BURLINGTON, VT — A Futures League All-Star Game record 4,415 in attendance at historic Centennial Field on Tuesday evening to see Team Mountain defeat Team Lake by a score of 3-1.
Tuesday was the 11th all-time Futures League All-Star Game with a previous record attendance of 4,319 in Worcester back in 2016.
All the scoring took place in the third inning as Team Mountain got its three runs on a bases loaded walk to Shane McNamara (Nashua) and a two-run single to right by Player of the Game Nick Serce (Westfield).
Two of the Mountain’s three hits for the game came in the third inning as six Lake pitchers combined to retire 17 straight batters until a two-out walk in the ninth (runner was picked off).. Three of those pitchers were Lake Monsters with one scoreless inning (Evan Maloney 1 strikeout, Oliver Pudvar and Wyatt Cameron two strikeouts each).
Team Lake got its run in the bottom of the third as Lake Monster Tommy Martin led off with a single, stole second base with one out and scored on a Dean Ferrera (Norwich) two-out RBI single.
In the bottom of the ninth, Team Lake loaded the bases with one out off Brian Hart (New Britain), who finished off the game with an infield pop up and strikeout. Zach Gitschier (Nashua) struckout both Lake batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh to earn Pitcher of the Game honors.
After an off day on Wednesday, the Futures League begins the home stretch of the 2023 season with four games on Thursday. The regular-season, which ends on August 6th, resumes with Vermont (31-18) and Worcester (32-19) in a virtual tie for first-place with Norwich (31-19) just one-half game behind.
Next Games: Thursday/Friday at Brockton
Next Home Games: Saturday/Sunday vs. Nashua