Keene Swamp Bats 2018 Diary

  Keene won 2 of 3 Tuesday while Upper Valley lost 2 games so your Swamp Bats have secured a playoff spot!   Day and time to be determined. We'll update ASAP!

  Wednesday Night’s game versus the Sanford Mainers is Fan Appreciation Night. We will honor our host families, volunteers, our Interns and our Fans.   Admission is free.  

Tuesday was busy! Because a doubleheader was interrupted by LOTS of rain Saturday, your Swamp Bats finished a suspended game, played the second game of the scheduled doubleheader and played a scheduled game. With Monday’s game, that’s 30 innings of baseball in 24 hours! Jake McLinskey picked up where he left off Saturday and pitched a gem as the Swamp Bats finished and won the suspended game. Jake earned a rest. Keene won the second game. Colby Dunlop pitched himself out of some jams. The Keene Chamber of Commerce sponsored the evening game with a theme of Halloween in July. Here were hospitality tents from the Chamber of Commerce, the Savings Bank of Walpole, Greater Eastern and others. Special Olympians of all ages joined us and threw out the first pitch and were matched by a Pumpkin toss from Let it Shine. Our interns and many fans dressed for Halloween. The rest of the evening was not as kind. The SteepleCats won a sloppy nightcap, 12-9. ...

We start the week a slew of home games. On Monday, your Swamp Bats have a makeup game with Ocean State at 6:30.   Tuesday we have a tripleheader with the North Adams SteepleCats. We play at 2, approximately 4:30 and 6:45. Our third game of the day is brought to you by the Keene Chamber of Commerce as we present Halloween in July.   The regular season schedule concludes Wednesday when the Sanford Mainers visit on Fan appreciation night. Admission is free. herein October of Commerce and Swamp Bats prseader.) We

Your votes made it official; Mitchell Golden was added for Sunday’s All Star game . Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play That gives the Swamp Bats eight, (count ‘em 8) EIGHT Swamp Bats on the North All Star roster. Golden joins outfielder Jacob Koos, Brandon Smith, catcher Alex Griffin, pitchers Griffin McGarry and  Justin Willis and reserves Joe Breaux (who’s made some great catches in left and right field and been a terror as a base runner), reserve first baseman Cordell Dunn, Jr. Both Brandon Smith and Cordell Dunn deserve attention. In addition to being reluctant to pose for a portrait snapshot, Smith has moved from first to third without missing a beat, set the new single season league record for Runs Batted In and, has an outside chance for the single season HR title. Dunn has played as catcher, left and right field, first and third base and, Designated Hitter. Indeed, if he played for Kevin Cash, he’d have been brought in to pitch! Golden ...

The intense Andre Ethier, who starred for the LA Dodgers fans for more than a decade, announced his retirement Wednesday . Ethier was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 37th round of the baseball draft in 2001. Ethier spent all of his MLB career in LA  He opted for college and played for the Swamp Bats in 2001.  The next year, he played for Rochester in the Northwoods League.   In 2003, he was drafted in the 2nd round, again by Oakland.He made  his MLB debut on May 2, 2006.  In 2010, he was inducted into the NECBL Hall of Fame .  Now, we are not claiming Keene made ALL the difference, you'll have to judge that for yourself.

Mitchell Golden  still needs your vote for the NECBL All-Star game. And if you have voted, urge a friend! Thank you. http://www.necbl.com/…/league-49/2018-all-star-game-fan-vote

Tonight’s contest against the @oceanstatewaves has been postponed due to inclement weather. Rain is forecast for the Noon hour, 3 pm, 6 pm, 7pm,…you get the picture. Thursday evening, your Swamp Bats host the Upper Valley Nighthawks, 6:30 at Alumni Field.

A nice article by Roger Brown of the Manchester Union Leader on your Swamp Bats. Swamp Bats: Keene, team a perfect match

Mitchell Golden (#19) needs your VOTE to win a spot in the All Star Game! Voting begins Monday at midnight and goes until Thursday, July 26th at midnight. Click this link and vote for Golden (Please note you can only vote once.)

PBS's American Masters airs a film Monday night on the life of Ted Williams.  It's a film I am sure we will all enjoy. You might even make it a perfect evening by stopping at Fairfield's for the barbecue from 5 to 7 and catching the documentary at home!

On July 25th its Santa’s in the Park! The Swamp Bats host Ocean State  at  6:30 pm  and  it's Santa Night. We'll have a Best Beard Contest! Anyone that comes to Alumni with a beard longer than Hamish can win a prize! We’ll see you at the Park!

SWAMP BATS FANS! Don’t forget that there is a BBQ sponsored by Fairfield’s on the 23rd from 5-7 with a guest appearance by Ribby! 

Saturday, the Vermont Mountaineers beat our Swamp Bats by a final score of 12-9. The Swamp Bats had an early 5-0  lead and a potentional runaway turned interesting when Vermont picked up two runs before the game took form as a slugfest in Montpelier Lorenzo Hampton had two Home Runs, C.J. Dunn added a HR, and Mitchell Golden, making his return after a few idles nights with a shoulder injury, was 3-3, an RBI and two runs scored.  Brandon Smith was 1-for-4 with an RBI, (setting a new team record AGAIN for RBI in a season). He now has 43, for the year and the NECBL is 45. Keene visits Valley today at 5 p.m. Colby Dunlop is the probable starter. You can tune in on 1220 AM and FOX Sports 104.1 FM.

