Mountaineers advance to
Northern Division Finals with 10-7 win over Keene
Mountaineers Sweep Keene, 10-7; Advance to NECBL Division
Championship
KEENE N.H. – The Vermont Mountaineers erased two different
two-run Keene leads to defeat the Swamp Bats, 10-7, in game
two of the NECBL North Division Series, Friday at Alumni
Field.
A.J. Pollock (Notre Dame) led the Mountaineers to the sweep
of their Granite State rivals, going three-for-three with a
double and four runs scored.
After a one-hour, 32-minute rain delay to begin the game,
Vermont wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the
first inning.
Curt Smith (Maine) led off the inning with an infield
single. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Pollock
coupled with an error by third baseman Justin Robichaux.
Keene starting pitcher Alan Morrison then threw a wild
pitch, scoring Smith.
Mike Sheridan (William & Mary) singled home Pollock to make
it 2-0.
The Swamp Bats cut the deficit in half in the second. A.J.
Wirnsberger came around to score when Mountaineers' starter
Mike Gaggioli (Georgetown) unleashed a wild pitch and
catcher Gerald Ogrinc (Wright State) threw the ball into
left field.
Matt den Dekker seized the lead for Keene for the first time
in the series later in the inning, blasting a three-run home
run over the right-center field fence, for a 4-2 advantage.
Vermont got a run back in the third to pull within one at
4-3. Pollock walked to start the inning and was advanced to
second on a groundout, before coming home on a wild pitch
and a passed ball.
Mark Fluery collected Keene's second homer of the night – a
solo shot – in the Swamp Bats' third, launching one down the
right-field line.
The NECBL regular-season leader in doubles, Pollock started
the Vermont fifth with his second double of the playoffs.
Sheridan then tripled to left, to bring Pollock in.
Catcher Chad Durakis (Maryland) reached on a dropped third
strike by his counterpart Fluery, which scored Sheridan to
the game, 5-5.
Matt Prokopowicz bunted for a base hit, moving Durakis to
second. Durakis then put the Vermont back on top as he came
across when Mike Freeman botched a double-play ball to
shortstop.
Morrison left after the fifth, giving way to Ryan Cole. He
gave up three earned runs, six hits and three walks while
striking out five.
Cole surrendered consecutive singles to Smith and Pollock
before being relived by Seth Harvey. Sheridan hit a
perfectly-placed infield single to load the bases.
Freeman then commited his second error in as many innings
overthrowing Wirsberger on the rely toss to complete a
double play, allowing Smith and Pollock to score.
Billy Cather (Maine) and Ogrinc followed later in the inning
with back-to-back RBI singles to double up the Swamp Bats,
10-5.
The Mountaineers batted around in the sixth, scoring four
runs.
Gaggioli, who settled down after having a rough first few
innings, was relieved by Jason Mitchell (Arizona State) in
the seventh. All five of Gaggioli's runs were earned, he
scattered seven hits and walked three while striking out
eight for his fourth overall win this season.
Mitchell pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout. Josh
Drewery (Gardner Webb) threw the eighth inning, giving up
the third home run of the game for the Swamp Bats, this one
off the bat of Tyler Cannon for two runs.
Keene pitching retired the last eight Mountaineers hitters.
Justin Gutsie (St. John's) closed out the Swamp Bats for his
ninth save of the season and first of the series.
Vermont moves on to face the winner of the Holyoke-Lowell
series. Game one starts on Sunday. You can hear all the
action on ESPN 1240 WSKI with Kyle Dorau, and on the
Internet at www.teamline.cc with Paul Roper.
