Vermont Scores Six in the Tenth to Top Keene 12-6
KEENE, N.H. – The Vermont Mountaineers scored six runs in the tenth inning on Friday to pick up their fifth straight win, beating the Keene Swamp Bats 12-6 in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL).
In the top of the tenth, the Mountaineers got the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded Bryce Aldridge walk to go up 7-6. Jesse Forestell (Homewood, Ill./Western Michigan) then hit a bases-clearing double in the left-center field gap, expanding the Vermont lead to 10-6. Nick Ward (Kennett Sq./West Chester) added another run with an RBI double. Jeffery Scott (Forest, Ind./Bowling Green St.) followed with a bloop-single over the first baseman’s head to score Ward as another insurance run.
Vermont relief pitcher Luis Acosta (Edinburg, Texas/Rio Grande Valley) picked up his second win of the season. The righty pitched two scoreless innings giving up one hit and recording two clutch strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth.
Zach Schultz (Indiana, Pa./Kent St.) made his second start of the year for the Mountaineers on Friday. The righty went five strong innings giving up three earned runs on six hits. Schultz struck out two Swamp Bats and walked three.
Vermont got some early offense in the top of the first inning with a three-run homer by second baseman Nick Ward. Ward’s second long ball of the year brought home Michael Hartnagel (Brownsburg, Ind./Butler) and Jesse Forestell to put the Mountaineers up 3-0.
The Swamp Bats started righty Ryan Pepiot (Carmel, Ind./Butler). Pepiot went four full innings giving up just three runs on three hits. He struck out two and walked four batters.
Keene was able to score in the bottom of the fourth. Robert Boselli III (Ventnor, N.J./St. John’s) was attempting to advance to third on a single and the throw was too high, allowing Boselli to score.
The Mountaineers answered back in the fifth with an RBI double by Forestell, bringing home Jake Farrell (Westwood, Mass./Northeastern), who walked and stole second earlier in the inning. The hit made it 4-1 Vermont.
The Swamp Bats tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Nate Eikhoff (Bristow, Va./Virginia) hit a three-run homer.
Vermont scored one run in the sixth and one run in the seventh to take a 6-4 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Swamp Bats tied the game again, 6-6, with a two-run home run by Alex Griffith (Bristol, Va./Pittsburgh).
Swamp Bats pitcher Zach Spangler (Cranberry TWP, Penn./Kent St.) suffered the loss in Friday’s contest. He completed one and two-thirds innings giving up six runs on four hits. The righty struck out one and walked three.
The Mountaineers (11-11) will look to continue their winning streak at home on Saturday against the Sanford Mainers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Montpelier Recreation Field. The game can be heard locally on CBS Sports 1240-AM WSKI or online through The NECBL Broadcast Network.
