Swamp Bats webcasts

The W2XBS camera. Check out the sweet NBC dish antanae.

The first baseball game to be televised was a match-up of two college teams, Princeton and Columbia at Columbia’s Baker Field on May 17, 1939. Two mobile units were used to support the telecast; one filled with the electronics to transmit the game, the other to haul the camera and gear.

RCA, the corporate owner of NBC, produced the game and carried on its broadcast station W2XBS (now WNBC) to about 400 televisions in New York City.

 Some of those TV’s were display models at the RCA exhibit at the World’s Fair and others were located at RCA’s Rockefeller Center headquarters. The rest of the audience was rich people in Manhattan who owned a TV.

The account of the telecast in the next day’s New York Times reported “It was impossible for the single camera to include both the pitcher’s box and home plate at the same time. The ‘eye’ was focused on the mound for the wind up and quickly followed the ball to the batter and catcher.”

The camera. There was only one and it was as maneuverable as your refrigerator.

How times have changed.

Fans who can’t make it to Alumni Field can watch the Swamp Bats online. Folks can go to TEAMLINE to watch the game on their laptop or, if you prefer the big screen treatment, you can connect the feed to your flat screen television. On most nights, the telecasts from Alumni Field are managed by Adam Chabot and Joshua Durisseau.

Five cameras capture the action. There are cameras in the press box pointed at various spots on the field, a camera along the grandstand and one in center field to provide the classic shot from behind the pitcher.  

Adam chooses the shot you see. Unless Josh does. “It’s a team effort,” Adam says. Because there’s only so much room in the press box, Adam has the bird’s eye view while, from where he sits, Josh has the image of each camera on computer monitor. By computer keyboard, Josh feeds the image to the viewer.

Adam Chabot and Joshua Durisseau

 Adam is senior member of the video crew; he’s been doing webcasts since 2010. Josh attends Keene High and found his way to the press box through school connections.

There’s no immediate way to determine how many people have dialed up the game. One night, eight people were watching. However, the important thing to Adam and Josh was that the eight were getting a good webcast, that the pictures were going out. 

Swamp Bats profiles: The Interns

Thursday is Fan Appreciation night. The Bats resume Monday’s suspended game with North Adams at 2pm and play a make-up game versus Ocean State at 6:30.  Fans will be admitted at no charge. There will be games and events and raffles and spinning contests and the Score’s toss and more.

Sarah Pelkey, Ellie Marshall, Erin MacLean, Greg Englehart and Harrison Durfee

And none of it could happen without the interns, those young people in the purple shirts who make a Swamp Bats game a community event.

“We could not do this without them. They are the glue that allows us to put on a great show every night,” says Swamp Bats president Kevin Watterson.  “They do the hard jobs, the dirty jobs that no one wants to do. They come in early. They set up. They stay late.”

Video scoreboards with fireworks and replays, out of town highlights and prompts to clap and cheer have been around forty years but, there is a human element to these games that’s missing on the MLB level. “We get kids active, get fans involved,” says Sarah Pelkey.  

Move It
photo by Doc Gordon

A big part of fan involvement is the Move It dance. It’s called Instant Recess”, explains operations management intern Ellie Marshall. “It’s based on Vision 20/20, a program to raise exercise awareness with Cheshire Medical to make the Monadnock region the healthiest in the country by the year 20/20.”

Sarah often leads the Instant Recess as fellow interns Ellie and Harrison Durfee join in. But every night, Sarah’s dance partner is the most famous of the Swamp Bats, Ribby. 

“Adults love Ribby, not just kids,” Sarah says. "Ribby’s known through the region, not just the ballpark.” With appearances at Pumpkinfest, senior centers, area events and, Reading with Ribby, Sarah has a good point. 

Ribby
photo by Doc Gordon

 Harrison Durfee supervises the Bat kids and Greg Englehart coordinates Swamp Bats baseball camps.

The interns also assist sponsors. “The sponsors come in and the interns set them up. Where should we put our table? Do they need a power source? Any time you are impressed with what’s going in, it’s because of our interns,”  Watterson says. Supervising the interns is Operations manager Erin MacLean. “She’s a great leader, great communicator and an ambassador for the organization,” says Watterson.

Even Ribby reports to Erin.

Swamp Bats profiles: Michael Dunnigan

Michael Dunnigan

Michael Dunnigan was the winning pitcher for Keene when the Swamp Bats won the nightcap of a split a doubleheader with Laconia Tuesday night.

