KEENE, NH–The Blue Sox hit the road today hoping to cure what has ailed their defense through a two-game losing skid that has been plagued with errors when they visit the Keene Swamp Bats at Alumni Field for a 6:30 p.m. contest.
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LAST TIME THEY MET: The Blue Sox dominated every aspect of the game in a 6-0 win a week ago in New Hampshire.
Shortstop Garrett Black got the third inning started for the Blue Sox with a one-out single; he stole second, although the next hitter, designated hitter Angelo La Bruna, walked. Left fielder Bobby Stahel drove a 3-2 pitch into the outfield to score Black; La Bruna and Stahel advanced on the throw. Then, third baseman Frank Crinella hit a single to left to plate La Bruna.
That brought Trey Sikes to the dish, and he wasted no time, putting a charge into a hanging pitch and blasting it over the left field fence for the Blue Sox’ first home run of the season.
Starter Nick Lewis cruised through his outing, fanning the side in the first and throwing seven innings of six-hit ball with eight strikeouts.
The following half inning, Stahel singled and stole second, and then catcher Josh Graham drove a single to center field to bring him home for his first RBI with the Blue Sox to give the visiting team a 6-0 lead.
Harrison Paige came out to throw the bottom of the eighth, and thanks to more stellar defense by Crinella was able to work around a pair of bloop singles. He led off the ninth with a three-pitch strikeout, his second of the outing, and finished the game by fanning the last batter with a backdoor curve for a called third strike.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Sox are just 11-28 against the Swamp Bats, with a 6-14 mark away from Mackenzie Stadium. However, Valley has won three of the last four regular season games at Alumni Field.
PITCHING PROBABLES: Valley will put the baseball in the right hand of Kentucky senior Zach Strecker today. The Louisville native was sharp in his first outing, tossing seven innings of three-hit, five strikeout ball, allowing one unearned run in a 6-2 win over the Vermont Mountaineers on June 11. He will be opposed by Central Connecticut State righty Matt Blandino. Blandino is 0-1 in two starts this year with a 3.60 ERA over 10 innings; his most recent start was a no-decision in what was ultimately a 6-5 loss to North Adams on June 11 where he threw five frames, allowing two earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts.
LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Sox had issues all around with command of the baseball, as 13 free passes and six errors cost the team in a 9-2 loss to the Mystic Schooners yesterday. The Blue Sox were able to dig out of 1-0 and 2-1 holes in the first and third respectively, but could not score again as the Schooners scored in every frame but the second and seventh. There were bright spots in the loss, however–five of the eight hits the team managed were doubles, Storm Wilson stole two bases, and the team had three walks and three hit-by-pitches to earn six total free passes.
The Swamp Bats won in thrilling fashion, walking off against the New Bedford Bay Sox 7-6 last night. In a back-and-forth game that saw four lead changes, the Bats found themselves down 6-5 going into the last half of the ninth. The Swamp Bats had deuces wild: two on, two balls, two strikes, and two outs with Bret Dennis at the dish, and he took the last pitch of the game into left for a double, scoring the tying and winning runs.
WHO’S HOT: Valley’s Storm Wilson has a .417 OBP and is four-for-four on swipes after his two steals yesterday. For the Swamp Bats, outfielder Zach Lauricella has reached at least once in each of the last seven games.
GAME-TIME WEATHER FORECAST: Sunny,72 degrees, winds northwest at 8 MPH, 0% chance of rain.
NEXT UP: The Blue Sox will finish this mini-road trip when they visit the North Adams SteepleCats tomorrow. They return home Saturday June 21 for a doubleheader with the Vermont Mountaineers. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. for the 5:35 p.m. start. Fans who attend the game will be able to see the Red Sox World Series Trophies, which will be at the game.