Mountaineers drop wacky game
in Torrington, 5-4
TORRINGTON, Conn. – The Vermont Mountaineers lost a wacky game
against the Torrington Twisters in 10 innings, 5-4.
The game was the completion of a game that was suspended in the
top of the second inning with the Twisters leading 1-0 from July
11.
The Mountaineers got on the board in the third inning when A.J.
Pollock (Notre Dame) grounded into a fielder's choice at
shortstop, scoring Matt Wulfers ( Southeast Missouri State) from
third base. Pollock would be taken out later in the game for
Gerald Ogrinc (Wright State), making Pollock the Mountaineers'
single-season record holder in batting average. Another run was
added in the inning when Matt Prokopowicz (Hofstra) took home
plate as the result of an error by the catcher at home plate.
The game was tied by the Twisters in the fifth inning but the
Mountaineers quickly regained the lead in the top of the sixth
when Chad Durakis ( Maryland) hit a sacrifice fly to rightfield
to score Curt Smith (Maine).
A.J. Balsinde (Maine) and Alex Meyer (Georgetown) were solid in
relief of the original starter Max Perlman (Harvard), teaming up
for seven innings and allowing a run and five hits while
striking out seven.
Torrington tied the game in the ninth inning without the aid of
a base hit, after a pitch thrown by Jim Clancy (Eastern
Kentucky) was ruled to have hit Eric Deragisch with the bases
loaded.
In extra innings, the Mountaineers again took the lead after
Justin Gutsie (St. John's) blooped a single into centerfield in
his first at-bat of the season to score Durakis. Gutsie, a
pitcher for the Mountaineers, was one of four usual pitchers to
play the field and hit for the Mountaineers during the game.
Greg Miller hit a single to leftfield with the bases loaded with
one out in the bottom of the tenth to score the tying run for
Torrington. With Tom Farmer at the plate, a passed ball went
between the legs of Durakis that allowed Garett Green to score
the game-winning run.
Clancy (1-4) took the loss for the Mountaineers while Craig
Chaput (2-2) was the winner for the Twisters.
The Mountaineers begin their postseason run tomorrow at
Recreation Field against the Keene Swamp Bats, who they defeated
in five of six contests this season. The first pitch is
scheduled for 6:30 p.m. All playoff games can be heard in
Central Vermont on ESPN 1240 WSKI or online at www.teamline.cc.
