MANCHESTER, N.H. – It came down to the wire, but the Little Green of Manchester Central escaped with a 9-8 victory over Keene in baseball action at Gill Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Central got off to a strong start, with three first-inning doubles putting three runs across the plate, followed by a second double in the second inning by Jake Vachon bringing the score to 4-0.
Keene got on the board in the fourth, putting up three runs as they batted around the order, ultimately chasing starting pitcher Declan Ryan five batters into the rally.
Even though he left the mound, Ryan remained in the lineup and made a mark in the bottom of the fourth, picking up his second double of the day to move the score up to 6-3, but the Little Green couldn’t build the lead further, and Keene would capitalize in the sixth. There, the Blackbirds put up four more runs, highlighted by a two-run triple by Cal Tiani to give the visitors their first lead of the day.
Central took the lead back in the bottom of the sixth, leading off with a doubles from Tyler Cherabolowski and Andrew Houghton in what would become a three-run rally.
Keene threatened in the seventh, bringing the contest back Liam Conley’s one-run triple, but couldn’t find another lead change before all was said and done.
Seven of Central’s ten hits came off doubles, with Vachon joining Ryan in the two-double club on the day. Ryan also added a single in the sixth, with Houghton also contributing two hits on the day.
With the loss, Keene falls to 8-3 according to NHIAA data, they’re set to face next face Bedford on Monday. Central climbs to 3-6 on the year according to the NHIAA, their next scheduled contest comes on Monday against Concord.
