KEENE, N.H. – (MyKeeneNow) The SwampBats fell away to the Sanford Mainers 3-2 with the decisive run coming home when the ball vanished in the lights.

The Mainers opened the scoring in the bottom of the first despite having a runner caught stealing by JD Jones (Rutgers). They hit two singles with a walk in between to take a 1-0 lead before Ryan Van Buren (Maryland) stranded runners at the corners. As the SwampBats offense struggled, Van Buren kept the game close, not allowing a runner past first base in the rest of his outing, which lasted four and one-third innings. Van Buren struck out four.

The SwampBats got their first hit in the sixth inning, when JD Jones, who had thrown out his second runner of the game in the fifth, struck an opposite-field double into the right field corner. Jake Koonin (Princeton), coming into the game with the second-best batting average in the entire league, ripped a single to left, sending Jones to third. Koonin stole second but the next two hitters struck out, putting the SwampBats in jeopardy of squandering their best chance. Florida Atlantic’s Nick Romano, elevated by coach Shaun McKenna to the cleanup spot after reaching base all five times in the previous game, hit the first pitch up the middle to score both runners and give the SwampBats a 2-1 lead. Stephen Bangs (Franklin Pierce) finished the fifth and induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the sixth and turn the momentum squarely in the SampBats’ favor. In the bottom of the seventh though, the Mainers drew a one-out walk. A balk and a wild pitch forced the infield in, and Sanford blooped a single into right to tie the game. After another wild pitch put the go-ahead run on second and another pitching change, the Mainers hit a flyball into left-center field. The SwampBats lost the ball in the lights, and Aaron Graeber (Delaware) made a diving attempt but the ball fell in, allowing Sanford to take the lead in unfortunate fashion. Connecticut’s Sean Finn struck out the side in the eighth to give the SwampBats a fighting chance going to the ninth. Alex Calarco (Maryland) reached on an error and moved to second on a groundout, but pinch runner Austin Hawke (Wake Forest) was stranded as the game ended.

Keene (13-7) next plays on Wednesday night at home against Vermont.  Gates open at 4:30 and there will be a massive postgame fireworks show for Independence Eve, as well as several other attractions including bouncing inflatables and yard games.