Comeback Bats Do it Again, Beat Navigators 6-3 in 10

Postgame Interview (Nico Senese/Brayden Gilson)

LYNN, Mass. - Nico Senese hit a go-ahead two-run triple in the top of the tenth inning to put Keene ahead 5-3 and the SwampBats went on to polish off their second consecutive comeback victory, downing North Shore 6-3 at Fraser Field on Friday night in the Navigators' 2026 season opener.

Following head coach Shaun McKenna's instructions about getting a quick start, the Bats (2-0) put up a run in the first inning when Micah Kendrick (Kansas State) reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch.  But Keene's bats were mostly dormant from there - until their backs were against the wall.  North Shore's Cam Freeman opened the ninth inning by plunking Collin Anderson (Duke) with a full count pitch, and a passed ball put the Bat into scoring position before Luke Boykin (Samford) pulled a single down the left field line to plate him and make it a one-run game.  Kendrick then beat out a bunt single to put two on and move the tying run into scoring position, and that proved to be big when Jackson Marshall (Connecticut) advanced both with a grounder to second and Griffin Enis (Virginia) hit a game-tying sacrifice fly.

Suddenly, a game that did not have much sizzle had a lot - and just like in Thursday night's season-opening 4-3 win over the Danbury Westerners, the Bats came through when they needed to.

That continued in the tenth, when Nolan Belcher (Kent State) led off with a base hit into center to move automatic runner TJ Schuyler to third.  After Charlie Meglio struck out, Senese hit the left center gap with a big two-run triple to give Keene a 5-3 lead, and Anderson followed two pitches later with an RBI single that made it 6-3.

It was a big offensive turnaround for the visitors, who were flummoxed most of the night, being limited to just two hits over the opening eight innings and at one point saw 12 consecutive batters retired by Robert Brown III (Penn State) and reliever Charlie Bergsma (Harvard).  Avery Smith (Penn State) led off the fifth with a walk in what was a 2-1 game at the time, but the Bats' next baserunner did not come until the ninth inning rally.

After Keene was gifted the early 1-0 lead, North Shore quickly responded in the second inning as Jason Bello (Dayton) scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. Later, the Navigators would take a 2-1 lead on RBI single by Danny Flynn (Northeastern) scoring Maddix Simpson (Ohio State). 

Both teams' scores stayed stagnant throughout the middle innings. Hunter Colagrande (Stony Brook) started on the mound for Keene and went three innings, allowing three hits and two runs while walking one and striking out two, before being replaced by Eamon McDermott (Duke) for 2.2 innings and Joe Olson (Louisville) for 2.1 innings.  Olson whiffed four in 2.1 hitless innings in his SwampBats debut while McDermott gave up one earned run when Simpson hit a sac fly to right field to score Daniel Leikus (Rhode Island) to make it 3-1 in the sixth.

Most notable throughout the middle innings were two back-to-back innings of double plays by Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) who was playing shortstop today. Meglio caught a line drive and flipped the ball out of his glove to Gavin Speirs (Charleston Southern) at second base, ending the third inning. The next inning, Meglio would catch another line drive and rocket it over to first base for the first two outs of the fourth. 

Going into the top of the ninth of the SwmapBats were down by two runs and came back to tie the game.  Anderson (Duke), subbed in for Speirs, was hit by the pitch and landed himself on first and proceeded to second on a passed ball.  Boykin, who represented the tying run, singled down the left field line and scored a speeding Anderson.  Kendrick then bunted straight to the pitcher but showed off both his wheels and diving skills and he went hands first into the bag and was safe. Marshall grounded out but put the tying run in scoring position which allowed Boykin to score on a sacrifice fly by Enis, tying the game 3-3. 

Needing to go lights out against the Navigators in hopes for extra innings, Keene put in Brayden Gilson (Florida Atlantic) on the mound. Gilson, who took a little time to get warmed up on the mound, walked the first two batters he faced, relied heavily on his defense to get out of a tense situation.  Meglio's most important and impressive double play came in support of his pitcher when Jack Rickheim (Harvard) grounded to second base and Anderson, who flipped it to Meglio. Meglio pump faked to first base, getting the runner on third to go home and Meglio's heads up play allowed him to throw it to TJ Schuyler (Indiana) at home, getting Grant Hunter into a pickle. Schuyler threw it to Senese at third who threw it back to Gilson who was at home and got the tag out and the second out of the ninth for the Bats. The next batter hit a routine ground out sending the game to extra's. 

Keene started the extra inning with Schuyler, a third-year Bat, on second base and Belcher to the plate.  Belcher singled to center field and put the go ahead run on third base. With one out after a strikeout, yesterday's winning bat stepped up to the plate, Senese. Senese shot the ball into left center scoring Schuyler and Belcher and putting himself on third base, two game winning hits in as many games. Anderson RBI scored Senese and recorded himself as the second out of the inning. Kendrick lined out and the Bats ended the top of the 10th inning 6-3. 

McKenna told his team to focus on the batter and that the automatic runner on second was not a concern with a three-run lead, and the team listened.  Hunter Kingsbury grounded out, Gilson recorded a strikeout for the second out, and a routine play for none other than Meglio gave the SwampBats a second consecutive win with a late-inning comeback.

Keene has won an eye-popping 40 of their last 52 games dating to the start of last season. 

The Bats will return to Alumni Field tomorrow (Saturday, June 6) against the North Adams SteepleCats (0-0) with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch on Happy Tails Night, featuring the Monadnock Humane Society.  The game can be streamed on ESPN+.