Ninth Inning Home Run Sends Vermont to 3-2 Victory over Valley

Published on July 14, 2019 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


HOLYOKE, Mass. - A game-winning home run in the final inning gave Vermont a pivotal 3-2 New England Collegiate Baseball League victory over the Valley Blue Sox on Sunday evening at McKenzie Stadium.

Exceptional pitching from the Mountaineers, paired with timely answers for Valley's two game-tying runs, kept Vermont ahead of the Blue Sox in the hunt for a playoff spot in next month's NECBL playoffs. The Mountaineers still sit on the outside looking in, currently positioned at fourth in the Northern Division and just half a game back of both Keene and Upper Valley.

The Mountaineers and Blue Sox went back-and-forth in the opening three frames as the visitors struck first, taking a quick 1-0 lead within the first five batters. Austin Gauthier (Lorton, Va. / Hofstra University) swiftly got on first courtesy of a single, before finding his way around and eventually being driven home by Curtis Robison (Dillsburg, Pa. / Penn State University). Valley promptly answered, tying the game in the second after Natale Monastra drilled a triple to get on base and was subsequently given the opportunity to score on a Travis Holt sacrifice fly.

Connor Charping (Trenton, Mich. / Western Michigan University) wasted no time putting Vermont ahead, capitalizing on having Evan Giordano (Sewell, N.J. / Stony Brook University) in scoring position. A line drive out to left field by Charping gave Giordano enough time to make the dash from second to home, giving the Mountaineers the 2-1 edge.

The Vermont defense revved up in the ensuing innings, driven by a stellar night on the mound by Christian Scafidi (Clementon, N.J. / University of Pennsylvania). After allowing the sacrifice fly in the second frame, Scafidi proceeded to retire 15-straight Blue Sox batters across the next five innings. His streak ended at the hands of Richard Constantine in the seventh, who made his way on base on a costly error. Steadily loading bases, Valley's Collin Mathews took advantage of the situation and walked, allowing Constantine to pick up the game-tying score.

After an eighth inning with little fanfare, the Mountaineers collected the game-winning run on the first at-bat of the ninth frame. Facing a full count and his eighth pitch, Straton Podaras (Glen Head, N.Y. / Radford University) drilled one past the left field fence to put Vermont ahead. The Blue Sox were unable to amass any offense in the bottom, as Nicholas DeGennaro (Toms River, N.J. / Stony Brook University) retired the final three Valley batters and secured the 3-2 win.

DeGennaro earned the win for Vermont, pitching the final two innings and not allowing a single hit against the Blue Sox. Rob Griswold took the loss, giving up two hits and the game-winning home run to Podaras.

The Mountaineers, now winners of three-straight, improve to 18-13 overall. The team will continue their road trip, heading further south to Danbury, Conn., to take on the Danbury Westerners tomorrow, Jul. 15. Vermont will look to avenge an early-season defeat to the Westerners, who handed the Mountaineers their first loss of the season back on Jun. 9. Opening pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

You can listen along all season long on the NECBL Broadcast Network.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 14, 2019


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