By: Shannon Bickert

Anthony Ruggiero (URI) walked off the Swamp Bats on an RBI double in the bottom of the tenth inning, propelling the Schooners to a 5-4 victory on Tuesday, July 14. With the win, Mystic moves to 19-11 on the summer.

The Swamp Bat’s Eli Stephens (GT) knocked a base hit off Mystic’s starter, Brady Bouchard (Stetson), in the first frame.

Tyler Borton (FAU) allowed a walk to Gabe Natividad (Xavier) in the bottom of the first, but Mystic was unable to put a run on the board early.

Keene broke open the scoring in the second. Dylan Fitzsimmons (SJU) worked a walk and T.J. Schuyler (GSU) followed with a two-run blast to center field.

Bouchard followed in the third with a 1-2-3 frame.

Keene held Mystic scoreless in the third as the Schooners were unable to capitalize on an error. Christian Butera (Brown) reached on an error, and swiped second base. Butera was left stranded in scoring position.

In the fourth, Bouchard tossed his second three-up, three-down frame.

The Schooners made their first call to the bullpen in the fifth to Chris Hernandez (Cal St. Fullerton). Hernandez retired the Swamp Bats in order.

Mystic knotted things up in the bottom of the fifth. Joel Collado (URI) broke up the no-no bid with a double to right-center field. Chris Walsh (Northeastern) ripped an RBI double to the left-center field fence for his first hit of the summer. Walsh caused chaos on the basepaths, forcing an overthrow, allowing him to come in and score to tie the game.

Landon Manzi (Maine) took the bump for Mystic in the sixth. Chris Polemeni (UConn) drew a four-pitch walk, and Charlie Meglio (Rutgers) singled, putting two on. Manzi’s night ended with a strikeout, as Mystic turned to Calvin Gregory (VCU), who stranded both baserunners.

The Swamp Bats dipped into their bullpen in the bottom of the sixth to Griffin Madden (JMU). Belisario drew a walk and Cam Righi (UConn) followed with a two-out line drive. Jamie Zee (Notre Dame) juiced the bases with a walk, but Madden stranded the bases loaded to keep the score knotted at two.

The Swamp Bats regained the lead in the seventh. Schuyler singled, and Gavin Speirs (Charleston Southern) plated Schuyler on a single to center field. The Schooners turned to MJ Bollinger (UConn) who stranded two to keep it a one-run game.

The Schooners tied the game once again in the bottom of the seventh. Tanner Beliveau (MSU) hit the first batter he faced, Butera, who went on to steal his second bag of the night. Jack Harley (Stetson) tied things back up with an RBI double down the left field line.

Bollinger allowed a walk to Fitzsimmons, but held Keene scoreless in the eighth.

The Swamp Bats Micha Kendrick (LFU) doubled off Connor Lane (UConn) in the ninth, but was left in scoring position.

Sean Finn (St. Joseph's) sent the game to extras with a 1-2-3 frame.

Situational hitting gave the Swamp Bats the lead in the top of the tenth. Stephens popped out to move the ghost runner, Polemeni, to third, Polemeni came in to score on Meglio’s ground out.

Natividad doubled in the top of the tenth, plating Walsh to knot the score at four. Ruggiero came through with the walk-off knock, a double in the gap to score the winning run, Natividad.

The Schooners head on the road to face the Upper Valley Nighthawks on Wednesday, July 15. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm.