Firth pitches gem, Swamp Bats take game one in Western Division Playoffs

 
North Adams, MA – Scott Firth (Buffalo Grove, IL/Clemson) tossed eight innings of one-run ball to guide the Keene Swamp Bats past the North Adams SteepleCats, 2-1, in game one of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) Western Division Playoffs at Joe Wolfe Field on Monday night.
 
Keene takes a 1-0 series lead over North Adams in a best of three set. Game two is tomorrow in Keene, NH with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Alumni Field.
 
Firth gave up five hits, walked three and struck out a game-high seven batters retiring the first six he faced to start off the contest in order. Robert Nixon (Welland, Ont./Adelphi) suffered the loss on six-and-two-thirds innings pitched, two runs (both earned), eight hits, one walk and three punchouts.
 
Jeff Frost (Freehold, NJ/Keystone) closed out the ninth inning for the save allowing no hits, one walk and one strikeout.
 
Second baseman Matt Petty (St. Petersburg, FL/Barry) gave the SteepleCats a 1-0 lead in the fourth pulling a single through the left side with two outs scoring Mike LeBel (Quincy, MA/Rhode Island) who led off the frame with a single and later stole second base.
 
Keene responded in the sixth as Paul Karmas (Douglaston, NY/St. John’s) blooped a two-run single into right field with two outs plating Jeremy Baltz (Vestal, NY/St. John’s) and Brett Jacobs (Richland, WA/Washington) for a 2-1 advantage.
 
Baltz doubled down the right field line to lead off the frame and Jacobs reached base on a walk.
 
Center fielder Devin Shines (Austin, TX/Oklahoma St.) and Petty kept the score at 2-1 in the seventh throwing Tom Conley (Quincy, MA/UMass-Amherst) out at home plate, 8-4-2, trying to score from first base on a double to left-center field by Mark Onorati (Williston Park, NY/Manhattan).
 
In the bottom of the eighth, North Adams threatened with two outs and the bases loaded but Firth struck out
Petty on a 0-2 breaking ball, his seventh strikeout of the night, to keep the score at 2-1.
 
The SteepleCats comeback in the ninth inning fell just short after Shines walked to leadoff the frame, Jonathan Castine (Farmington, MI/Dayton) struck out looking attempting to drop down a sac bunt for out number one.
 
Chris Leon (Miami, FL/Barry) followed and Baltz flashed the leather in left field making a diving catch towards the infield to take away a hit for out number two. Shines was caught stealing to end the ball game.