Hire a Swamp Bat ⚾️ Looking for help with yard work, moving a wood pile, painting, or something else? Contact us at 357-5464 or at swampbatsribby@gmail.com @gmail.com

Sam Henrie and Jeffrey Praml are teammates at Southern New Hampshire University.

Good week for University of Virginia pitchers spending the summer in Keene. Kyle Whitten threw 7 innings, gave up 6 hits, recorded 7 strikeouts and ZERO walks. Brandon Smith crashed a Home Run to become Keene's single-season RBI king and your Swamp Bats defeated New Bedford, 2-0. Cavaliers in Keene: Kyle Whitten and Griff McGarry

Gomarlos provided dinner to Fuel the Bats Friday night. Delicious.

The Swamp Bats took it on the chin Monday night in a 5-4 loss at the Stanford Mainers and Tuesday ’s rain postpones our road game at North Adams to Monday, the 23 rd . Brandon Smith had a first inning sacrifice fly  Monday that ties the franchise’s single-season RBI record of 41 that was set by OF J.P. Sportman in 2012.   Smith has a chance to set his own record before the Alumni faithful Wednesday when Keene hosts the very same Sanford Mainers.    Funny how life-and baseball- goes in circles! Brandon Smith Batting photo by Lex For Wednesday: You’ll want to get to Alumni Field early Wednesday, Fast Friends will have greyhounds for  Bark at the Park* and a stress toy giveaway thanks to our friends at Bulldog  Design. There will be fun face paining! It’s also health and wellness night, we’ll have healthy living representatives and the Summit and Parisi Speed School .   *Fast Friends only, don't bring your dog.

 The Swamp Bats are off today with road games on Monday at Sanford  and North Adams on Tuesday. Wednesday The Mainers visit Wednesday for Health and Wellness night. We’ll have local health and fitness reps including Steve Holland from the Summit athletic center and Parisi speed schoo l, a foam dog giveaway thanks to Bulldogdesign and REAL   dogs, because it’s Bark at the Park! Steve Holland Monday, June 4  The game begins at 6:30 but you want to be early for the fun! 

The Swamp Bats won in Mystic Friday night. Nick Romano scored twice, on a second inning Rudy Aguilar single and on a 6 th inning solo HR. Nick Romano In the 3 rd inning, Jacob Koos singled and scored on Nick Romano’s base hit.   Mystic picked up a run in the home 6 th and 8 th. Starter Jake McLinskey got the Win, Jeff Praml pitched middle relief and Justin Willis pitched the 9 th with 2 strikeouts for the Save. The Swamp Bats travel to Winnipesaukee Saturday with game time scheduled for 6:05 pm. Ian Exposito is Keene’s expected starter. 

Thursday was just a lovely night.  Before the game, we had music from WINK .  We had a bean bag long-toss and other fun stuff from Games2go . There was a petting zoo thanks to Bees Tees . Piggies do squeal.* *Or they just lay down. There was  a magic mirror and a hospitality tent from Canobie Lake Park. Oh, and the Swamp Bats won.  Details here .

Brandon Smith hit a screamer of a 3-run HR (his 9 th ) in Thursday’s win over Newport. Coincidentally, he was the subject of a nice feature in The Keene Sentinel by Michael McMahon.  It's Mom approved.

Coca-Cola Night at Alumni Field was a great success. Thirteen hundred, ninety four of you turned out for the game. We had a Swamp Bats Beach Ball giveaway,  Monster  drinks & Hubert’s Lemonade sampling and hospitality tents of AAA and River Valley Community College. Upper Valley ruined our fun but that gives the team an opportunity to forge ahead and that begins this evening when the Newport Gulls visit. Many thanks to Coke , Triple A , River Valley Community College,  the Scouts, Athens pizza of Main Street for fueling the Swamp Bats and most of all, you.

One of our most popular features every summer is WINK night. The WINK mascot will be at the game, we’ll have Games 2Go and our petting zoo, sponsored by Bees Tees of Main Street. The Swamp Bats host the Newport Gulls with the first pitch for 6:30pm Kyle Whitten of UVA is due to get the start for your Swamp Bats. 

Your Swamp Bats won Monday and Tuesday on the road. On Monday, Keene beat the Sanford Mainers, 5-3 and Tuesday, the Vermont Mountaineers, 6-3. That’s 5 wins in a row, 8 of their last 10. Tonight, the Swamp Bats host the Upper Valley Nighthawks. It’ Coca Cola night with a Beach Ball giveaway,  Monster & Hubert’s Lemonade sampling and hospitality tents of AAA and River Valley Community College. 1 st Baseman Brandon Smith is on the verge of breaking the team record for most Runs Batted In.

Remarkable game Friday night. Ace Rental Center sponsored for Ribby's birthday and we witnessed a remarkable game featuring  Home Runs by Joe Breaux, Alex Carballo, C.J. Dunn and Brandon Smith for an 8-7 comeback win.

Today, the Swamp Bats travel to White River Junction to play the Upper Valley Nighthawks. Friday is Ribby’s birthday. Come on out to Alumni Field and join the Keene Sentine l to celebrate the occasion. While you’re there, we’ll play the Mystic Schooners. We have a doubleheader Saturday with the Winnipesaukee Muskrats. The first of the two, 7 inning games start at 4pm. Fairfield’s Auto sponsors game two!