Keene, NH – The Keene Swamp Bats scored seven runs in the first four innings and held on for a 7-3 victory over the North Adams SteepleCats in New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) action on Independence Eve Night at Alumni Field in front of a franchise record 6,387 fans.

The previous record of 6,379 fans was set on July 3, 2008 against the North Shore Navigators. Keene fell 336 fans short of the all-time single game NECBL record which was set on July 4, 2006 in a game between Holyoke and the SteepleCats at North Adams.

The Swamp Bats improve to 10-12 overall, 7-7 in the Western Division and 4-0 on Independence Eve dating back to July 3, 2007. The SteepleCats fall to 14-7.

Jeff Frost (Freehold, NJ/Keystone) earned the win in relief tossing two scoreless innings, allowing no runs on one hit and two punchouts. Robert Nixon (Welland, Ont./Adelphi) suffered the loss over three-and-two-thirds innings pitched, 12 hits, seven runs (all earned), one walk and three strikeouts.

Keene starter Joe Miller (Valley Stream, NY/Maine) was dealt a no-decision on four innings of scoreless work, two hits, two walks and two punchouts.

Mark Onorati (Williston Park, NY/Manhattan) led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to deep center field. After a fielding error advanced Onorati to third base, left fielder Jeremy Baltz (Vestal, NY/St. John’s) grounded into a fielder’s choice RBI to make it 1-0.

Onorati pushed the lead to 2-0 in the second inning on a single through the left side of the infield plating right fielder Brett Jacobs (Richland, WA/Washington St.).

In the third, second baseman Joey DeMichele (Phoenix, AZ/Arizona St.) scored Ben Klafczysnki (Medina, OH/Kent St.) with a double down the left field line to extend the gap to 3-0.

The Swamp Bats scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning highlighted by a Jacobs’ two-RBI single to left center field.

SteepleCats’ second baseman Andy Mena (Haffman, TX/Lamar Univ.) cut into the deficit in the fifth inning launching a 0-1 fastball off of AJ Bazdanes (Nashua, NH/Maine) for a three-run home run to left field to make it 7-3.

Bazdanes went two innings giving up three runs (all earned), on one hit, two walks and two strikeouts.

Keene reliever Buddy Lamothe (Lydonville, VT/Franklin Pierce) gave up two hits, walked one and fanned two batters.