White River Junction
At the same time, the Vermont Mountaineers host the Keene Swamp Bats in another play-in contest. Should the Nighthawks and Mountaineers win, the former would visit the latter at 6:30 p.m. in Montpelier for another play-in game. Should Upper Valley and the Swamp Bats triumph, Keene would head south to White River Junction for a 6:30 p.m. clash at Maxfield.
If the Nighthawks win twice today? Their reward is to open a best-of-three division semifinal playoff series Thursday night in Sanford, Maine, against the division-champion Mainers. Game 2 would be at Maxfield on Friday and Game 3 would be back in Maine on Saturday.
“I haven’t seen anything like this in this league, but it’s kind of like a double-elimination college tournament,” said drained Upper Valley coach Nick Cenatiempo, his phone constantly pinging with texts from other league coaches, excited over the unorthodox situation. “It’s been such an up-and-down summer. You get to this point and have to play a crazy schedule … I’m losing my mind.”
Minutes earlier, the Nighthawks and the Mountaineers, who split a doubleheader earlier in the night, had milled around the dugouts and behind the backstop, listening to an internet audio broadcast of a Muskrats-Mystic Schooners extra-inning contest piped over the public-address system.
“This is intense, man,” said Nighthawks pitcher Joe Levasseur, gesturing at the overhead speakers. Cenatiempo sat in the press box, feet up on a rail while eating an ice cream sandwich. As 10 p.m. approached, the Schooners took a 16-13 lead in the 12th inning.
Fog drifted across right field. Catcher Brian Lau and general manager Noah Crane joined Cenatiempo. The blaring play-by-play continued, and several players waited to see if they would get in their cars and drive back to their local host families or immediately hit the road for locations like New York and Pennsylvania.
And then, at 10:02 p.m., the Schooners, and by extension, the Nighthawks and Mountaineers, won.
There were a few whoops and some back-slapping. Cenatiempo bounded to his feet while broadcaster Dave Collins began shouting alongside him.
“Win and we’re in!” Collins bellowed. “Don’t let the Nighthawks win!”
After that, however, confusion reigned for a short while. Upper Valley had thought it would host Keene today, but an email from the league office said it would be Winnipesaukee. A flurry of texts flew back and forth before the issue was settled. Cenatiempo arose stiffly.
“I need to get out of here,” he said. “I’ve got to be back in eight hours to take care of the field.”
The Mountaineers staged a stomping on that field during Tuesday’s first game. They led, 11-0, during the fourth inning en route to an 11-4 victory. Word filtered out that Mystic was winning by six runs heading into the seventh inning of its game, however, so the Nighthawks were still alive.
“It was pretty intense,” said Upper Valley pitcher Wes Engle, who started the second game and allowed one run and five hitsover 5 innings in a desperately needed performance. “This is a grind, but you want to win because you’re a competitive person and because you want to do something for a community that’s done so much for us.”
The Nighthawks tied the game at 1-1 during the fourth inning when leadoff man Austin Embler walked, reached third on an Al Molina double and scored on a Charlie Concannon flare that tipped off the backpedaling shortstop’s glove in the outfield. The hosts scored the winning run during the sixth when Joey Denison was hit by a pitch, reached third on a Concannon single and scored on a wild pitch.
“Two games tomorrow?” asked Concannon afterwards. “Hell, why not? I’m not doing anything else.”
Notes: Both teams entered the day with an 18-24 record. … Russ Caswell, a Randolph High product, caught the first game’s last two innings. … The left-turn lane from Route 5 into the Maxfield complex is finally under construction. .… Concannon cut off the sleeves of his team undershirt and sliced it down the chest, almost to his navel. He also left his jersey unbuttoned to a similar level. “Just giving the people what they want,” he said with a smirk. “Athleticism and sex appeal in one package.” … Quechee’s Justin Devoid was the Nighthawks’ designated hitter for the first game’s last four innings and beat out a dribbler down the third-base line for his first NECBL hit. … Upper Valley outfielder Alex Hanson, out since July 22 because of a bad back, did not play in either game and, like Engle, is headed home today because he had already made flight reservations.… During the second game, Upper Valley’s Zack Canada twice smacked Vermont catcher Slade Heggen atop the helmet with his backswing.
Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com or 603-727-3227.