Eye-Catching Early Power Surge Helps Bats Obliterate Mountaineers, 16-4

Montpelier, VT - After two days of rest, the Keene SwampBats (17-6) brought their offense back to life after scoring 16 runs in a bounce-back victory against the Vermont Mountaineers (8-13). Even though the last battle between these two teams was very high scoring, the Bats' pitching held the Mountaineers to only 4 in the 16-4 win.

David Rodriguez (St John's) made his second straight road start at Montpelier Recreation Park. It was almost an identical outing as his last in Vermont, going 3 innings, only allowing 1 earned run, 3 hits, 1 walk, but this time with 4 strikeouts. Though the offense gave him a very early lead in this one after Ripken Reese (Kent St) blasted a 2-run homer to start the game in the top of the first.

After a quick opening inning defensively, the Bats were back at it in the second. After a leadoff single by Ty Mainolfi (Boston), followed by another with Aiden Harris (Virginia), the train kept on rolling as 3 runs were able to score before the game was busted open with another Reese 2-run blast in the second. On the next pitch, Xavier Perez (Houston) sent one over the wall for back-to-back jacks to get the SwampBats out to an early 8-0 lead. 

The SwampBats were able to put it out of reach in the third, adding three more runs on a Jack Herring (East Carolina) single and Reese's two-RBI triple.

Kian Vorster worked on the mound for the 4th and 5th without allowing a run. Followed by solid work from Max Weber (Felician) and Andrew Lepine (Stetson) out of the bullpen. This set up an opportunity for Todd Kniebbe (Florida Atlantic) to close the blowout.

The SwampBats return home on Thursday, July 3rd, for Independence Day eve night at Alumni Field. They are set to face off against the Seaford Mainers once again, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35, and will be live-streamed on ESPN+.