KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) After dispatching the Upper Valley Nighthawks in two games in the first round of the postseason, the Keene SwampBats hosted the Sanford Mainers for game one of the North Division Championship Series on Monday. Following Saturday’s offensive onslaught, the Bats relied on their pitching to hold the Mainers quiet, taking game one by a score of 6-2.

Tall righthander Aydan Decker-Petty (Liberty) got things started for Keene on the mound, setting the tone by working out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, following that up with a second inning where he faced just one more than the minimum. Decker-Petty came out of the game after the third inning, where one missed spot allowed Sanford DH Dom Tozzi to put one over the fence in center field to score two. Decker-Petty finished his outing allowing the only two Sanford hits of the day, letting up two runs and fanning six batters.

DH Ty Mainolfi (Boston College) began Keene’s response to the home run in the bottom of the third, with an RBI triple that brought SS Andrew Bell (Duke) home. LF Michael O’Brien (Little Rock) would tie the game and set up LHP Mikey Fernandez (Miami) to have a career day in his last outing as a SwampBat this summer. After Decker-Petty’s three innings, Fernandez went four and two thirds, while allowing no hits or runs, walking three and striking out five.

The Bats were able to strengthen their lead with a fruitful fifth and an insurance run in the eighth, as in the fifth, Keene took advantage of errors and walks from the Mainers to bring home three runs in the frame. RHP Ben Dean came on to replace Fernandez with two out in the eighth, and he earned the four-out save, his first of the postseason.

Keene will play the Mainers in game two of the series on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with a chance to cement their spot in the NECBL championship series, and earn a crucial off day on Wednesday if game three is not needed. First pitch for Tuesday is scheduled for 6:30 PM at Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine.