Bats Snap Losing Streak, Split with Waves

KEENE, N.H. – Dylan Fitzsimmons hit a three-run homer early and Gavin Speirs added a two-run double later as the Keene SwampBats ended frustrating six-game losing streak with a 6-2 victory over the Ocean State Waves on Sunday at Alumni Field.  But the momentum was short-lived as the short-handed Bats then allowed five runs in the first inning of the nightcap and suffered an 11-0 loss in which they surrendered a 324-foot grand slam and used three position players on the mound.

Keene's (16-15-1) offense was backed by a solid start from Eamon McDermott (Dartmouth) on the mound in the opener, with the rising senior striking out nine in five one-run innings.  He allowed a run in the second after a bases loaded situation on a groundout, but avoided further damage by striking out Max Farrell, and then stranded three in the third by freezing Zach Plasschaert.  McDermott whiffed two more in a four-batter fourth and then faced the minimum by getting Adonis Medina to bounce into a double play to end the fifth.

Leading 3-1 into the sixth, the Bats loaded the bases with nobody out after Eli Stephens (Georgia Tech) and Fitzsimmons (St. John's) walked sandwiching a single to right by TJ Schuyler (Georgia Southern).  Andrew Jacobs struck out Sean Finn (St. Joseph's) for the first out, but Antonio Cordeiro (St. John's) drove in a run with a fielder's choice to short to make it 4-1.  Cordeiro then took second to put two runners in scoring position, and Speirs (Charleston Southern) then pulled a ball just fair down the first base line, going over a front portion of the bag and bounding down the right field line to plate two more.  Ocean State manager Caleb McGrath, named on July 6, was ejected after arguing the call.

James Aselta (Sacred Heart) struck out Plasschaert and retired the final three batters of the sixth following a leadoff single, but the Waves did bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh with two outs after Medina hit the left-center gap for an RBI double and Kalen Applefield walked.  Aselta then got Plasschaert to whiff on three pitches to finish off the Bats' first win since Monday when they won 4-2 at Sanford to move within a half game of first in the Northern Division and were seven games over .500.

They entered play Sunday just one game over .500, and ultimately ended the day there also after an 11-0 loss in the nightcap in which they managed only two Schuyler singles offensively.  The Waves scored five runs twice in the first four innings of the seven-inning contest to run away, including in the first when a leadoff hit by pitch and two one-out singles eventually led to an Alumni Field grand slam by Samuel Fernandez.  William Mahala then tripled to right and Cameron Papetti doubled to left to make it 5-0.

That was more than enough for Cooper Maher and Brennan Confreda, who blew through the Bats lineup, striking out nine in the shutout.

Perhaps one of Keene's only chances to get back in the game came in the bottom of the third trailing by six as Schuyler's base hit to center and a five-pitch walk to Cordeiro put the first two on with nobody out.  But a strikeout and a double play quickly ended that threat, and the Waves scored five again in the fourth on one hit to completely put the game away.  Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) was the second of three position players to pitch and walked three while allowing four runs.  Stephens allowed only one run over the final four innings, while Chris Polemeni (Connecticut) allowed one run in his inning of work in the third.

The win is just the fifth on the road for Ocean State (10-20) all season (5-13), who is in last place in the Southern Division.

Keene travels to Nashua to play the Futures League's Silver Nights in the first of two Granite State Challenge exhibition games tomorrow (Monday, July 13) at 6:03 p.m.  The Bats get back into NECBL play on Tuesday at Mystic.  The Waves host Newport Tuesday.