NASHUA, NH — The Lake Monsters rallied twice from one-run deficits and reliever Edward Hart no runs allowed over final 4 ⅔ innings as Vermont clinched the #2 seed in the upcoming Futures League playoffs with a 9-7 regular-season finale victory over the Nashua Silver Knights Sunday afternoon at Holman Stadium.
With the victory, Vermont (38-23) finished percentage points ahead of Worcester (39-24) for second-place and will host the Bravehearts in game one of a best-of-three semifinal series 6:35pm Tuesday. Norwich (38-22) clinched the top seed with a 7-5 victory at Westfield in the opener of a doubleheader Sunday and will host the New Britain Bees in three-game semifinal series.
Vermont jumped out to a 2-0 lead Sunday in the top of the first on a Jack Winnay (Wake Forest) RBI double and Colby Brouillette (Central Connecticut) RBI single, but the Silver Knights scored three runs on five hits off Lake Monster starter Ethan Bowen (Rutgers) in the bottom of the first.
Lake Monsters retook the lead on a Kyle Lodise (Augusta) two-run single in the third and built a 6-3 advantage in the fourth on a Winnay two-run homer to leftcenter. Nashua got a two-run double in bottom of fourth and two more runs on five hits in the fifth for a 7-6 lead.
Silver Knights had a chance to extend the lead in the fifth, but after Hart came on in relief and allowed two inherited runners to score on back-to-back singles for a Nashua 7-6 lead, he induced a one-out bases loaded 6-4-3 double play to escape further damage.
Hart (Duke) then allowed just two hits over the final four innings to earn the victory after the Lake Monsters scored three times in the sixth inning to retake a 9-7 lead. Vermont loaded the bases on a single, walk and two-out walk before Lodise floated a two-run single to left and Eric Becker (Virginia) followed with an RBI double to right.
Tickets for game 1 of the semifinal series vs. Worcester are now on sale by going to www.vermontlakemonsters.com
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
- Winnay 2-for-3, 2 BB, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
- Lodise 2-for-4, BB, 4 RBI
- Brouillette 3-for-5, R, RBI
- Hart (W) 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
- Winnay’s 4 runs scored are season-high for Vermont and 4th 4-run game last 3 years
- Winnay team-high 3 home runs, all 3 homers coming at Nashua (7/7, 8/2, 8/6)
- With 4-RBI game, Lodise ends regular-season with team-high 28 RBI
- Tommy Martin (Yale) and Antonio Perrotta (Virginia) finished tied for team best 40 hits and 29 runs scored
- Vermont batters 8 walks, 7 strikeouts (16th game more BB’s than K’s)
- Vermont 124-66 (.653) regular-season record in its 3-year Futures League history, 27 games better than next best FCBL teams New Britain and Worcester (both 97-93)
Best-of-3 Semifinal Series
G1 Tuesday: #3 Worcester at #2 Vermont, 6:35pm
G2 Wednesday: Vermont at Worcester, 6:30pm
G3 Thursday (if nec): Worcester at Vermont, 6:35pm