Navigators’ season ends

The North Shore Navigators lost to the Keene SwampBats, 10-7, at Alumni Field in Keene, N.H., on Sunday. Keene swept the best-of-three series by winning the first two games.Tom Cote got the win for Keene, while Jason Markowitz took the loss for North Shore. Markowitz had entered the game with a 5-0 regular-season record. The Navs got five home runs, including two solo shots from catcher Frank Pesanello, and two more from left fielder Sean McNaughton. Right fielder Mike Provencher hit a two-run shot.The North Shore Navigators received a tremendous route-going performance by southpaw Matt Costello in the opener of the best-of-three series in the Northern Divisional playoffs against Keene on Saturday. He fanned nine, walked just one, and spun a five-hitter. The only problem was that the Navs stranded seven runners altogether, including solid chances in the third and fifth frames, as well as the game-tying run in the ninth in a 1-0 loss at Fraser Field.Though the SwampBats put the game’s first runner aboard with one down in the second via a single by Chris Tremblay, Costello fanned Alex Lee and Casey McGrew to end the frame.North Shore had a golden opportunity to do some damage in the third. Kent Graham led off with a single off Keene starter Tommy Meagher (who fanned seven and allowed four hits in seven innings). John Hill reached when Tremblay booted his grounder. Justin Little struck out, but Chad Zurcher bunted the runners up a base. Unfortunately for North Shore, Sean McNaughton bounced to third to end the threat.Keene plated the game’s only run in the fourth. Designated hitter Evan Chambers was issued a leadoff walk, and then, with one down, stole second. The throw by Hill bounced into center, and Chambers raced for third. Josh Chester knocked him in with a single to center for a 1-0 SwampBats edge.The Navs had a great chance to tie the contest in the fifth. Designated hitter Joshua Garton singled to center to open the inning. After a pair of flyouts, Little singled to left, with Garton taking third. Little promptly stole second to put both runners into scoring position, yet the threat ended when Meagher induced Zurcher to fly to right.North Shore’s last opportunity to send the game into extra frames came in its final at-bats in the ninth. Mike Provencher singled on a 1-2 count off SwampBats closer James Wise. Tyler Kuehl moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt, then Provencher advanced on a deep fly to right. The ball eluded Chester, but was backed up by shortstop Jose Macias, keeping Provencher at the bag. Garton then went down swinging against Wise, and Keene took the first game.