KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) The Keene SwampBats are set to kick off their 2026 campaign this Thursday, June 4th, with a 6:30 p.m. home opener at Alumni Field on Arch Street in Keene — and the excitement surrounding this team has never been higher.

Fresh off their 2025 New England Collegiate Baseball League championship, the SwampBats have their sights set on something no Swampbats team in its 29 year history has ever accomplished: back-to-back titles. It would be the seventh crown for the Bats overall, but the first time they’ve defended one.

“The kick-off to the SwampBats 29th season is well underway,” says SwampBats President Kevin
Watterson. “We have our work cut out for us, but our team is extremely motivated to make history this
summer.”

Opening Week: Three Games, Three Chances to Witness History

The SwampBats waste no time getting into action. Thursday’s opener pits Keene against the Danbury Westerners — one of the oldest rivalries in the NECBL — at Alumni Field at 6:30 p.m. After a road game Friday against the North Shore Navigators, the Bats return home on Saturday, June 6th to host the North Adams SteepleCats in what promises to be a festive evening: it’s Happy Tails Night at Alumni Field, celebrating happy pet adoption stories from around the region and shining a spotlight on animals still available for adoption at the Monadnock Humane Society. bring the whole family, but please leave your furry friends at home! Hear about our highlighted dogs and the unique stories we will share about them.

The Team: Familiar Faces, Championship DNA

Eight players from the 2025 championship squad are returning to the Alumni Field this summer,
bringing with them the experience, chemistry, and memories of last year’s title run. Head Coach Shaun McKenna returns for his sixth season at the helm, joined again by Associate Head Coach Casey O’Brien and Pitching Coach Stephen Bangs.

Among the returning players, two stand out as players whose moments in 2025 helped define a
championship. Michael O’Brien (Arkansas–Little Rock) — In the first playoff game of the 2025 season, with the game on the line, O’Brien stepped to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning and launched a walk-off home run on the very first pitch. It was a moment that seemed to set the tone for everything that followed: the SwampBats did not lose another game the rest of the postseason, rolling to the NECBL championship.

Expect O’Brien’s power bat to be one of the most dangerous weapons in the lineup again this summer. Andrew Lepine — If O’Brien’s moment was about thunder, Lepine’s was about grit. The returning reliever was at his best in a crucial road game against the Upper Valley Nighthawks, where he quite literally took the hit — a line drive off his arm — and still completed the play for the final out to send the SwampBats to the next round. It was the kind of gutsy performance that champions are built from, and Lepine brings that same closing mentality back to the mound in 2026.

A Strong New Hampshire Contingent

Local fans will have plenty of homegrown talent to root for this season, as the 2026 SwampBats feature a notable group of New Hampshire players.

Aiden O’Connell of Bedford, NH, brings Division I pedigree from Duke University to the Alumni Field roster. Jackson Marshall hails from Hooksett, NH, and makes the trip down from UConn to suit up for the Bats.

Zak Whitney is perhaps the most anticipated local story of the summer. The Keene native and Keene High School standout is returning to play on the very field where he grew up dreaming of wearing a SwampBats uniform. After a stellar freshman season at Southern New Hampshire University — where he earned conference rookie pitcher of the year and made rookie teams— Whitney is ready to bring his talents home.

“Growing up in Keene and playing countless games on Alumni Field, I have always dreamed of
returning to pitch for the SwampBats,” Whitney says.

It wouldn’t be a SwampBats season without the entertainment that Keene families have grown to love. Bounce Above the Rest Inflatables, Milla’s Magic Treasures, and Doug the Devil Stick Man will all be back at Alumni Field this summer.

Promotional nights include Mascot Night, Kid’s DeMar Night, Camper Night, First Responders and Military Appreciation Night, Broken Bat Night, and much more. Reading With Ribby Nights — celebrating another record-breaking year with 2,376 students from 38 local schools — will kick off on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 9th and 10th.

The marquee entertainment event of every SwampBats season remains the spectacular fireworks display on Independence Eve, this year on Friday, July 3rd, which will again include the City of Keene’s fireworks display after the game.

New highlights this season include the first-ever Brattleboro Night on Wednesday, July 1st, sponsored by Monadnock Ford, and the return of Community Day on Saturday, July 18th, hosted by Savings Bank of Walpole, offering free admission for everyone. More entertainment to also be on the lookout for is Fairy Hair by Jess, Luxury Box Photo Booth at the park.

The Granite State Showdown

A new chapter in New Hampshire baseball rivalry begins this summer. The Keene SwampBats and the Nashua Silver Knights — the state’s two summer collegiate teams — will face off for the inaugural Granite State Showdown. The Silver Knights host Keene on Monday, July 13th, and the SwampBats return the favor on Tuesday, July 28th at Alumni Field. The winner will be crowned Granite State Champion.

Food and More

Concessions at Alumni Field continue to deliver. Fans can expect cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, pizza, ice cream and ice cream floats, popcorn, cotton candy, and more. Tito’s Taco Truck returns and joining the Alumni Field lineup for the first time is All Things Maple Fried Dough food truck.

Community

The SwampBats continue to be a cornerstone of community involvement in the Monadnock Region.

Programs include Reading with Ribby, youth baseball camps, an internship program, volunteer
opportunities, the Hire a SwampBat Program, and Baseball Buddies, which invites youth and softball teams to help at home games.

Tickets and Information

Tickets are $8 for general admission; seniors and students $6; and kids 10 and under, military, and first responders get in free.

“Be part of the festivities. You will not be sorry,” Watterson says. “This team has a chance to do
something special, and we want the whole community along for the ride.”

Opening night is Thursday, June 4th at 6:30 p.m. at Alumni Field on Arch Street in Keene. For the full schedule and more details, visit The Swamp Bats online.