Original link: http://www.necbl.com/view/necbl/news-1185/news_535037
Game 1: Upper Valley Nighthawks 11, Winnipesaukee Muskrats 0
The Upper Valley Nighthawks shut out the Winnipesaukee Muskrats on Sunday afternoon to take the first game of the doubleheader. Nighthawks starting pitcher Jordy Allard (University of Richmond) threw a gem to pick up the win in the seven-inning matchup (4.0 innings pitched, 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts). Winnipesaukee starter Bryan Pazulski (University of New Haven) was roughed up by Upper Valley in his first start and appearance of the summer (4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K).
The Nighthawks jumped on top with a five-run third inning and set the tone for the rest of the way. Left fielder Andrew Walker (Xavier University) blasted a grand slam as Pazulski allowed two walks, a single and a pair of stolen bases to set up Walker. Two batters later, designated hitter Alan Roden (Creighton University) hit a solo home run to make it a 5-0 game. In the next inning, Upper Valley tacked on another run with help from centerfielder Brett Callahan’s (St. Joseph’s University) RBI double to extend the Nighthawks’ lead to six runs.
The Muskrats had no answer for Upper Valley’s lineup in game one as the Nighthawks tallied another five-run inning in the sixth with the help of two more home runs. First baseman William Sullivan (Troy University) slammed a solo shot, Walker drove in one on a single and third baseman Connor O’Brien (Bradley University) hit a three-run home run to seal the win with a score of 11-0.
Game 2: Winnipesaukee Muskrats 2, Upper Valley Nighthawks 3
The Upper Valley Nighthawks swept the doubleheader in a close one, topping the Winnipesaukee Muskrats by one run in game two. The Nighthawks improve to a perfect 3-0 on the season and the Muskrats lose their unbeaten start, falling to 2-2. Upper Valley’s Jackson Haga (Liberty University) earned the win in relief of starter Josh Flack (Kansas State University). Haga pitched two hitless and scoreless innings, allowing one walk and striking out two batters in his appearance. Winnipesaukee’s starter Nicholas Timpanelli (Iona College) took the loss (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K) and the Nighthawks’ Zane Kmietek (Marist College) earned the save to keep the Muskrats from tying the game or taking the lead.
Upper Valley scored one run in three straight innings and did not cross home plate again after the fourth inning, but Winnipesaukee still could not get the job done at their home field. First baseman William Sullivan (Troy University) launched a solo home run to get the Nighthawks on the board. Sullivan would play a primary role in Upper Valley’s win as he drove in his team’s second run of the game in the fourth inning. Then, he came around to score the Nighthawks’ third and final run in the fifth inning as third baseman Connor O’Brien (Bradley University) drove him in to make it 3-0.
Winnipesaukee made a comeback in the sixth inning by way of right fielder Matthew Overton’s (Molloy College) two-run home run to bring his team within one run of tying things up, but it would not be enough.
Next Up: Next Up: SAN vs. UV (6/8, 6:00pm) | WIN vs. NAS (6/9, 6:30pm)
Keene Swamp Bats 4, Sanford Mainers 3
Coming off of a walk-off win last night at home, the Keene Swamp Bats continued their winning ways on the road in Sanford as they improved to 2-1 on the season and the Mainers fell to a winless 0-3. Swamp Bats’ starter Cole Stallings (Stetson University) secured the victory through five innings of work (5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) while Sanford’s starter Alexander McKenney (University of Maine Orono) bore the loss (6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Keene’s Erry Baldayac (Rhode Island College) picked up the save as he kept his squad’s lead safe in the eighth and ninth innings.
Sanford was the first to strike in this matchup right off the bat in the first inning. Centerfielder Cam Ridley (Eastern Kentucky University) scored off of an error committed by Keene. The Swamp Bats tied things up in the third inning as shortstop David Bryant (Radford College) drove in a run on a sacrifice out. The game would be tied at one run apiece until the sixth inning when Keene scored three times to make it a 4-1 ballgame. Right fielder David Williams (St. John’s University) drove in the first run of the inning on a single and first baseman Drake Westcott (University of Louisville) drove in two more by hitting into a fielder’s choice. On that scoring play, Sanford committed an error, aiding in Keene’s three-run campaign.
In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Sanford shortened the Swamp Bats’ lead to two runs as left fielder Calvin Hewett (Vanderbilt University) scored on a wild pitch. The Mainers threatened in the bottom of the ninth and cut Keene’s lead to just one run as second baseman Martin Higgins (St. John’s University) also reached home plate via a wild pitch thrown by the Swamp Bats. Keene would end Sanford’s hopes of going to extra innings or walking off, keeping the home team Mainers winless to begin the 2021 season.