A month ago Dunnigan was 0-2 and looked every bit the fellow who wasn’t enjoying baseball. One June 24, against Laconia of all teams, Dunigan gave up 9 hits and 4 earned runs while lasting just 3.1/3 innings. Since then, he’s won his two starts and done well in relief.

Before, I was giving up hits back to back and now, I’m mixing all my stuff well, keeping them off balance,” he said Monday.

That brings us back to the first time we spoke to Dunnigan, before the July 5 game v the Blue Sox.“Everyone has something to work on. For me, I just started to throw a slider this season; I’m working on throwing it for a strike and turn it into my put-away pitch as well,” he said at the time.  Including that Laconia game, Dunnigan had given up 20 hits in 15 1/3 innings, 9 against the Muskrats. “After the season (at Saint Leo University) I took about two weeks off.”  Too much time, it turns out. “Whenever I stop throwing, my velocity drops. Once I got back to a routine, it eventually came back to me.”

He has been throwing harder and in Tuesday’s win, Dunnigan went 4 innings, surrendered 4 hits and recorded two strikeouts. Says pitching coach Pascal Paul: “That’s testament to him working hard and wanting to be better.” Paul also praises the job Michael has done in relief. “He’s done whatever we ask him to do. He’s thrown one walk this year, the only pitcher to have that on our staff.”

With a smile and great amusement, Dunnigan disagrees with his coach. “No, I don’t have any, I don’t know where that started,” he protests. “I don’t know where I got that walk from but I don’t have one, I know I don’t,” he said through a broad smile.

Oh, he also gave up no walks Tuesday.  

A month from now, he’ll be back at Saint Leo to continue his studies and work on his pitching.

 “I’m just throwing to the best of my ability. This is a huge year, my junior year. I’ll be draft-eligible, he says. “I want to play on the next level and I hope someone gives me that chance.”

Swamp Bats profiles: Ethan Winter

Ethan Winter

Ethan Winter is a big contributor to the Swamp Bats information process and presence. He crunches numbers, quantifies pitching and batting for the statistical vault where so much baseball is stored. Working with webcaster Joe Fitzhenry, Ethan helps compile and edit the program for every home game.

And during those games, Ethan keeps track of every pitch, every batted ball, fair or foul, and, even the throws to first base, be those throws be to keep runners close or, pickoff attempts.

From the first pitch, Ethan serves as a second pair of eyes and ears for the Swamp Bats radiocasts. He assists Fitzhenry. He keeps Joe up to the moment on pitch counts. And from his seat, Fitzhenry can’t see the visitor’s bullpen. All Winter has to do is spin in his seat, have a glance and be able to tell Fitz “Walker, a lefty, # 26, is warming up,” for the visitor. 

Speaking of first pitches, Ethan threw the ceremonial pitch for the Swamp Bats before a recent game. We won’t dwell.

Rob Coman shakes Ethan's hand after the first pitch ceremony.
"You should stay in the booth," Coman did NOT say.

As the game progresses, Ethan will be making notes on his laptop for the postgame story that will be sent along to the NECBL, the Union Leader, the Sentinel and WMUR. At the final out, Ethan will interview players for quotes to round out his report on the game.

In the case of Wednesday’s rain-suspended game, his contribution was eventually a two-inch, one column account of the game in the margin of Thursday’s Keene Sentinel. On Friday, Ethan’s report of David Sosebee’s two-hit shutout was a big part of the Sentinel’s Sports section, a 320 wrap-up with quotes at the top of the page.

After David Sosebee’s 1- win over the Newport Gulls, Ethan Winter asked “What pitches worked for you?”  On the surface, that would seem like a dumb question. Anyone present could see every pitch was working. But Ethan knows it is never about the questions, the interviewer is trying to get good answers. And Ethan got a great answer. “Fastball for me was a little iffy at first,” Sosebee said. “So I figured that out and at the end of the game, my command was working for me.” That wound up being read by Swamp Bats fans from Alstead to Sosebee fans in Athens, Georgia, where he pitches for the University of Georgia. 

For road games, Ethan does audio for webcasts.  He had a summer job lined when the chance to join the Swamp Bats popped up. A classmate/friend at High Point University referred him to the Swamp Bats.

