September 15, 2011
NECBL notebook: Keene savors league championship
The Keene Swamp Bats beat the Laconia Muskrats in a battle of Granite State foes on Aug. 10 to win the New England Collegiate Baseball League championship in a two-game sweep. The players celebrated and posed with the NECBL trophy. Coach Martin Testo said, “they were ecstatic.”
Not that any of that was the point, of course.
“These summer leagues, if you win a championship, that’s kind of like gravy on the mashed potatoes,” Testo said. “But really at the end of the day, to me, it’s about their experience in this community and definitely leaving here better than they came.”
That is the mantra of the NECBL. Winning isn’t the point. Helping the players and community service, those are the twin pillars of the league.
But once a team gets into the playoffs, once they get close enough to know they could win a championship, it’s tough not to think about it.
“That’s kind of when it changes,” Testo said. “That’s kind of when the change takes place. We were in first place or right around first place for the majority of the year, and once you get to the playoffs, it’s kind of like, you know what? We’ve come this far, let’s do it.”
Testo has a lengthy list of players he believes were major contributors. Kevin Brown (Northboro, Mass.) was “Mr. Everything.” Testo says Alex Chittenden was “as solid a shortstop as I’ve seen in this league,” making every routine play. Brett DeLoach earned the nickname “Mr. August” for his six home runs and 15 RBI in the playoffs.
Testo also singled out Taylor Williams’ pitching performance in a late-season game against Vermont.
“We needed to win to secure first place, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs,” Testo said, “and Taylor pitched six innings. One run. One hit. Four walks. Eight strikeouts. Pretty impressive.”
Testo says the team talked to some of the players about returning next summer. The Swamp Bats will have to wait to hear from their coaches. But Testo isn’t feeling any pressure to repeat when the team regroups in the spring.
“Nope,” he said. “Same goals. Good experience, make sure the kids leave here better, and hopefully be in the playoffs at the end.”
This article originally appeared in the September 2011 issue of New England Baseball Journal.
Nick A. Zaino can be reached at feedback@baseballjournal.com
