KEENE, N.H. – (MyKeeneNow) The Keene SwampBats were held scoreless through four innings, but still scored nine runs in a rain-shortened 9-3 win against the Bristol Blues.

The Blues scored in the first inning without the ball leaving the infield as a walk, a wild pitch, a stolen base, and an infield single delivered the game-opening run. Bryce Molinaro (Penn State) nearly made a highlight play on the single, bare-handing the chopper down the third base line, but his throw to first got away. Bristol doubled the advantage with a solo home run to lead off the second, despite the SwampBats’ league-best defense again coming close to another spectacular play as right fielder Aaron Graeber (Delaware) nearly took it back with a leap at the wall. The SwampBats threatened with a leadoff single from Alex Calarco (Maryland) and then a walk by Graeber in the third, but a double play killed the rally. Ryan Van Buren (Maryland) lasted three innings in his third start of the season, allowing two runs while striking out three.

In the fourth, Bristol brought home another run with a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI double. The SwampBats struck back as the sky turned ominous, grinding out one run on singles from Josh Kross (Cincinnati), Molinaro, and Andrew Wiggins (Indiana). Louisville’s Jared Lessman pitched the fourth and fifth innings for Keene, allowing one run, with one strikeout, picking up the win. In the next inning, Keene turned on the faucet. Joe Jaconski (Penn State) drew a one-out walk, and then Ripken Reese (Kent State) ripped a high fly ball to right field, sending Bristol right fielder Thomas Rollauer back to the wall at pitcher-friendly Muzzy Field. As Rollauer leaped hopefully, the ball bounced off the top of the wall and out of the park for Reese’s league-leading fifth home run of the season. Kross followed with a double and was later singled in by Calarco to put Keene in front. The offensive eruption continued in the seventh inning, with Kross driving in a run with his third hit of the game, after hitting a grand slam in the previous game. Molinaro then came up with runners on second and third, and he broke the game wide open with a screaming triple to the left-center field gap. Molinaro would then score on a Calarco sacrifice fly to make it 8-3 SwampBats. Penn State’s Ben Shenosky pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Reese smoked his third hit of the game in the eighth, an RBI double to make the score 9-3. In the bottom of the inning, with Central Florida’s Isaac Williams on the mound, it suddenly began to rain in sheets, forcing all of the players to sprint in from the field and the bullpens. A rain delay was called nearly three hours after the first pitch, and nearly a half-hour later, the game was declared over.

Keene (9-5) is off Monday before hosting Mystic on Tuesday night. The SwampBats will be hosting Pride Night at the Park.