Nighthawks outfielder Grayson Padgett (University of Houston) fell to second in the NECBL’s league batting standings Friday night after going 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. It was the first game Padgett, who led the league in batting average for 11 days, has failed to register a hit since Upper Valley’s second game of the season, a 7-2 win over Winnipesaukee on June 12, and the first time all season that Padgett has failed to reach base.
Nighthawks’ center fielder Alex Hanson (St. Petersburg College) is now second on the team with a .364 batting average, 10 runs, 16 hits, five doubles and four RBIs. Hanson has played in all 12 games for the Nighthawks and, other than Padgett, has been the team’s most consistent batter.
The Ocean State Waves’ Grant Williams (Kennesaw State University) now leads the league with a .413 batting average. In 11 games, Williams has 10 runs, 19 hits, five doubles and two RBIs.
Mikael Mogues (Seton Hall) has been Vermont’s lone bright spot for the Mountaineers. The senior power hitter has played all 13 games for Vermont with five runs, 18 hits, including two doubles, one home run and five RBIs with a .375 batting average for third in the NECBL.
Vermont shortstop Michael Osinski (Longwood University)is batting .362 for the Mountaineers, who are now 2-11 through 13 games.
The Nighthawks’ Joey Denison (Troy University) is now ranked 19th in the league with a .313 batting average, eight runs, 15 hits and four doubles.
Nighthawks’ right-handed pitcher Bill Maier (Iona College) has been the NECBL’s most productive starter in the league’s first two weeks. In two starts, Maier is 1-0 allowing only six hits, two walks and recording four strikeouts in 13 innings. Maier started Saturday at home against Keene.
Danbury’s Ryan Testani (Seton Hall) leads the league with three wins and six appearances this season for the Westerners, all in relief. In 14 innings, Testani has allowed nine hits, two runs and two walks. He also leads the league in 17 strikeouts and has amassed a 1.29 ERA.
The Nighthawks’ Luke Reilly (La Salle) is second on the Upper Valley staff with three starts, 11 innings pitched, seven runs, two earned, and seven strikeouts. Mike Coss in four appearances has recorded six strikeouts, allowing five balls, two runs and five hits.
Despite sitting only at .500 this season, the Nighthawks are ranked second behind league-leading Ocean State Waves in pitching percentages. Upper Valley is tied for second in earned runs against (40), allowing a league-low 84 hits and a league-low 45 runs. The Nighthawks have also thrown a league-low 90 collectively.
As a team, Upper Valley leads the NECBL in hitting averages despite playing a league-low 12 games through the first 2½ weeks. The Nighthawks have relied on their doubles strength, amassing 32 two-baggers, and are two behind the league-leader Ocean State with 118 hits.