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'Cats Explode for 14 Runs on Record-Setting Night
10:01PM / Thursday, July 20, 2017
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KEENE, N.H. -- The North Adams SteepleCats grabbed a 14-6 victory over the Keene Swamp Bats on a history-making night at Alumni Field on Thursday evening. 
 
The 14-run outing was North Adams' best offensive output of the season, and ended Keene's five-game winning streak.
 
A home run kicked off the scoring for the Swamp Bats in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Dean Lockery (Central Connecticut State) lifted a delivery over the right field fence at Alumni Field. Lockery's seventh home run of the season gave Keene a 1-0 lead that lasted for the game's first two innings.
 
Blake Whitney (South Carolina Upstate) made SteepleCat history in the top of the second inning. Whitney caught Hagen Holmstead (Iowa Western CC) looking for his second strikeout of the game. The punchout gave Whitney 71 on the season, breaking the franchise record set in 2013 by Scott Squier. Whitney struck out seven in his four innings on the mound, and was not involved in the decision.
 
North Adams exploded for five runs in the top of the third inning. On the first pitch of the frame, Jonathan Engelmann (Michigan) belted his first home run of the season to tie the game at one. A walk and two hit batsmen allowed North Adams to load the bases, with a groundout and a flyout putting two outs on the board. Taylor Lane (Arizona State) drove in two runs to take the lead on a single, and Bryce Peterson (UCF) added a two-run double to give the SteepleCats a 5-1 lead through three.
 
A pair of singles helped the SteepleCats extend their lead in the top of the fourth. Michael Gulino (Pace) singled with one out, and was able to come across the plate when Eddie Haus (St. Mary's) blooped a single to left field to stretch the lead to 6-1 for the SteepleCats.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Swamp Bats plated four runs with one swing of the bat to pull within one run. A single, an error, and a walk allowed the Swamp Bats to load the bases with two outs in the frame. Robert Boselli III (St. John's) made the SteepleCats pay with a grand slam, his seventh homer of the season. Boselli's team-high 27th RBI of the season trimmed the North Adams lead to 6-5.
 
The SteepleCats struck back in the top of the sixth, hitting two home runs and re-extending the advantage to three runs. Dillon Paulson (USC) and Tyler Walters (Slippery Rock) both hit solo home runs, their sixth and fifth home runs of the season respectively. The second and third North Adams homers of the game gave the SteepleCats some more breathing room with an 8-5 lead.
 
Keene got a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth, but could not add any further damage against Paulson, who struck out three of the six hitters he faced in relief of fellow bullpen arm Braxton Wilks (Abilene Christian), who moved to 3-0 on the season.
 
Four more runs crossed the plate for North Adams in the top of the eighth, breaking the game open in the late stages. The SteepleCats loaded the bases with the first three hitters of the inning, and saw Ryan Schalch (Pacific) drive in a run with a single to right. Lane then drove in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly, and Peterson added two more RBIs with his third double of the night.
 
The fun continued with two more home runs in the top of the ninth inning. Joe Gillette (Menlo College) and Haus belted the fourth and fifth North Adams homers of the game to conclude the scoring for the 'Cats.
 
The SteepleCats return home with two consecutive victories on the road, and are back at Joe Wolfe Field on Friday night. The first place Upper Valley Nighthawks are in town for the first time this season, and Robert Donnelly (SUNY Oswego) will go for his sixth win of the year.
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