Nighthawks Top Mountaineers 15-10 in Slugfest

Published on June 25, 2017 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. - - The Upper Valley Nighthawks scored ten runs in the fourth inning on Sunday to top the Vermont Mountaineers, 10-5 in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL).

Vermont starter Thomas Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Lesley) made his third start of the year. The righty was chased after three and one-thirds innings, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits and walking two.

Upper Valley's Nate Witherspoon (Eureka, Mo./Missouri St.) was making his first start and first appearance of the season. He had a short outing, only lasting two innings, giving up four runs on five hits while striking out one and walking one.

The Mountaineers got out to an early lead in the top half of the first inning. Chase Grant (Carlsbad, Ca./Nevada-Reno) walked with one out and advanced to third on a single. Jeffery Scott (Forest, Ind./Bowling Green St.) then hit a single to center field scoring Grant. Ryan Hoogerwerf (Allen, Texas/Portland) crushed a three-run home run to center field later in the inning to increase the Vermont lead to 4-0.

Upper Valley was able to get a run back to make it 4-1 in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI single by Matt Guidry (Hattiesburg, Miss./Southern Miss.), scoring catcher Ryan Jeffers (Wilmington, N.C./UNCW).

The Nighthawks brought in pitcher David Sampson (Bellingham, Mass./Plymouth St.) to start the third after a short outing for starter Witherspoon. Vermont promptly scored two more runs on a two-run triple by Bryce Aldridge (Bloomington, Ind./Wabash).

In the bottom of the third, Upper Valley responded when designated hitter Franky Gregoire (Weatogue, Conn./Marist) hit a two-out RBI single, scoring Antony Godino (Thornwood, N.Y./Wagner), to make it 6-2 Vermont.

The Mountaineers got another run in the top of the fourth thanks to a sacrifice fly by Jeffery Scott scoring Michael Hartnagel (Brownsburg, Ind./Butler).

The Upper Valley offense exploded in the fourth. Muratore got pulled after the Nighthawks cut the lead down to 7-5. Scott Creedon (Braintree, Mass./Broward) came in in relief and did not record an out, giving up six straight hits, allowing Upper Valley to take a commanding 12-7 lead after the 10-run inning.

Franky Gregoire recorded his fourth hit of the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth with two outs to extend the lead to 13-7.

In the top of the sixth, Mikell was on first and attempted a delayed steal play, as he got in a rundown and Hartnagel, who was on third, took advantage of the distraction and came across to score for Vermont, making it 13-8.

Matt Sanders (Madison, Ala./Troy) and Connor Hood (Shrewsbury, Pa./Wagner) scored in the bottom of the sixth on an Anthony Godino double to make the game 15-8.

Vermont's Nick Ward (Kennett Square, Pa./West Chester) came home in the top of seventh on an error by second basemen Justin Fowler to make the game 15-9.

Mikell capped the scoring in the game with a no-doubt solo homerun in the top of the ninth, making it 15-10.

Relievers Creedon, Kevin Kernan (Mahopac, N.Y./Stony Brook), Brian Eddy (Worchester, Mass./Indiana St.), Zach Schultz (Indiana, Pa/Kent St.), and Reese Robinson (Dayton, Ohio/Cincinnati) combined to give up seven runs on ten hits while striking out three in five and two-thirds combined innings. Creedon suffered the loss.

The Mountaineers (6-8) will return home on Monday to take on the Plymouth Pilgrims for the first time this year. First pitch will be at 6:30 p.m. in a make-up from a rain cancellation. The game can be heard locally on CBS Sports 1240-AM WSKI or online through The NECBL Broadcast Network.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 25, 2017


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