Boykin Two-Out Double in 11th Helps Bats Rescue Franchise-First Tie

KEENE, N.H. - Luke Boykin (Samford) hit a two-out RBI double that was somehow both nearly a walk-off home run and nearly a home run robbery - but ended up being neither - as the Keene SwampBats salvaged a 3-3 tie against the Upper Valley Nighthawks Tuesday night at Alumni Field.

It marks the first tie in franchise history, with the New England Collegiate Baseball League putting an 11-inning maxium on regular season games.

Aiden O'Connell (Duke), a Bedford, N.H. native who played high school baseball for the Bulldogs, got his first start for the SwampBats and pitched four innings, only allowing two hits and zero runs while whiffing six.

In that time, Keene was able to take advantage and scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth, opening the scoring and taking a 1-0 lead as Micah Kendrick (Kansas State) hit a single to center and scored on a sacrifice fly by Collin Anderson (Duke). 

The game would remain 1-0 until the sixth inning, when a hit batter and a walk by Joe Olson (Louisville) would give the Nighthawks (1-2-1) a rare threat.  Andrew Lepine (UCF) came into pitch for Keene and a double by Charley Magoulick would score both runners and allow the visitors to take the lead. 

But just like Keene has done all year, the team was unphased by needing a comeback, and it was Jackson Smith (Cincinnati) who would score the tying run for Keene.  After getting hit by the pitch in the bottom of the seventh, Smith would steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch to put himself in scoring position for Jackson Marshall (Connecticut), whose sacrifice fly to center field plated the game-tying run. 

Lepine stayed in the game for Keene, going 4.1 innings, taking the team all the way to extras.  With one down in the tenth, Nate Bassett (Virginia) came into pitch for Keene, both veterans of the team who head coach Shaun McKenna relied upon to get big outs a season ago.  Bassett kept Upper Valley scoreless in the tenth and brought Keene up to the plate. 

In the bottom of the tenth, Keene loaded the bases with one out thanks to twice being hit by a pitch, but were unable to plate the winning run as Brendan Walker (Stetson) struck out TJ Schuyler (Indiana) and Nolan Belcher (Kent State).  The Bats fanned a season-high 16 times on the night.

Upper Valley regained the lead in the top of the 11th when Tim Dickinson lined a singled to left center with two outs to plate Cameron Boardman, who began the frame as the automatic runner on second. 

Keene had their own chance with the runner at second to begin the bottom half, and after Anderson moved him to third with a productive ground ball to first, Belcher was thrown out at the plate trying to score when Smith grounded to third.  It was shaping up to be a frustrating defeat for the Bats, who left 14 runners on base, but Boykin flipped the script, lofting a first pitch fly ball to right center that looked like it might have a chance to get out of the short porch.  Nighthawks right fielder Brooks Craigue jumped and did get a glove on it, it fell on the warning track and allowed Smith to score.  With the winning run in scoring position, Joey Young struck out Griffin Enis on a full count pitch to end a rollercoaster ride in a fashion never seen before in Bats history - with no winner or loser.

Keene hosts the North Shore Navigators (1-3) on Wednesday night (June 10) at 6:35 p.m.  It will mark the second Reading with Ribby night, with those having completed the Jon Gemmell-founded program being invited on-field for a pregame parade at 5:45 p.m.  The game will be streamed on ESPN+.