Mountaineers hold on against
Swamp Bats, 3-2.
MONTPELIER, VT -- The Vermont Mountaineers survived a late rally
from the Keene Swamp Bats to emerge victorious 3-2 in front of
1686 at Recreation Field in Montpelier.
Each team’s starter got off to a hot start, but Vermont’s Alex
Curry lasted much longer than Keene’s Ryan Cole.
Cole struck out the side in the second, and had allowed just one
hit until meeting Mike Sheridan in the fourth inning. Sheridan
crushed a ball over the right field wall for his first home run
of the season, putting the Mountaineers up 1-0. Cole would not
make it out of the fourth inning.
Alex Curry made the lead last quite some time for Vermont. The
Mountaineers starter went seven innings, allowing no runs on
just two hits, walking none and striking out eight.
Vermont’s bullpen made it interesting though, as Mike Powers
allowed a run on 2 hits in the eighth, tying the game up at 1-1.
The Mountaineers struck back in the bottom half of the eighth,
as Kyle Henry issued back-to-back walks to Shaun Hagey and Curt
Smith. Mike Sheridan moved both runners over with a sacrifice
bunt, and after a Mike Brady intentional walk, Billy Cather came
to the plate with the bases loaded. Cather hit a ground ball
that ate up Swamp Bats second baseman Paul Gran, allowing two
runs to score and make it 3-1.
A.J. Balsinde came on in relief for the Mountaineers in the
ninth, but gave up a leadoff triple to All-Star outfielder Matt
den Dekker. Mike Freeman singled him home to make it 3-2. After
Gran struck out, Balsinde picked off Freeman on a controversial
call that got Keene first base coach Dan Moylan ejected for
arguing.
The pickoff proved costly to Keene, as Chris Sheehan would
double down the left field line. Vermont brought in Josh Drewery,
who surrendered a single to AJ Wirnsberger. However, Drewery
induced a fly ball to Cather off the bat of Griffin Benedict to
end the game.
Powers got the win for Vermont, improving to 4-1 on the season.
Henry of Keene lost to drop to 2-1. Drewery earned his third
save of the season.
After the All-Star break, Vermont returns to NECBL action to
face the Lowell All-Americans at Recreation Field in Montpelier
on Monday at 6:30.
The Week Ahead
The final two weeks of the season will prove the competitiveness
of the contenders for the NECBL Northern Division pennant and
the playoff slots leading to the NECBL Championship.
After the All-Star break on Sunday, the final week of the
regular season finds Mountaineer playing six consecutive games
beginning with a make-up game on Monday, July 23, at home
against the Lowell All Americans. This game was rained out on
July 9. The Mountaineers are then on the road for four out of
five games ending up at Lowell on Saturday, July 28.
Robin Roberts Returns
The final game of the regular season is scheduled for Tuesday,
July 31. This game will feature the return of Hall of Fame
great, Robin Roberts , back to the same field were, in his final
season of summer baseball, he led the Twin City Trojans to the
Northern League Championship 60 years ago. His 18-3 record in
1947 caught the eye of a Philadelphia Phillies baseball scout
and he was signed to an amateur free agent contract the next
spring.
Two years later, Roberts, the ace of the Phillies, pitched the
“Whiz Kids” to their first National League pennant in 35 years.
Roberts was a 20 or more game winner between 1950 and 1955 with
his high water mark in 1952 when he won 28 games. Roberts was
inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Roberts agreed to serve on the Mountaineers board of directors
at the outset of central Vermont ’s entry in the New England
Collegiate Baseball League in 2003. His strong support for the
Mountaineers program is seen through his contribution back to
the organization of any fees he receives in the sale of his
memorabilia when he is in town.
Mountaineers officials are planning a special event to mark the
60th anniversary of Roberts’ last amateur appearance at
Recreation Field. Roberts will hold an autograph session the
morning of the game (9am to Noon at the Capital Plaza ), and
will be at the ball park for pre-game festivities that begin at
6pm.