“This is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” he says. ”Writing game stories several days a week, doing play by play other days has been invaluable.”

“I would like to be a broadcaster for a Major League team, I always joke I am going to take Don Orsillo or Joe Castiglione’s job.    This is the first step. The Swamp Bats have given me a terrific opportunity.” 

What a game!

David Sosebee

David Sosebee pitched a two-hit complete game and Brady Sheetz had a 5^th inning RBI single to score Jarred Mederos and the Keene Swamp Bats beat the Newport Gulls 1-0 Thursday night at Alumni Field.

·     

            Newport’s John Kilichowski held Keene hitless into the 5^th. Swamp Bats shortstop Jared Mederos broke through with a leadoff single and stole 2^nd and 3^rd base. Brady Sheetz laced an RBI single to left field, driving in Mederos to put the Swamp Bats ahead, 1-0.

·         Newport’s first hit was a 2^nd inning double by P.J. Jones. Jones was out attempting to stretch his hit into a triple with a sweet 9-4-5 relay.

·         In the 2^nd inning, Newport left fielder Anthony Lyons made a nice running catch to deny Mederos an extra-base hit.

·         In the 4^th inning, infielder Tommy Edman singled to right but was the victim of a sharp pickoff by Sosebee. First baseman Aubrey McCarty made the tag.

·         Sosebee’s 8^th inning is indicative: Outfielder Ben Roberts popped out to 3^rd baseman Patrick McGrath.  Jones was retired on a 6-3 ground ball. Lyons struck out swinging. 6 pitches.

·         The game was completed in an hour and 46 minutes.

Suspended due to rain.

I was worried a game interrupted after an inning, delayed by 90 minutes before it was determined to play another day, would leave me little chance to get some prime photos.

Well, after all this time, I should know the Swamp Bats better.

Dominic Severino took the mound and the pace was indicative of the coming storm. Leadoff hitter Steve Wilgus struck out swinging and when Connor Fitzsimons dropped the ball, he quickly recovered it and  threw to Darick Hall covering first. Outfielder Evan Ocello slammed a pitch over the left field fence to put the Waves ahead. Ryan 

Blanton flied to left and Taylor Perez made a fine catch to retire TJ Lynch.

Leadoff hitter Ryan Summers singled and eventually scored when somebody did something. (I got distracted, sue me.)

And then we got lightning. And thunder. And then it rained, oh how it rained. The Swamp Bats (literally) rolled out their new tarpaulin. After an hour or so, one of the Ocean State players took a running start and body-surfed the tarp.

Ben leaves the field in triumph.

 As an answer, All-Star relief pitcher Benjamin Criscuolo stripped down to his shorts and made a spectacular slide of his own. A little while later, fellow All-Star reliever Matt Clancy took his own turn at slip-n-slide. Criscuolo saved his best for last, starting just shy of the right field fence, Ben sprinted and dove on the tarp with a wonderful slide, worthy of a gold medal. The only criticism: they took to these stunts before I could get a decent picture.

Of course, one wonders if these fellows will wake tomorrow with major tarp abrasions or, how they would have explained a separated shoulder.

It should be noted this was going on as lightning split the night sky. We ALMOST had a BIG headline in tomorrows Sentinel.

And Ryan Summers blamed me for the rain.

Swamp Bats profiles: Pitcher Alec Bettinger

Alec Bettinger

Alec Bettinger is the newest of the Swamp Bats, joining the team July 2^nd  after helping the Virginia Cavaliers to the College World Series. In his first season at Charlottesville, the freshman from Woodbridge, Virginia, went 6-0 with a 1.23 ERA.

Alec took the loss in last night’s game v the Valley Blue Sox, giving up two earned runs in 5 innings, three hits, three strikeouts and 3 walks. In three games with Keene, Bettinger is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.19. He’s faced 54 batters, striking out 13. And he is his own worst critic. “I’m working on my breaking pitches. I didn’t have too much success with those till the end of the year and I am up here to work on that,” he says.

When not working on his craft, Alec has done some exploring. “It’s beautiful; there are a lot of outdoor things to do. I have been fishing with Connor Jones and Jack Roberts, we fish for bass and pumpkin seed blue gill. “

He and his Virginia teammate, Rob Coman are the summer guests of Phil and Debbie Stromgren. The Stromgrens make it a habit of visiting campus to get acquainted with their guests. “It’s awesome, I love it there,” he says.

