Nighthawks Face Off With SwampBats for First Time in 2026

By Thaddeus Sawyer

The Keene SwampBats (3-0) were seemingly destined to win a championship last year. It’s not hard to believe that fate played a role in a 10-run comeback that ended in a walk-off home run.

That comeback in game one of the 2025 NECBL Championship Series wasn’t Keene’s first of August, as the SwampBats also walked off the Nighthawks in the first game of the postseason before sweeping Upper Valley across two games to end their season.

“They're always just consistent,” fourth-year Nighthawks pitcher Nick Tamburro said. “They hit the ball consistently.”

Featuring a multitude of returners, the Nighthawks (1-2) will get their chance at revenge and to snap a four-game losing streak against the SwampBats Tuesday evening when they travel to Alumni Field to take on the reigning league champions.

The Nighthawks have been one of the best hitting teams through the first three games of the season.  They rank in the top five in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging.

That offensive success has largely been buoyed by Eastern Illinois third baseman James Love, who slashed a torrid .615/.643/.923 while leading the league in base hits and total bases before Sunday’s off-day. That performance earned Love NECBL Player of the Week for opening week.

The Nighthawks rank second in the league with eight extra-base hits, three of which belong to Love.

New Jersey Institute of Technology catcher Cam Boardman also has five hits through three games and has started two out of three contests behind the plate.

While the SwampBats are in the middle of the pack in terms of on-base production, good things have been happening when they put the ball in play. The SwampBats lead the league with a .250 batting average and are top three in slugging.

While the Nighthawks only have one home run on the year so far, it’s only a matter of time until players like Big East Player of the Year Jackson Marshall and All-Southern Conference Second Team outfielder Luke Boykin, who smashed a combined 34 this spring, start hitting balls over the fence.

“Especially playing at their park, it's going to be tough to keep the ball in the park, although that will work for their pitchers as well,” Tamburro said. “I'm hoping that we can just stick with them offensively on Tuesday. 
I hope that our guys let up less than their guys do, because that's a short porch.”

Marshall finished the season on a 47-game on-base streak. The first baseman has also gotten on in his first three games for the SwampBats, making it an even 50 games.

Though it’s been a slow start for the 6-foot-8 slugger, Marshall has already proven he can hit with wood after batting over .300 across two summers for the Worcester Bravehearts of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

Boykin, Cincinnati infielder Jackson Smith and Duke infielder Collin Anderson have all gotten on base at a .400 clip or better, with Anderson leading the team with a .636 mark in eight at-bats.

Looking to keep those Nighthawks bats at bay will be Bellarmine pitcher Chase Chamberlain, who started four games in 15 appearances this past spring and posted a 5.93 ERA. The right-hander was bitten by the longball this year, giving up 2.0 home runs per nine innings.

Duke left-hander Aiden O’Connell is expected to take the ball for the SwampBats. The New Hampshire native posted an 8.57 ERA in 17 outings for the Blue Devils along with a 5.96 ERA in 11 games for the Newport Gulls last summer.

First pitch in Keene is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The game will stream live on both NECBL+ and the Unbeaten Network.