Mainolfi caps off ninth inning surge as SwampBats win in walkoff

by Andrew Hillsman

KEENE, NH - On another scorching night at Alumni Field, the offenses cooled off and what followed was a back-and-forth contest that was decided in walkoff fashion in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Keene moved to 14-2 on the year with a 4-3 victory over the North Shore Navigators (5-13).

RHP David Rodriguez (St. John's) was handed the ball as the starter for the SwampBats, and would end his three innings of work with just a single run allowed, along with three hits and three strikeouts to go along with zero free passes. North Shore's first strike came in the top of the first, when 1B Alex Marot (Charleston Southern) laced a single into right field to score RF Sam Parks (Stonehill).

The Navigators held on to that one run lead until SwampBats shortstop Dylan Cupp (Dallas Baptist) sent one out of the park for the second night in a row to tie the game at one apiece. North Shore responded by creating traffic on the basepaths and scoring a run off a wild pitch in the top of the fourth. Then, just as the temperature began to cool off, the offenses did the very same, as after that fourth inning, neither team could scratch across any runs until the home half of the eighth.

Keene reliever and righthander Jake Hooker (Xavier) ate up key innings, throwing three frames of scoreless ball, while fanning four and allowing just one hit, getting the Bats through the seventh, and allowing the offense to get going again. In his fifth game as a SwampBat in 2025, DH Xavier Perez (Houston) came up clutch by tying the game with a solo homer with one away in the eighth, a no-doubter to straightaway center field.

The ninth inning became a perfect capstone to an exciting game, as North Shore scored a run from CF Ethan Wilson (Winthrop) drawing a walk with the bags juiced. Keene's defense was able to limit the damage to one, and the Bats went to the home half trailing by a run. Then, the magic started up again.

CF Marshall Lipsey (Florida Atlantic) put in a quality at bat and got himself aboard with a walk, followed by substitute catcher Ripken Reese (Kent State) ripping a double to place himself on second, and Lipsey on third. Then, 2B Ty Mainolfi came to the plate, and played the role of the hero, putting a grounder back up the middle that was just enough to score Lipsey and Reese, ending the game in a spectacular manner for the SwampBats. It's Keene's second walk-off win of 2025, the first coming against Upper Valley on 6/13.

Keene will head to North Adams to take on the SteepleCats tomorrow, June 25th, and will return to Alumni Field for a doubleheader against the Ocean State Waves on Friday, June 27th.

First pitch between the SwampBats and SteepleCats is set for 6:30 PM, and the game will be streamed live on NECBL+.