Swamp Bats profiles: Jarred Mederos

Jarred Mederos singled with the bases loaded in the ninth to score North Adams shortstop J.C. Cardenas to give the NECBL North All Stars a 4-3 win in Holyoke Sunday. For his timely hit, Mederos was bestowed Most Valuable Player.

Jarred Mederos

Mederos is in his first season with the Swamp Bats where he’s stepped in to play shortstop. That’s juggled the infield a bit with Taylor Perez sometimes playing second, and Bret Dennis or Patrick McGrath at 3^rd base. Mederos is comfortable with whatever the configuration of the Swamp Bats middle defense. “They are great players, I feel like we play well together,” he says.

After high school, Mederos, from Hialeah, Florida, attended the University of Miami. But Miami just wasn’t the right fit for him “I committed at the end of my sophomore year,” of high school. “I just put too much stress on myself. “

One can imagine the stories: Local Boy commits. Local boy makes debut. Maybe even Local boy goes hitless. The scrutiny of well-wishers and local media coverage, real and imagined can take its toll. “I put a lot of pressure on myself.”

After a stint at Santa Fe College, Mederos wound up at St. John’s in New York. A sports administration major with a minor in accounting, Mederos did have to make an adjustment “It’s the first time I’d seen snow,” he relates.

A year ago, he took the summer off to recharge his batteries. Now, he’s up in Keene with St. John’s teammates Matt Clancy, Bret Dennis and, Zach Lauricella.  But he is quick to say his ease of coming to Keene is due to his host family, Nicole Johnson and Andy Newell. 

Brooke and Jarred and Allie.
Photo from Nicole Johnson.

“My host family are great, great people. They treat me like I’m their own.” Talk about finding a home. When not on the field or working out at the gym, Jarred spends his time with his hosts and their daughters Brooke and Allie. “I like hanging out with my host family. They have a backyard pool and today, we went horseback riding,” he said before Saturday’s game.

The Swamp Bats return Tuesday against the Valley Blue Sox. Time grows short as the season winds down. “We need to play our game. We have to go out there and follow through, with looseness AND intensity,” he declares.

Story for a Sunday

This one is for Ryan Summers.

In 1985, I was working as an assignment producer for ESPN’s SportsCenter. “The Natural” with Robert Redford was a year old so it was getting a lot of play on HBO. Our reporter based in New York, Ed Randall proposed a story idea.

Tony Ferrara in 1981

Anthony J. Ferrara had an unusual job: he was a batting practice pitcher for the New York Mets and the Yankees. Typically, he would throw BP for the Mets before M/T/W night games at Shea. The Mets would go on a road trip and Ferrara would pitch BP for the Yankees for the Fri/Sat/Sun games.  Once in a great while, he threw BP before an afternoon game and would take the subway across town and pitch BP that night.

On top of which, Ferrara was an actor. When all TV was in Black and White, he did an ad for Brylcreem and one for shaving cream. What made this a promising feature idea story was the fact that Ferrara had a non-speaking role in The Natural as Coach Wilson. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the spot. The camera pans left to right as the Knights sing the Star Spangled Banner along with Kate Smith.

Blink and you’ll miss him.

Wilford Brimley as Manager Pop Fisher, Richard Farnsworth as Red and Ferrara as Coach Wilson

He also served as trainer or, coach for the actors.

So Ed suggests the story and I got to work on our end.  For Ed, all he had to do the next time he was at Shea or Yankee Stadium is tell Tony “We are going to do an interview with you.” I had to get permission to use a clip. After calling three or four offices, I was told to use the few seconds, TriStar/SONY wanted $2500.

Ed did the interview and we got great video of Ferrara pitching BP to Gary Carter and Keith Hernandez and Don Mattingly. But we didn’t use any of the movie when ESPN balked at the price. These were of course, in the day before ESPN was Disneyfied.

Fast forward four years. Now both Ed and I are working for the late, lamented SportsChannel America’s SportsNightly. Pete Rose is in hot water for having never ever bet on baseball and Bart Giamatti is about to kick Rose out of baseball. 

Naturally, Ed and I thought of the connection between Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson. After making a few calls, I spoke to Sarah Pillsbury, one of the producers of Eight Men Out. She was glad to let us use a few seconds of the movie. Ms. Pillsbury was incredulous that “The Natural” people wanted cash, she was not about to charge for a free mention.  She sent a copy of the movie and just asked for the on-screen courtesy.

