Keene arms combine for two hitter; shutout Mainers 4-0
For Immediate Release
Written by Brendan Wilhide, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations
(207) 324-0010 (office)
 

Keene- 4, Sanford-0
June 11, 2005

Keene, NH- Two Keene Swamp Bat pitchers combined to throw a two-hitter and shutout the Sanford Mainers 4-0 in the Keene home opener at Alumni Field.

Starter Rob Brant (Pittsburgh) struck out the side in the top of the 1st inning and never looked back, throwing seven scoreless innings for the Swamp Bats. Brant (1-0) gave up just one hit while walking five and striking out 10 to earn the victory.

Mainers starter Ryan Lobban (William Paterson) (0-1) took the loss despite giving up just two hits in 4.1 innings before being lifted due to a strict pitch count.

The turning point in the game occurred in the bottom of the 4th inning, when Swamp Bat shortstop Garrett Olson (Franklin & Pierce) fouled off several 0-2 pitches from Lobban before eventually being hit by a pitch. After stealing second, Olson scored when leftfielder Shane Byrne (East Tennessee State) doubled into the right-centerfield gap, making the game 1-0. Byrne later scored when Swamp Bat catcher Will Vazquez (Kent State) reached on an error by Mainer shortstop Aaron Jamieson (Marshall).

The Swamp Bats scored again in the bottom of the 7th inning when centerfielder Jeremy Bellotti (South Florida) and third baseman Dan Ford (Pittsburgh) scored on an RBI double by second baseman Andrew Davis (Kent State).

Swamp Bats reliever Josh Fields (Georgia) worked the final two innings in relief of Brant and gave up just one hit while striking out five Mainers.

Game Notes- Mainers Jared Lemieux (Bowdoin) and Travis Musolf (Marist) each stole a base…The Mainers host the Holyoke Giants on Sunday, June 12 before games at Concord on Wednesday and Keene on Thursday.