Vermont Overpowers Sanford, 9-2

June 25, 2023 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


Vermont Mountaineers' Tyler Cox at bat
Vermont Mountaineers' Tyler Cox at bat
(Vermont Mountaineers, Credit: Cierra Loomis, Digital Media/Photography Director)

MONTPELIER, Vt. - The Vermont Mountaineers picked up a solid 9-2 victory over the Sanford Mainers on Sunday night at Montpelier Recreation Field.

The Mountaineers improved to 11-3-1 on the season while maintaining a two-game advantage in the North Division. Vermont has not lost a game since June 13 at Keene, including a 5-5 tie against Ocean State back on June 21st. The Mainers dropped to 6-9.

Vermont struck first in the opening frame with three-straight two-out doubles, to take a 2-0 lead. George Rosales (William & Mary) hit one off the left field wall, before scoring on a two-out double to right center by Nathan Waugh (Cornell). TJ Williams (Notre Dame) snuck one just inside the third baseline, to make it 2-0 Mountaineers. Vermont loaded the bases but Nick Thompson got a flyout to right to end the frame.

Sanford cut into the lead in the top of the second. Nicholas Roselli singled to left with one out. He scored on a triple to deep center field by Devin Russell. Aidan Tucker (Tufts) stranded Russell at third with a pair of back-to-back swinging strikeouts to keep Vermont ahead 2-1.

In the home half of the second, Vermont put a pair of runners on the corners with just one out with a single by Brandon Butterworth (Western Carolina) and a walk to Luke Cantwell (Pittsburgh). However, Thompson got flyouts to left and right fields to escape with no damage.

After a quiet third for Sanford, which ended on a nice defensive play by Butterworth as he doubled up the runner at first. Vermont tacked on another run in the home half. Evan Fox (Stony Brook) walked before Grant Voytovich(Bucknell) was hit on an 0-2 pitch. With both runners stealing, the throw by Russell to second went by the second basemen, allowing Fox to score easily from third.

Sanford came within a run in the fourth. Tucker quickly retired the first two batters of the inning. However, with a 2-2 count, Russell belted a solo blast over the right field fence to make it 3-2.

Tucker worked around a two-out double in the fifth to maintain a one-run lead. Vermont tacked on another in the home half. Williams was hit with one out and scored on a deep drive to left center by pinch-hitter Marshall Toole (Wofford) to make it 4-2. Brandon McFall (Northeastern) came in and just needed six pitches to retire the Mainers in order in the sixth inning.

McFall worked around a two-out single in the seventh, inducing a fly ball to center in his second inning of work.

Vermont's offense tacked on some more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Waugh lined a double just inside the third base line for his second double of the game. He moved to third on a passed ball, before scoring on a wild pitch by reliever Michael Simes. A walk to Williams followed by a sacrifice bunt by Toole put a runner in scoring position with just one out. Williams moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Tyler Cox (Dartmouth) single with the infield playing in on the grass, making it 6-2.

After giving up a leadoff walk in the eighth, McFall struckout the next batter he faced before giving way to Andrew D'Alessio (Cornell). He got a pair of flyouts to end the inning.

Vermont extended the lead in the home half, with a leadoff double by Cantwell, before Rosales was hit by a pitch. A full-count walk by Sandford reliever Connor Caverly loaded the bases for Vermont. He got Williams looking at strike three, before issuing a walk to Toole to push across Vermont's seventh run. Rosales made it 8-2 on a ground out by Cox with one out as the Mainer's could not complete the double play. A line drive by Jack Renwick (Wofford) made it 9-2 to score Waugh.

Sanford did not go quietly. Matthew Polk was hit and moved to third on a single to left center by Roselli. D'Alessio got three straight strikeouts to end the game.

Tucker went five innings, striking out four batters and allowed just two runs for his second win of the summer. McFall went 2.1 innings in a solid outing of relief for Vermont and finished with two strikeouts. Thompson suffered the loss for Sanford, allowing three runs (two earned) in 2.1 innings pitched.

Vermont begins a three day road trip, starting in Newport, Rhode Island, beginning Monday, June 26 against the Newport Gulls.. First pitch from Cardines Field is set for 6:35. You can follow all the action on the NECBL Broadcast Network here

For continuing coverage of the Vermont Mountaineers, bookmark thevermontmountaineers.com and follow the Mountaineers on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and on TikTok




Images from this story

Vermont Mountaineers' Tyler Cox at bat
Vermont Mountaineers' Tyler Cox at bat
(Cierra Loomis, Digital Media/Photography Director)		   



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 25, 2023


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