Masel's Walk-Off Homerun Carries Vermont Past Winnipesaukee, 3-2

Published on July 11, 2018 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


MONTPELIER, VT - Down to their last out, Austin Masel (Stoneham, MA/ Holy Cross) launched a solo home run to right center, giving the Mountaineers their first walk off win of the year against Winnipesaukee, 3-2.

Vermont got off to a quick start in the bottom of the second, when Samuel Duran (Melbourne, FL/ Nova Southeastern) hit a solo home run to left field, his first of the season, giving Vermont the 1-0 lead. They would add a second run in the fifth on a Brett Malm (Medford, NY/ Adelphi) sac fly, giving them a 2-0 lead. Malm also added a triple in the third inning, pushing his hitting streak to 10 games.

Andrew Kneussle (Plattsburgh, NY/ Canisius) was stellar for six innings, but ran into some trouble in the seventh. After walking the first two batters in the inning, Kneussle would throw away a ball down the right field line on a bunt attempt, allowing both runners to score and moving the hitter to third. Brian Herrmann (Northport, NY/ Stony Brook) would come in the game, and not allow the run to score. Herrmann was stellar out of the pen, throwing two and two thirds innings, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out five. Ryan Leckich was summoned to get the last out of the ninth and would do so, tagging out a would-be base runner trying to score on a wild pitch.

That set the scene for Masel, who would come up with two outs and no one on in the bottom of the ninth. With a 1-0 count, he turned around a fastball, sending it over the right center fence, giving Vermont their 11th win of the season, 3-2.

Leckich picked up the win, his first of the season for Vermont. The loss for Winnipesaukee went to Michael Webb (Pawtucket, RI/ Rhode Island College), who threw two thirds of an inning in relief, giving up the solo home run to Masel.

Vermont (11-17) has won five of their last six, and will take on first place Valley (18-8) Thursday in Holyoke. That game can be heard on CBS Sports 1240, or online via the NECBL Broadcast Network. The Mountaineers creep closer in the playoff hunt, as they now sit 4.5 games back of both Sanford and Keene, who occupy the second and third spots in the playoff picture.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 11, 2018


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