Grand-Slam Mania Shines in Wednesday NECBL Action
The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) featured a pair of contests that were determined by grand-slam homers in Wednesday night play.
North Adams SteepleCats vs Sanford Mainers
Sanford, ME – It was a wild ending to a wild game at Goodall Park as the North Adams SteepleCats (7-9) battled the Sanford Mainers (9-9) on Wednesday night. The two teams seemingly traded blows all night, as Elijah Lambros (Maryland) struck for two home runs for the SteepleCats while Colin Barczi (Vanderbilt) responded for the Mainers with a home run of his own. However, with the game tied at five in the top of the ninth, it was David McCann (Virginia Tech) who had the last laugh for North Adams, crushing a grand slam to put the SteepleCats on top, where they would go on to win 9–5.
Tomorrow, the SteepleCats host the SwampBats at Joe Wolfe Field, while Mainers battle the Westerners.
Valley Blue Sox vs Bristol Blues
Bristol, CT – It was a pitcher’s duel on Wednesday as the Valley Blue Sox (9-6) took on the Bristol Blues (9-7) at Muzzy Field. Blue Sox starter Gregory Shaw (UConn) pitched five strong innings for Valley, allowing just one run on two hits and earning the win, while his opponent Jimmy Gilleran (Stonehill) suffered a tough loss, tossing six strong innings allowing just two runs on four hits.
The big blow on offense came off the bat of Logan Hugo (Eastern Michigan) as his two-run home run was enough to lift Valley over Bristol, 3–1.
The Blue Sox play the Nighthawks tomorrow, while Bristol enjoys a day’s worth of rest.
Upper Valley Nighthawks vs Vermont Mountaineers
Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Mountaineers’ (13-3) bats were hot, powering them to win versus Upper Valley (4-11). Carlos Martinez (UMass Lowell) was a crucial part of the offense and ended the game with four RBIs.
Vermont’s scoring began in the bottom of the first inning jumping out to a quick 0-4 lead with help from Carlos Martinez’s homer. Then after adding two in the second, a Max Jensen (Cornell) single expanded the Mountaineer’s lead in the third inning. In the fifth frame, Vermont scored four runs on just two hits. The Vermont offense continued to strike in the sixth when a Josiah Ragsdale (Iona) double added a run. The final scoring of the night came in the eighth when Mountaineer Braxton Meguiar hit an RBI single to make the score 0-13. Mountaineer pitching was impeccable shutting out Upper Valley with each relief pitcher (Joshua Sibley (Jacksonville State), William Jaun (Cornell), Charlie Kutz (Middlebury), and Joshua Keevan (UMass Lowell) throwing hitless innings.
Joshua Silbey walked away with the win, and Upper Valley’s Cal Culpepper (Southern Mississippi) took the loss.
The Nighthawks host the Blue Sox tomorrow, while Vermont enjoys a day off.
North Shore Navigators vs Mystic Schooners
Groton, CT – The Mystic Schooners (8-10) clutched a home win over the North Shore Navigators (6-8) 7-2 on Wednesday night courtesy of Cian Sahler’s (Fordham) grand slam in the eighth inning. Sahler’s bomb cemented the Schooner’s lead.
Entering the eighth inning, each team had tallied a pair of runs on the board. Mystic brought in runs in the second frame from an error and a sac fly. North Shore scored on a wild pitch in the sixth and a single from Andrew Bianco (Seton Hall). Before Sahler worked his magic, the Schooners walked in their third run to give them the lead. Mystic’s winning pitcher Dane Hall (Toledo) pitched one inning with one strikeout. Matt Fletcher (Lasell) pitched five innings with seven strikeouts.
Tomorrow, the Navigators battle the Waves in a doubleheader at Old Mountain Field, while the Schooners rest.
Danbury Westerners vs Keene SwampBats
Keene, NH – The Keene Swampbats (11-5) earned a home win against the Danbury Westerners (4-12) on Wednesday night. Both starting pitchers, Michael Szturma (Southern Connecticut State) and Charles Oschell (Virginia) tossed scoreless first two innings. In the third, a Jake Koonin (Princeton) single drove in Andrew Wiggins (Indiana) to put the first run of the game on the board for Keene.
This lead was expanded by four in the bottom of the fifth partially due to a home run by Joe Jaconski (Penn State), and a double from Aaron Graeber (Delaware). In the sixth inning, the SwampBat bats stuck again with a two-run shot from Christian Mitchelle (Cincinnati). Keene pitching (Oschell, and Stephen Bangs (Franklin Pierce) remained dominant, shutting out the Westerners until the eighth inning. Danbury scored three runs highlighted by a Hayden Miller (College of Charleston) two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth. This proved to be too little too late as the Keene team won 3-7.
Tonight’s winning pitcher was Bangs, and losing was Danbury’s starter Szturnma.
The Westerners host the Mainers tomorrow at Rogers Park, while the SwampBats take on the SteepleCats.
Martha’s Vineyard Sharks vs Newport Gulls
Newport, RI – Newport (11-6) topped Martha’s Vineyard (5-11) 3-6 in five innings at Cardines Field. Both teams chipped away in the first inning with a double from both Martha’s Vineyard’s Mason Zambo (Louisiana Lafayette) and Newport’s Randy Seymour (Michigan State).
Reese Robinett (Arkansas Fayetteville) hit a solo home run in the second inning to put the Sharks ahead.
Newport’s three-run fourth inning gave it a lead Martha’s Vineyard could keep up with. Niko Brini (UConn), Andrew Duncan (Florida State) and Nolan Stevens (Mississippi State) all contributed hits. The Sharks brought in one more run in the last inning from an Andrew Yu (Duke) single.
Winning pitcher Kade Shatwell (Oklahoma City) pitched all five innings for Newport with four strikeouts and one walk.
Both the Sharks and the Gulls rest tomorrow and resume play on Friday.
