineyard Sharks hold on for a narrow 3-2 win over the Bristol Blues on Friday evening.
Martha's Vineyard jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an error from Blues right fielder Mason Breton (Long Island) in the first, and a sac fly from Kevin Hall (Alabama). Bristol came right back in the bottom of the second and tied it back up thanks to a throwing error from Sharks third baseman Bryan Sornas (Holy Cross).
An RBI double from Jackson Taylor (Clemson) gave Martha's Vineyard the lead in the seventh. From there, Jake Lodgek (Miami) finished out the game, as he went the final seven innings to earn himself the win. Jack Ruditzky (Rider) took the loss, allowing the run in the seventh.
Martha's Vineyard doesn't suit up again until Monday, as they travel to Connecticut to take on the Valley Blue Sox on that day. Bristol will stay home as they play some 4th of July baseball against the Valley Blue Sox.
Keene Swamp Bats vs. Sanford Mainers
Final Score: Swamp Bats 9, Mainers 2
Keene, NH - The Keene Swamp Bats take a 9-2 win over the Sanford Mainers on Friday night. Keene's offense kept consistent over the course of the game, scoring in six of their eight offensive go-arounds.
Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) put Keene up 1-0 with an RBI single. Brennan Staubley (Elon) slapped an RBI double to tie the game back up. A two-run homer from Collin Anderson (Duke) gave Keene a 3-1 lead. An RBI single from Steven Kraus (Binghamton) notched an RBI single of his own to put the Mainers within one 3-2. Yet another two-run bomb, this time from Michael O'Brien (Little Rock) gave the Bats a 5-2 lead.
From there, Sanford's offense struggled mightily, as Keene kept adding on. A Nico Senese (Georgia Southern) RBI single in the fifth, a solo homer from Jackson Marshall (UConn) in the sixth, and a two-run single from Chris Polemeni (UConn) put the nail in the coffin for Keene in this contest.
Brody Krzysiak (Kent St.) took the win out of the bullpen, pitching three shutout innings. Drew Smith (UConn) took the loss, allowing five runs in his 2.2 innings.
The Bats head out to Joe Wolfe Field to take on the North Adams Steeplecats for the 4th of July. The Mainers head back home for their 4th of July matchup, as they take on the North Shore Navigators.
Newport Gulls vs. Ocean State Waves
Final Score: Waves 4, Gulls 3
Newport, RI - The Ocean State Waves come back to win 4-3 over the Newport Gulls on Friday evening. Despite being down 3-1 entering the ninth, the Waves scored three to take the lead and eventually win.
Max Farrell (San Diego St.) kicked off the scoring with an RBI single in the top of the first. Newport responded in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from Caeden Cloud (Kentucky), as well as a two-run double from Ryan Novak (Miami) to give Newport the lead and never look back
Despite getting held to no runs throughout the next seven innings, Cameron Papetti (Bryant) became the hero for Ocean State, smashing a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 3-3. Zach Plasschaert (Fresno St.) followed up with an RBI single to take a 4-3 lead in the ninth.
Trey Telfer (San Diego St.) got the win with two shutout innings out of the pen. Mickey McClaskey (Gonzaga) took the loss, allowing all three Ocean State runs in the ninth.
The Waves will head out for an in-state 4th of July matchup against the Danbury Westerners. The Gulls will head out for a holiday matchup against the Mystic Schooners on the 4th.
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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.