Sometimes, all you have to do is ask. Or pay $2500.00

D.B. Sweeney as Shoeless Joe Jackson

Swamp Bats profiles: Rob Coman

Rob Coman at batting practice.

Catcher Rob Coman is one fourth of the Swamp Bats’ “Cavalier Quartet” (pardon the alliterative attempt at expressive expertise). Along with Alec Bettinger, Connor Jones and, Jack Roberts, Rob joined the team after Virginia’s trip to the College World Series. 

Taking the summer of wasn’t a consideration and for him and his teammates. “Our goal after playing through the College World Series is to continue playing at a high level and help this team any way we can.”

In his first game for the Swamp Bats, Coman hit a home run. He doesn’t dwell. “To hit a home run in my first at bat was cool but you just got to move on, and play the rest of the season”. 

A year ago, Coman played summer ball in the Northwoods League, for the Wisconsin Rafters. His goal is the same, always. “Consistency, plain and simple. That’s Virginia baseball, playing the game the right way, that’s what you’re trying to do out here. Play the game hard, that’s how you get better. I wholeheartedly believe that.”

He’s been the beneficiary of good coaching his whole life. Coman was raised in Florida, where his father, Robert, has been a teaching golf pro for years. ” We live near Jupiter, where the Cardinals have spring training so the guys have come out.”

You can make the connection. Ballplayers play golf; they meet a golf pro with a baseball-loving son. “I was very fortunate to go to spring training,” a lot, one imagines. From the time he was 12 to his senior year of high school, Coman was a frequent spring training visitor of the Cardinals. That includes the 2006 and 2011 World Series champion teams. “Just to meet them and be around them was a wonderful experience; I knew the entire lineup personally”.  But he’s not a name-dropper. The most important things he learned were not baseball mechanics, but deportment.  As he told Mary Thurwatcher of the Palm Beach Post  in 2012 “You won’t see them coming into the dugout throwing helmets.”

Rough Night

• 
  
  

  
  

  Keene pitching gave up 7 walks in 2 2/3 innings and Vermont cruised to a 7-2 wins over the Swamp Bats Friday night. Circumstances dictated Dominic Severino to be a late scratch. 

  Jack Roberts got the start on short notice and took the loss.

  
  

  ·      Catcher Connor Fitzsimons slammed the first pitch he saw to left field in the 6^th inning for his first home run of the season. He also caught two runners attempting to steal second.

  ·         Jarred Mederos made a dazzling over-the-shoulder catch to end the top of the 8^th.

  ·         Mederos also had two hits.

  ·         Brady Sheetz and Rob Coman each had a hit.

  ·         Smokey the Bear threw the first pitch.

Swamp Bats profiles: Connor Jones

Connor Jones

Connor Jones is scheduled to start Saturday’s game when Keene plays host to the Sanford Mainers. 

The 6 foot, 3 inch right-hander was part of the Virginia team that went to the College World Series and he led his team with 24 appearances out of the Cavaliers bullpen.

His teammates included Conner Fitzsimons and Conner Simonetti. One could say the Swamp Bats lead the NECBL in “Connors” (or, Conner’s). “It’s something I didn’t know about until I got here,” Jones laughed. “But we call Connor Fitz and pitchers get called by their last name. So as common as Jones is, I’m the only one on the team.”

That’s one problem solved.

After a year of fall baseball, the spring season and tournament play, he could hardly be blamed for wanting to take the rest of the summer off.  He was tempted but “After two days at home, I’d be itching for something to do.” But Connor Jonesy sees playing in Keene with the Swamp Bats offers “the chance to ‘work on my game and on my skills and make more friends.”

Thursday night

Pitcher Alex Robinson’s bases loaded walk pushed Matt Byrne across the plate and the Laconia Muskrats beat the Swamp Bats 2-1 Thursday night.

·         David Sosebee takes the loss. Sosebee pitched 8 + innings, is charged with the two runs and recorded 6 strikeouts and yielded one walk.

·         Alex Liquori had a fifth inning solo home run.

·         Alex Summers had two stolen bases.  

Extra-inning agony

The SteepleCats visited for just the second time this year, but the two teams played just last Saturday in 

North Adams, an extra-inning affair won by North Adams, 8-7.

