Vermont finishes off Pittsfield
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Vermont's closer Colin Duffie secures a 4-2 win over Pittsfield in the continuation of an earlier rain-shortened game Tuesday at the Montpelier Recreation Field. STEFAN HARD/TIMES ARGUS |
Toolbox
By KRIS MARTIN CORRESPONDENT - Published: July 1, 2009
MONTPELIER- A win is a win is a win. Even if it was just a two inning sprint. The Vermont Mountaineers continued their recent surge by downing the Pittsfield American Defenders 4-2 Tuesday evening in a New England Collegiate Baseball League game that was previously suspended for inclement weather.
The regularly scheduled game ended up being suspended in the top of the second inning with Pittsfield leading 1-0.
In the first part of the suspended game, played Friday in Pittsfield, Mass., the Defenders jumped out to an early lead off Vermont starter Cole Shain, stringing together a pair of hits followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brandon Newton to make it a 1-0 Pittsfield lead.
Vermont answered in the fourth. Jantzen Witte was hit by a pitch, then Matt Prokopowicz ended an 0-18 streak with a single to right field. Steven Rosado singled in Witte to tie the game 1-1, and following an Ethan Paquette popup, Tadd Bower singled home Prokopowicz to put Vermont ahead 2-1.
A Beau Zinman double tied the game 2-2 for the Defenders and kept it that way until the game was suspended due to lighting in the top of the eighth.
Evans took the mound for Vermont when the game was resumed at the Montpelier Recreation Field Tuesday, pitching two scoreless innings of relief. Because it was a continued game, Pittsfield remained the home team, batting in the bottom of each inning.
The Mountaineers strung together a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, when Bower worked a one-out walk. Kevin Nieto followed up with a single. Jayson Hernandez walked to load up the bases. Kevin Vance followed, taking Defender pitcher Kevin Burk's 3-2 offering off his shoulder to score the go ahead run from third.
The Mountaineers added a second late run off a Jake Williams groundout to make it 4-2, and then handed the ball to reliever Colin Duffie.
Duffie earned his first save of the season for Vermont, pitching a perfect bottom of the tenth and striking out two to secure the Mountaineer's sixth straight win.
Jantzen Witte extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his ninth-inning single, making it the second-longest hitting streak this season for the Mountaineers.
For NECBL co-player of the week, Jantzen Witte, the six-game win streak is a direct result of relaxing at the plate, while at the same time growing in confidence. After seeing little action during the spring baseball season at Texas Christian University, the freshman infielder is becoming a force, along with Mountaineer leadoff-man Henry Dunn.
"I think we've played pretty well," Witte said. "And finally we've started stringing some hits together. Coach (Troy) Moock commented earlier this season about how we always been in good position, but we've been lacking that one good hit. We've had the bats working this past week better than we have all summer. I've been comfortable and being more aggressive. During the school year I didn't see many at-bats, but now I'm seeing some pitches and doing OK."
"For a redshirt freshman from TCU, he's done a wonderful job," Moock said. "He looks to go the other way and he has tremendous hand speed, and can turn on a ball in a heartbeat. He's a guy who will go up the middle and go the other way."
Pitcher Austin Evans was credited with the win; Defender starter Corey Davisson absorbed the loss.
"We played well on the road and the kids relaxed a little bit," Moock said. "We hit Danbury twice in the mouth pretty hard playing a close one, and then just kind of exploded on them in the second one. And then again, at least we won one today. Hopefully we can keep playing well with the kids settling in. They're a good group and have played their tails off. To go from being a .500 team to being 13-7 in just a week is pretty good."
The regularly scheduled game which followed was called after the end of the first inning with the Defenders leading 1-0. Pittsfield scored on a Zack Williams RBI single in the top of the first off Vermont starter Alex Kaminsky. After Vermont failed to score in the bottom of the first, the game was suspended due to rain.
With a first inning single in the second game, Witte extended his hit streak to 12 games.
The game will most likely be made up as part of a double-header later in July.
Mountaineer fans were treated to an impromptu game of one-upsmanship between the two team's benches during the rain delay. A short dance tribute to fallen pop star Michael Jackson followed by a series of choreographed skits set to music kept fans in their seats for nearly 90 minutes before the umpires called the game.
"We've been fortunate to not have a lot of game rained out early," Moock commented. "I don't know if we won the dance contest, but it was fun."
The Mountaineers (13-7) hope to dodge the raindrops and play the Keene Swamp Bats today at Memorial Field. Game time is 6:30 p.m.
Mountaineers Win First Game, Second Suspended
By Kris Martin
MONTPELIER — The Vermont Mountaineers defeated the Pittsfield American Defenders 4-2 in the conclusion of a suspended game in New England Collegiate Baseball League action. The regularly scheduled game was subsequently suspended in the top of the second inning with Pittsfield leading 1-0.
In the suspended game, the Defenders jumped out to an early lead off Vermont starter Cole Shain, stringing together a pair of hits followed by a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brandon Newton to make it a 1-0 Pittsfield lead.
Vermont answered in the fourth. Jantzen Witte was hit by a pitch, then Matt Prokopowicz ended an 0-18 streak with a single to right field. Steven Rosado singled in Witte to tie the game 1-1, and following an Ethan Paquette popup, Tadd Bower singled home Prokopowicz to put Vermont ahead 2-1.
A Beau Zinman double tied the game 2-2 for the Defenders and kept it that way until the game was suspended due to lighting in the top of the eighth.
Austin Evans took the mound for Vermont when the game was resumed at the Montpelier Recreation Field Tuesday, pitching two scoreless innings of relief. Because it was a continued game, Pittsfield remained the home team, batting in the bottom of each inning.
The Mountaineers strung together a go-ahead run in the top of the tenth, when Bower worked a one-out walk. Kevin Nieto followed up with a single. Jayson Hernandez walked to load up the bases. Kevin Vance was hit by a pitch by Pittsfield reliever Kevin Burk, driving in a run to make it 3-2, Vermont.
Jake Williams would pad the lead with a run-scoring groundout to make it 4-2.
Colin Duffie earned his first save of the season for Vermont, pitching a perfect bottom of the tenth and striking out two.
Jantzen Witte extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his ninth-inning single, making it the second-longest hitting streak this season for the Mountaineers.
In the second game, Pittsfield took a 1-0 lead on a Zack Williams RBI single in the top of the first off Vermont starter Alex Kaminsky (Wright State). After Vermont failed to score in the bottom of the first, the game was suspended due to rain.
With a first inning single in the second game, Witte extended his hit streak to 12 games.
Vermont (13-7) plays at home again today against the Keene Swamp Bats. Gametime is 6:30 p.m. at the Montpelier Recreation Field.
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