Vote for Andrew!

Andrew MacNeil still needs your VOTE to win a spot in

the All Star Game! Voting ends at 11:59 tonight.

Click this link and vote for Andrew.

(Please note you can only vote once.)

 Andrew is one of our  most consistent hitters.

He's batting .319, with 4 doubles, 5 home runs,

10 walks and 9 stolen bases.

 Over the last 5 games, Andrew

has six hits in fifteen at bats,

six runs scored, a walk

and has been hit by a pitch twice.

He knows how to get on base! 

On defense, Andrew has been
stellar in center and left field.

 Any discussion of the Swamp Bats

involves team camaraderie,

team chemistry. 

Let’s promote togetherness.

Vote for Andrew!

Tell a friend and have them Vote for Andrew!

Once the votes are counted, we’ll have

a drawing of all who voted.

The voter chosen will win tickets to a Red Sox game

AND have a good feeling of sending 

Andrew MacNeil to the All Star game,

where he can join his starting

teammates and SIX other Swamp Bats.*

Starting the All Star game are catcher

Ryan Hogan and outfielder Randall Bednar.

We’ll also send pitcher Joe Simone,

infielders Kevin Welsh, Kyle Ball,

Will Wagner and

home run hitting contest
slugger Logan Matthieu.

Doubleheader win and All Star vote.

Tuesday was a busy day at Alumni Field.

We celebrated Halloween at the park and

our host sponsor was

The Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce.

The Beaver Street market and Deli provided food to Fuel the Bats

and we had displays and games and activities with

CHESHIRE COUNTY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION,

Liberty Insurance,

Monadnock Ford,

Fenton family Dealerships ,

the Savings Bank of Walpole and more.

At the center of all this activity  was our campaign to get your votes and send outfielder Andrew MacNiel to Sunday’s All Star game.
Andrew is one of our best and most consistent hitters, hitting .315 with 4 doubles and 5 home runs and is a weapon on defense, starting in center field.
The deadline for your vote is Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

Vote for Andrew! http://vote19.necbl.com

Christine Hadlow from GKCC,
Kevin Watterson and Andrew MacNiel
photo by Connor Ullathorne

Justin Willis pitches in game one.

The Swamp Bats swept a doubleheader with the Valley Blue Sox.

The Keene Sentinel has a great wrap-up.

Independence Eve

Wednesday night is Service Credit Union Night on Independence Eve!

We'll have games and fireworks as we celebrate the 4th of July!

The evening caps fans and families bring a blanket to the field,

the lights go down and the show provided by Atlas Fireworks begins! 

Everyone gets into the holiday spirit.

Here's Hamish and Sara Pelkey.

We’ll have activities including a bounce house and onfield games including batspins and races and a 50/50 drawing. Last year's winner won $600.00!

photo by Lex

It’s a special night for everyone Three shared memories from playing before an Independence eve crowd from last year.

Infielder Mitchell Golden noticed how special the night was right off”:

“I remember getting here for the game and there were already fans lined up! 

There’s an electric atmosphere, you just wanna get out there and take the field, it’s a ton of fun."

He had a great time, going 3 for 4 at the plate, a stolen base and a run scored.

Brandon Smith had a bunch of RBI in that game including a double with two men on and a 5th inning home run. “”Keene is always a great place to play but there’s something different”, on July  3rd. "To be on the field and playing... it’s a feeling I can’t even describe. It’s a blast."

Pitcher Erick Zecha, was raised in Keene and played high school ball at Alumni Field. Independence eve is particularly special. “I remember coming out as a kid and there’s a ton of people! During that game, there’s a buzz. The atmosphere is different.”

Coach Gary Calhoun was part of our staff a year ago and recalls it well. 

“Kevin said ‘there wasn’t going to be some fireworks, there’s going to be a lot of fireworks.’ I enjoyed it tremendously!” He remembers the holiday atmosphere just as the players do. “Seemed like we had 3000 or more, am I correct?”  He’s right about there being more. Kevin Watterson verified attendance was around 4700.

 “And we won the game!”

The final score:

Keene Swamp Bats 7

Vermont Mountaineers 3

Health and Wellness

Thursday night was Health and Wellness night at Alumni Field.

We were joined by the Summit Athletic Center, Shaolin Studios

and Option One of Keene.

Of course, Health and Wellness means sound body and mind.

There were representatives from

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America 

Cooper’s Crossroad (they have a 5k run/walk coming up).

Oh, and we played a game, too. You can read about it here.

The Valley Blue Sox got the best of the Swamp Bats Wednesday night.
The game featured 22 runs, 22 hits, 6 pitchers, 5 errors and 4 home runs by 2 players.
Here's a good article from today's Keene Sentinel. 

Brandon Smith had two home runs. (Actually, I took this picture last year.)

Erick Zecha pitched well in relief and then Josh Bates struck out the side in the 9th.

Still, it's a loss. 
The Swamp Bats play at Winnipesaukee Friday.

Tuesday

This piece from the Keene Sentinel went to press before our game with Danbury  was postponed. It points out the conviction of Kevin Watterson, his confidence in our team.

Kevin Watterson and Gary Calhoun

One paragraph will stick with you: "Five players are hitting above .300 in the early going, led by Maryland’s Randall Bednar at .360. David Bedgood of Tulane is right behind at .356, Will Wagner is at .333 after joining the team last week from Liberty, and Londonderry native Kyle Ball of Stetson is at .300. "

Randy Bednar (left) and Kyle Ball

We aren’t done with reinforcements: Catcher Seth Caddell of East Carolina is joining us tonight and expected to be in uniform for Wednesday’s home game vs. the Valley Blue Sox.

It's New Hampshire Lottery Balloon Night!

Keene 5 Vermont 0

Zach Messinger went 5.2 innings, yielding 7 hits, no runs and 5 strikeouts for the road win. 

Dave Matthews was a hitting star with 2 home runs in 4 at bats, a  3 run homer in the 2nd and a solo shot in the 9th.

New arrivals: Antonio Knowles relived Messinger and allowed no runs on 2 hits and then Sean Heine pitched the final two innings.
Justice Lucas, our newest member,  doubled home Matt Trehub the capper.

Messinger praised his mates post game, crediting his fielders. Second baseman David Bedgood had eight putouts and Randy Bednar (playing centerfield instead of right) had seven. Messinger was also appreciative of Lucas and Matthews and was bright on team chemistry and prospects for the Swamp Bats.

Monday's a day off. The Swamp Bats visit Danbury Tuesday and host the Valley Blue Sox Wednesday on New Hampshire Lottery night.