Bats Offense Stymied in Pair of Losses at North Shore

LYNN, Mass. - A day removed from one of their most complete wins of the year, the Keene SwampBats (16-6) reached the halfway point of their season with two tough losses at Fraser Field to the North Shore Navigators (8-14). Game one was a heartbreaker, as North Shore won 3-2, becoming the second team this year to walk off the Bats in a seven-inning contest. Game two got out to a tough start, and Keene was unable to claw back, falling by a score of 6-2.

LHP Mikey Fernandez (Miami) made his second start of the year in game one, going three full innings and allowing five hits, two earned runs while walking two. Fernandez had an efficient first inning, and escaped a bit of danger in the third to end his outing. Keene's offense put up one run in the first half inning, as RF Jack Herring (East Carolina) scored on an error from North Shore SS Jack Rickheim (Harvard). In the fourth, Bats C Zack Thompson (Gardner Webb) drove in 1B Chandler Tuupo with a groundout to third base.

Keene RHP Skip Shenosky (Penn State) was able to use his arsenal to induce soft contact and get outs from North Shore's hitters, but was handed the loss as the pitcher of record when Navigators pinch hitter Michael Perazza (West Virginia) hit a walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh. Shenosky went three and one thirds innings, allowing two hits and one run, while fanning two and walking two.

In game two, RHP John Malone took the mound in his first start of 2025, but did not see his usual success, being forced out of the game after two innings. North Shore held a 5-1 lead after two innings, and Keene's only run in the first came from a sacrifice fly off 2B Ty Mainolfi's (Boston College) bat. The SwampBats managed another run in the third when Mainolfi had an RBI single to score C Ripken Reese (Kent State), but were held scoreless for the remaining innings of play. 

Lefty reliever James Lordi (UCF) turned in a solid two innings of work, fanning three while allowing one run to score. Tall righthander Aydan Decker-Petty pitched the fifth and sixth for Keene, allowing one hit while striking out three. Keene finishes the first half of the summer 16-6, highlighted by an 11 game win streak, which matched the best streak in league history.

The Bats have a day off on Monday, and will return to play when they host North Adams on Tuesday, July 1st. First pitch between the SteepleCats and SwampBats is set for 6:35 on Tuesday, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.