Next Up: NAS vs. KEE (6/8, 6:30pm) | SAN vs. UV (6/8, 6:00pm)
Danbury Westerners 0, Valley Blue Sox 8
After starting the season off with a win, the Danbury Westerners fell to 1-2 on the season as they were shut out by the Valley Blue Sox (3-1) on the road in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The Blue Sox’s Antonio Balducci (University of Richmond) tallied the win in relief of starting pitcher Grant Kipp (Yale University). Both pitchers threw a dominant six combined innings, four and two innings respectively. Kipp allowed just two hits and struck out seven while Balducci was unhittable in his appearance. Westerners starter Sean Hogan (Williams College) was handed the loss (3.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K).
Valley scored two quick runs in the first inning, one off of an error by Danbury and the other from an RBI single by catcher Cole Andrews (Miami University). The Blue Sox would strike twice again in the fourth inning with the help of two bases loaded walks to extend their lead to 4-0. Valley left fielder Brian Hart (Marist College) led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a solo home run to start a four-run inning by the home team. Right fielder Calvin McCall (University of Rhode Island) followed up with a 2 RBI triple and second baseman Jack Housinger (Xavier University) drove in the eighth and final run of the game with an RBI double.
Next Up: MYS vs. DAN (6/8, 6:30pm) | VBS vs. NEW (6/7, 6:35pm)
Ocean State Waves 11, Mystic Schooners 12
The Mystic Schooners (2-1) edged the visiting Ocean State Waves (0-2) to keep the opponent winless to begin the 2021 season. The Schooners’ 10-run slugfest in the fourth inning was just enough to grab the win over the Waves who did not make it an easy win for Mystic. Ocean State’s starting pitcher Tyler Roche (St. John’s University) pitched three strong innings with a cozy 7-0 lead until he was shelled in the fourth inning by Mystic’s lineup, allowing 10 runners to score. Schooners starter Ben Gibbs (Yale University) was also rocked by the opponent, allowing five hits and as many runs through just two innings of work.
The Waves got themselves on the board immediately in the first inning by taking advantage of a couple of errors and wild pitches and would give themselves their seven-run lead in the third inning. A bases loaded walk issued to second baseman Alex Ramirez (University of Rhode Island), a three-run double from shortstop Dylan Hoy (Marist College) and an RBI single via third baseman Kyle Maves (Quinnipiac University) did the job.
The third inning may have belonged to Ocean State, but the fourth inning was all the Schooners’. An RBI single by Barry Walsh (Boston College) got things going, which was followed by a costly error by Ocean State to bring in two more Mystic runs to make it 7-3. Another error by the Waves drove in two more runs, then came a two-run single by Addison Kopack (University of Rhode Island) along with a three-run home run by Walsh to give Mystic a healthy 10-7 lead. The Waves’ Nick Hassan (Kennesaw State University) crashed a two-run shot to make it a one-run game in the fifth inning to pump some more life into his team, but it would not be enough to overpower the Schooners on their home turf.
Next Up: OSW vs. BRI (6/7, 6:30pm) | MYS vs. DAN (6/8, 6:30pm)
North Adams Steeplecats 2, Vermont Mountaineers 3
In similar fashion to other games played across the NECBL on Sunday, the North Adams Steeplecats and Vermont Mountaineers played a close one; but, ultimately, the hosting Mountaineers came away victorious to earn their first win of the season (1-1), while the Steeplecats fell to 0-2-1 to begin the summer. Vermont’s Rojo Prarie (College of William and Mary) earned the victory in his appearance in the final two innings of the game (1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K). North Adams’ Justin Baeyens (St. Thomas Aquinas College) suffered the road loss (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) as he allowed Vermont’s go-ahead run in the eighth inning.
The Mountaineers were the first to get on the board with a run in the third inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly via second baseman Anthony D’Onofrio (Hofstra University). The score remained 1-0 in favor of the home team until the Steeplecats took away their lead in the sixth inning. An RBI single by Jeremy Lea (Pacific University) and a wild pitch thrown by Vermont in which Charles Middleton (Pacific University) scored did the trick for the home team.
However, the Mountaineers were not going to make things so easy in their home opener. Another sacrifice fly by Anthony D’Onofrio to drive in the tying run in the seventh inning was followed by an RBI single by right fielder Matt Oldham (Elon University) in the eighth put Vermont on top of the visiting Steeplecats. Those two runs were all the home team needed to lock in their first win of the season.
Next Up: NAS vs. KEE (6/8, 6:30pm) | NAS vs. VER (6/7, 6:30pm)
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