Teammates at Maryland: Anthony Papio and Alex Robinson

North Adams outfielder Anthony Papio is a teammate at Maryland with Swamp Bats pitcher Alex Robinson. Jarred Mederos visited with a high school teammate. Dominic Severino played for North Adams a year ago while the SteepleCats’ Zach Lucas played with the Swamp Bats 2013 NECBL champions.

So, things were pretty cheerful before the game.

Michael Dunnigan was pitching well, giving up two runs in 5 2/3 innings and striking out 8. Ryan Summers hit a solo home run in the fourth and Jarred Mederos did the same in the 5^th inning. Bret Dennis scored on a Connor Fitzsimons single that ricocheted off third base. Ryan Summers was right behind Dennis and poised to score until he fell/was tripped purposely by 3^rd baseman Todd Juliano, depending on your point of view.

This was when the North Adams bench jockeys got active and stayed vocal until the final out. Not satisfied with just serving (pardon the phrase) catcalls, they stomped their feet and hit their bats on the dugout ceiling/press box floor.

SteepleCats catcher Ramon Valdez had a three run homer in the 10th.

With the score 3-2 Keene, Papio slammed an 0-2 pitch to left for a game tying solo shot. In the tenth inning, SteepleCats catcher Ramon Valdez hit a three-run homer that eventually gave North Adams a 6-3 win.

The SteepleCats visit Keene Monday. 

The Voice of the Swamp Bats

Joe Fitzhenry is in his first year of calling the Keene Swamp Bats on 

ESPN Keene, 1220 AM and 103.1 FM.

Joe Fitzhenry

By the age of nine or ten years old, Joe knew he wanted to broadcast sports. A few years later, Joe knew he wanted to broadcast baseball. When it came time to select a college, the Saratoga Springs, NY native enrolled at Marist.

 At Marist, Joe served as sports editor at The Circle, the campus newspaper and, broadcast sports. Following internships with CBS Sports and writing for Bleacher Report, Joe broadcast games for the now-defunct Saratoga Brigade. “It was fun, I enjoyed that as well. It’s a good league, it’s well run and very organized people know what they are doing,” he said.

Joe didn’t idle when the Brigade closed shop. “I wanted to get some more experience this summer and I applied to the Swamp Bats and here we are.” There are games when Joe works solo, and other nights, he’s paired with a broadcaster for the opposing team.  As the season progresses, Joe works on his game and his attitude fits the NECBL motto. “Its high quality baseball and I get to live the dream and call baseball games.”

I kind of snuck up on Joe here.

Eventually, he’d love to do play-by-play for a major league team. “I know that takes time.  Just as with the players, you build your game at every level.”

Swamp Bats profiles: Pitcher David Sosebee

David Sosebee

Writers love to use phrases such as “blazing fastball”, “location and movement”, “pinpoint control” and the word “velocity” in pitcher profiles. Then they cite the mph of a pitcher’s  fastball and go to lengths to describe how their curve breaks and describe how their change-up fools batters.

David Sosebee can pitch. Says catcher Connor Fitzsimons:  “He works at such a good pace. He’s able to put the ball where he wants it. And he keeps his off-speed low, his pitches are very effective. “

All we need to do here is look at the numbers. In 19 2/3 innings, Sosebee has struck out 16 batters and walked only 3.

As well as he’s pitched, he’s also 0 and 3. “I might have drawn the short stick this summer, that’s how it goes. They play great defense behind me.”

Here’s where numbers support a story but don’t explain it all. Against Vermont Tuesday, July 8, Sosebee retired 12 in a row. In the fifth inning, Mountaineers DH Blake Tiberi smoked a single up the middle. Infielder Robbie Knightes singled. The next batter flied to right and then outfielder Alex Caruso hit a triple to score both baserunners and scored on an errant throw. After a routine ground-out and strikeout, Sosebee was out of trouble. And on the hook for three runs.

Caruso triples.

His catcher that night was Rob Coman: “He was spotting his fastball really well and making guys swing and miss. A guy on their team had a big hit, they were able to capitalize on it and it made the difference in the game.” That explains one half inning, Coman says, but doesn’t tell all.  “He’s going to have a lot of success in the future, I’m sure.”

Sosebee struck out the side in the sixth and was relieved by Jack Roberts in the 7^th. The Swamp Bats scored two runs but that was all. 

Sosebee has confidence in the Swamp Bats. “The runs will come when they come; we’re not worried about that.”

