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Pitching, Eighth Inning Rally Gives Vermont Season-Opening Victory over Upper Valley

June 8, 2016 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


MONTPELIER, Vt. - The Vermont Mountaineers began their 2016 campaign with a 2-0 victory over the New England Collegiate Baseball League's (NECBL) newest franchise, the Upper Valley Nighthawks, on Wednesday night at Montpelier Recreation Field.

It was a pitchers duel from the start, as Vermont starter Jonathan Stiever (Cedarburg, Wis. / Indiana University) pitched five innings of no-hit ball, striking out four and allowing just two walks on 69 pitches. His counterpart for Upper Valley, starter Luke Reilly (Flourtown, Pa. / La Salle University), faced 13 batters through four innings of work, fanning two and walking one. Neither starter got the decision, though, as it was left up to the bullpens.

It was a two-run bottom of the eighth that was the difference for Vermont.

David Lett (Farmington Hills, Mich. / Eastern Michigan University) began the eighth with a leadoff walk, before moving to second on a stolen base. Following a strikeout, Gabe Levanti (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / Le Moyne College) got hit on a 1-0 count to put runners on first and second with one away, before JT Pittman (Ashland, Mass. / Le Moyne College) ripped a 3-1 pitch through the left side of the infield to plate Lett, and give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead. Pittman and Levanti moved up a base on the throw to the plate.

Michael Osisnki (Vestal, N.Y. / Longwood, University) then lifted a two-out RBI-double to the right field wall that scored Levanti to make it 2-0 Vermont.

Upper Valley's best chance came in the seventh inning with a one-out hit batsman and the team's first hit, which came from left fielder Joseph Denison (Troy, Ala. / Troy), but Vermont reliever Joey Benitez (Crofton, Md. / Old Dominion University) fanned the next two batters to get out of the jam. Benitez (1-0) went four innings, allowing just two singles, and struckout six batters.

Osinski led Vermont's offense with two hits and an RBI, while Pittman went 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Billy Layne (Old Bridge, N.J. / Seton Hall University) suffered the loss for the Nighthawks, allowing two runs on two hits.

The Mountaineers have a day off, before returning to action on Friday as they travel to Winnipesaukee, N.H. to face the Muskrats. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Robbie Mills Field. You can listen locally on CBS Sports 1240 AM WSKI and streamed online via the NECBL Broadcast Network.

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