Vermont Rallies Past North Shore as Offense Comes Alive

June 15, 2023 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Vermont Mountaineers News Release


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

LYNN, Mass. - The Vermont Mountaineers returned to the win column with a come-from-behind victory over the North Shore Navigators by a 12-9 margin on Thursday night from Fraser Field. The Navigators had the tying run at the plate, but were unable to do anything as a ground out ended the seesaw contest.

Vermont improved to 5-3, moving into a first-place tie with the Upper Valley Nighthawks in the North Division of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The Navigators drop to 2-6. It was a tale of two stories as North Shore looked to take control early in the game. However, Vermont's offense came alive in the latter innings, scoring all of their runs in the final four innings, including a five-run ninth.

North Shore struck first with three runs in the opening frame. A leadoff single and a hit batter put a pair of runners on base before a flyout put runners on the corners. A double by Evan Griffis scored leadoff hitter Peter Messervy, before a balk by Vermont starter Jack Metzger (Dartmouth) scored the second runner. Jacob Jarnell scored the third run on a two-out single to right by Henry Kaczmar.

After a rebound inning by Metzger, the Mountaineers looked to cut into the lead. They loaded the bases with two outs, but Nate Espelin picked up his third strikeout of the game to escape the jam.

A quiet third and fourth inning saw new Vermont relief pitcher Benjamin Smith (Worcester State) enter the game with two outs in the home half of the fourth. He was able to finish the third scoreless inning in a row with a strikeout.

New Mountaineer Jack Renwick (Wofford) reached in the fifth inning on an error, allowing him to go to second. With one away, he stole third to give Vermont a chance to score its first run of the game. However, a lineout ended the threat.

Smith kept his team within three runs, retiring the Navigators hitters in order in the bottom of the fifth, picking up his second strikeout of the game.

Vermont finally broke through in the sixth inning, scoring two runs. Nathan Goranson (William & Mary) was hit with a pitch to start the frame. After a strikeout by Jake Needam, Grant Voytovich (Bucknell) singled to left field. Needam got the second out but Jace Jeremiah (St. John) belted a double to left field, allowing both runners to score.

North Shore looked to get a run back, but Smith came up big with runners on the corners, getting a groundout to himself to keep Vermont within a run going into the seventh.

Vermont took the lead in the seventh, with four runs. Evan Fox (Stony Brook) started the frame with a single to left field off of Cooper McGrath, the third pitcher for the Navigators. Back-to-back walks to Luke Cantwell (Pittsburgh) and Brandon Butterworth (Western Carolina) to load the bases.Goranson came up with a double that bounced over the wall to score two runners, giving Vermont a 4-3 lead, still with no outs. North Shore looked to get out of the inning down just one, but a two-out double to right field by Marshall Toole (Wofford) made it 6-3 in favor of the Mountaineers.

North Shore stormed right back in the seventh. A leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Andrew Eppinger, before a ground-rule double by Jake Berger allowed the tying run to come to the plate. That chased Smith from the game. Reliever Jack Sylvia (NJIT) got a pop up to second before a sacrifice fly by Jarrell advanced both runners, making it 6-4 in favor of Vermont. A single by Stan DeMartinis brought the home team within a run. However, he was thrown out attempting to steal second base to end the inning.

Vermont got one run back in the eighth to take a 7-5 lead as Renwick walked, before moving to third on a failed pickoff. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Cantwell.

The Navigators would again creep back within a run. Kaczmar reached on an infield single to second, hustling out a leadoff single. He moved to second on a ground out. Sylvia got a strikeout, but a two-out single by Messervy brought the hosts to 7-6.

The back-and-forth continued in the ninth as Vermont got some insurance runs, thanks to a couple of defensive miscues by the Navigators, building a 12-6 advantage.

The home team would not go away, coming within three runs in the ninth. However, a groundout to relief pitcher Max Moss (Clark) to earn the save with the tying run at the plate.

Espelin went 5.0 innings and scattered just one hit while striking out five batters without getting a decision. Metzger calmed down after a rough first inning, giving up three runs in 3.2 innings of work on four hits and a pair of walks.

The Mountaineers begin a stretch of seven home games over the next nine days, including three straight over the weekend. It starts with Upper Valley on Friday, June 16. Game two of the Governors Cup Series is slated for 6:30 p.m. You can follow all the action on the NECBL Broadcast Network here

Photo Credit: Cierra Loomis, Digital Media/Photography Director

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' Evan Fox at bat
Vermont Mountaineers' Evan Fox at bat
(Cierra Loomis, Digital Media/Photography Director)		   



New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from June 15, 2023


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