The Georgia native and University of Georgia junior played for the Swamp Bats a year ago. He made it a point to return to Keene.  “I loved it so much last year, I asked to come back." The summer repeat has been good for David. “No surprises, it’s comfortable. This is a great place to play summer ball. “As was the case a year ago, his host family is Kevin and Heather Watterson and the at-home experience does not stop at the host family. Speaking of the Swamp Bats community, David said "You guys take good care of us. It’s a great place to play. “

Also with the Swamp Bats is Sosebee’s Georgia teammate Ryan Lawlor. Fellow Swamp Bats Aubrey McCarty and Alex Liquori also hail from Georgia. “It’s nice to have guys from your home state,” David says. And, as Garden State native Matt Clancy walks by, Sosebee grins and adds “we can relate we’re different from guys from New Jersey or other places, they can get loud.”

Swamp Bats profiles: Conner Simonetti

Conner Simonetti

After his freshman year at Kent State University, Conner Simonetti  had the option of playing in the Northwoods and the New England College Baseball Leagues. Given the chance, he lobbied to join the Swamp Bats “I heard a lot of good things about Keene so I came here. It’s been fun.”

His motivation for coming to New Hampshire was more than baseball related. When he was a kid, “My parents used to own a house on Granite Lake. The town and area are so nice, it’s a great place to be.”

In June, Conner saw a lot of playing time as designated hitter, in the outfield and first base. He had a home run in the Swamp Bats home opener versus Laconia and another the following week. He also had 4 doubles and 9 RBI. –But his batting average is hurting. “Power numbers have always been there for me but hitting for average is one of the tools I’m trying to work on.”

Congratulations v Laconia
Photo by Doc Gordon

 Now that more players have joined the team following the conclusion of their college season, there have been fewer opportunities for Simonetti.  He’d rather play than not play but in the meantime, he works with coaches and teammates and reminds himself to be patient. “There are guys with more experience, so I see this as an opportunity to learn.”

His hosts are Jen and Josh English; they have two children, Dana and Tyler. The English’s have provided a home away from home. “They’re starting to call me their big brother; it’s going to be sad when I have to go.” 

Swamp Bats profiles: Doc Gordon

Doc Gordon

Swamp Bats photographer/intern Kellie Gordon thought she wanted to become a physician. So, she got the nickname Doc.

 But plans change when you are young. In Doc’s case, change was generated with a camera for a birthday present. With that point-and-shoot Samsung, Doc won a county-wide photo contest. When her Mom and grandparents saw her passion and talent, another birthday gift was a more sophisticated Canon Rebel T3 and a Tamaron 70-200mm 2.8 lens. (I don’t know what that means, either.) They’ve been inseparable since.

To Doc, taking pictures is not an avocation, it’s a place. “Photography is where I like to be. My camera and I are always there, it’s something that always works for me.”

That’s insightful for any photographer, let alone a soon-to-be high school senior. Gordon attends Monadnock Regional High School and plays soccer. She also works at Last Impression horse farm.

Doc is, for the most part, self-taught.  Then she began working with and learning from her classmate and friend Gunner Hoffman.  It was Hoffman who taught Doc about “manual techniques, proper exposure, the ISO and other stuff.” He also introduced Doc to Jim Fennell of SportsNH.com. From there “I built upon what he (Gunner) taught me and I don't think I'd be where I am now and shooting for the Swamp Bats without him.”

“Sports photography is definitely a passion,” she says. “I think I’m better at that than portraits.” She has an approach a professional can appreciate. “You can set up and look for the shot you want, frame it and you wait for it.”

Doc captures images from the moment she gets to Alumni Field until after the game. Then she posts the photos on the Swamp Bats web site and her Facebook page. Doc shares her pictures gladly, asking for credit in return.

Her generosity doesn’t end there. A few weeks ago she asked a blogger what he needed. “A shot from behind home plate,” she was told. “How am I supposed to do that?” she asked. The idiot blogger used to work in TV sports and responded with”You’ll figure it out,” which is experienced person-speak for “I don’t know”.

Doc responded with a remarkable shot.

Game action: Vermont at Swamp Bats July 1st
Photo by Doc Gordon

“I like side angles a lot,” she says. There’s no geometric strategy involved. “I just move until I find the shot, that’s what photography is.”

Risking life and lens for the shot.