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Vermont Powers Past Sanford on Father's Day

June 18, 2023 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


MONTPELIER, Vt. - The Vermont Mountaineers outslug the Sanford Mainers with an 8-3 victory on Sunday afternoon at Montpelier Recreation Field.

The Mountaineers kept pace with the Nighthawks in the North Division and improved to 6-3 on the season while the Mainers dropped to 3-5.

Sanford jumped out to a 1-0 lead. After a couple walks, a two-out single by Logan Poteet to right field scored Devan Bade from second. The relay throw from Grant Voytovich (Bucknell) bounced off the head of the field ump, allowing the runner to score without a throw. Vermont starter Nolan Sparks (Rochester) stranded the other two batters with a strikeout to limit the damage.

The Mountaineers tied the game in the home half. Luke Cantwell (Pittsburgh) blasted a full-count over the right field wall to even the score. Sparks came back in the second with a strong frame. He set down the Mainers in order, striking out the final two batters of the inning.

Nate Stocum led off the third as he grounded a ball through the legs of Mainers first baseman. After a pop up, Brandon Butterworth got plunked with the first pitch he saw, putting two runners on with just one out. Cantwell hit a hard grounder to short stop, as the ball bounced to center. That allowed Stocum to score and Butterworth to move to third. Seamus Barrett escaped further damage, catching Cantwell attempting to steal, and getting the final out with a pop up to second.

Sparkes cruised through the fourth, with Voytovich making a leaping catch against the right field wall to end the inning.

Sparks ran into trouble in the fifth, but worked around a pair of runners in scoring position, striking out Eddie Eisert. Colton Book(Stony Brook) came in with two outs in the sixth to get a ground out with a runner on first to keep Vermont ahead 2-1.

Vermont added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. After a one out walk to Nathan Goranson (William & Mary), Santino Rosso (Hofstra) lifted an opposite field fly ball over the left field fence, making it 4-1 in favor of the Mountaineers.

The Mainers threatened in the seventh as Cody Bowker reached on an infield single before Simmi Whitehill was hit by a pitch. Book's 0-2 pitch on Nicholas Roselli was in the dirt and Whitehill tried to advance to third. George Rosales(Fairleigh Dickinson) quickly picked up the loose ball and fired down to third for the first out. A ground out and pop up ended the threat.

Vermont tacked on two more runs in the home half of the seventh. A pair of one out singles by Jack Renwick (Wofford) and Brandon Butterworth(Western Carolina) put two on. After a foul out, Goranson drove a ball off the right field wall, scoring both runners to make it 6-1.

Sanford's first two runners in the eighth were walked by William Hoffacker (Le Moyne). A flyout put runners on the corners with one out. A wild pitch allowed Eisert to score and Jack Toomey move to second. Defense came up big for Vermont to limit the damage. After another infield single allowed runners on the corners, A routine double play ball to Butterworth up the middle ended the frame. Vermont led 6-2.

The Mountaineers used small ball to get more insurance in the eighth. A leadoff double by Rosales started the frame. He moved to third on a bunt single by Marshall Toole (Wofford) before scoring on a bunt by TJ WIlliams (Notre Dame). A double steal advanced both runners and an errant throw allowed Toole to score.

Sanford would not go quietly. They loaded the bases with a double and a pair of walks. A sacrifice bunt made it 8-3. Nick McAuliffe (East Stroudsburg).

Sparks continued his strong start to the summer, going 5.2 innings, giving up just one run on five hits. He finished with 10 strikeouts and got the win. Barrett suffered the loss for Sanford allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks. He had four strikeouts but his defense was his downfall.

Both teams square off again tomorrow in Sanford at Goodall Park. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.

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New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 18, 2023


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