North Adams SteepleCats edge out Keene SwampBats
Jul. 29—NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Keene SwampBats fell to the North Adam SteepleCats, 4-2, Wednesday at Joe Wolfe Field in an important divisional matchup as the regular season winds down.
The SwampBats' lead atop the North Division is cut down to just a half-game over the SteepleCats and 1.5 games over the Upper Valley Nighthawks.
The SteepleCats didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard Wednesday. In the bottom of the first, North Adams scored two runs off three hits against SwampBat starting pitcher Zach Davidson.
The SwampBats could not break through at the plate until the top of the fourth. In that inning, the SwampBats loaded the bases with nobody out after Tommy Joseph singled, Troy Schreffler reached on an error and Noah Martinez walked. Joseph and Schreffler scored to tie the game at two, but Martinez was left stranded at third.
The score stayed 2-2 until the bottom of the fifth when North Adams tacked on two more runs to take a 4-2 lead.
At the plate, the SwampBats went down 1-2-3 in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the top of the eighth, Joseph and Schreffler both reached base with two outs, but were stranded there after Martinez struck out.
Out of the bullpen, SwampBat reliever Calvin Bickerstaff pitched three scoreless innings in the sixth through the eight to keep the score at 4-2.
The SwampBats couldn't break through against North Adams reliever Jake Cubbler, though. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to put a bow on five scoreless innings and a SteepleCat victory.
Keene (23-15) hosts the North Shore Navigators Thursday at Alumni Field at 6:30 p.m.
