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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Left-handed hurler Joe Pistorese went the distance while only allowing a run over nine innings, as the North Adams bats were stifled in a 7-1 setback against visiting Keene on Sunday night at Joe Wolfe Field.

Winners of five-straight games, the Swamp Bats (14-4) opened up their lead in the Western Division to three games over the SteepleCats (12-8), who saw their two-game unbeaten streak come to an end.

Pistorese was efficient and effective en route to Keene’s first complete game of the year, surrendering only seven hits while striking out six and walking two. The defense behind him was stellar as well, as the Swamp Bats turned four double plays over the game compared to none for North Adams.

Charlie Law (Rutgers) suffered his first loss of the season as a pitcher, dropping to 1-1 after yielding three runs on five hits over six-plus innings. The righty struck out five and walked two before being relieved with the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the seventh.

Matt Longfield (Villanova) surrendered two sacrifice flies in that seventh inning, but both runs were the responsibility of Law, allowing the Swamp Bats to edge ahead, 3-1. But Keene would tag righty reliever Adam Sargent (Miami) for four runs on five hits in the top of the eighth to break the game open before Christian MacDonald (UNC-Wilmington) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Keene finished with 10 hits, as Grant Kay, Frankie Schwindel and Dylan De La Cruz each compiled two-hit outings, as Shane O’Connell (URI) had two of the SteepleCats’ seven base hits.

Keene edged ahead with one run in the top of the first, as Grant Kay drew a two-out walk before Frankie Schwindel smacked an RBI double down the left field line to give the visitors the 1-0 lead after a half inning.

But North Adams had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the fifth, as Bryan Soloman (Eastern Kentucky) singled to start off before Will Klausing (UT-Pan American) did likewise. After Brian Hunter (Hartford) loaded the bases with a walk, O’Connell dropped in a bloop single to tie the game, as the bases remained loaded with nobody out.

Pistorese, however, got the next batter to foul out before inducing an inning-ending double play to quell North Adams’ greatest scoring opportunity of the night, and the last one they would have while still within striking distance.

After a scoreless sixth, Keene compiled six runs over the seventh and eighth innings combined to seal the win.

North Adams resumes its five-game homestand tomorrow (July 2) in a special exhibition showdown against Team Great Britain. First pitch from Joe Wolfe Field is set for 6:30 p.m.

---GO STEEPLECATS---