NEWS

Mainers Top Swamp Bats, 2-1, Tuesday in New Hampshire

KEENE, N.H.—It was quite the pitchers’ duel at Alumni Field as the Keene Swamp Bats lost 2-1 in a nail-biter to the Sanford Mainers.

The Swamp Bats had the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning but shortstop Taylor Perez (St. Leo University) grounded into a fielder’s choice as third baseman Caden Bailey (Georgia State) took it himself forcing out Conner Simonetti (Kent State) at third.

Despite being no-hit by Sanford starter Rich Vrana (Marist) for the first five innings, the Swamp Bats scored the first run of the ball game in the 6th inning on a sacrifice fly by Bret Dennis (St. John’s) scoring Connor Fitzsimons for a 1-0 lead. Keene could have scored more in the inning but Drake Parker (Vanderbilt) robbed Darrick Hall (Cochise College) of a grand slam to end the inning.

That momentum from Parker’s grand robbery continued into the top of the seventh inning for the Mainers as Sanford came right back to tie the game up at one on a two-out single by Matt Rabbito (Southern New Hampshire) and an error by Zach Lauricella (St. John’s) allowing Corey Raley (Temple College), who led off the inning with an infield hit, to score. Parker then followed that up with a single of his own scoring Rabbito from second to give the Mainers a 2-1 lead heading into the stretch.

Swamp Bats starter Michael Dunnigan (St. Leo University) had an excellent start despite the tough luck loss as he pitched 6.2 innings giving up two runs, two earned, on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts on 77 pitches. Dunnigan escaped a couple of jams earlier in the ball game getting out of a runners on first and third with one out jams in both the third and sixth innings.

Dunnigan was able to get out of the jam in the third inning as he was able to get Bailey to ground into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.  In the sixth inning Dunnigan was able to escape another jam with runners on first and third with one out unscathed as he was able to retire Sam Dexter (Southern Maine) at the plate on an unsuccessful suicide squeeze attempt by Dan Hetzel (University of Rhode Island). Dunnigan then got Kendall Patrick (Michigan) to foul out to Hall to end the threat.

Vrana lasted 6.1 innings giving up one run, one earned on three hits, walked two with six strike outs. He was lifted in the seventh inning after retiring Conner Simonetti (Kent State) on a hard hit line drive to left that was caught by Matt Pagano (Marist). Tyler Barss (University of Rhode Island) came on in relief for Vrana. Vrana was credited with the win.

Barss pitched two full innings of relief giving up no runs on two hits, with no walks and five strike outs. Mike Bunal (Binghamton) came in for the save with one out in the ninth after Barss gave up a single to Hall and a double down the left field line to Simonetti putting the tying and winning runs in scoring position for the Swamp Bats.

Bunal then got Patrick McGrath (Washington State) to fly out to shallow centerfield preventing Hall from scoring.

Sanford improves their record to 3-2 on the year as Keene falls to 1-2.

The Swamp Bats are back at it again tomorrow at 6:30 pm as they try to get back on the winning track against the North Adams SteepleCats at Alumni Field.