BURLINGTON, VT — Leandro Guevara’s pinch hit two-run single in the fourth inning gave the Lake Monsters the lead for good, but Vermont pitchers had to work around handing out 13 walks to hold on to defeat the Westfield Starfires 3-2 Friday night in Futures League action on Delta Dental Diamond at historic Centennial Field.
Vermont opened the fourth with three straight singles, including two bunt singles, to load the bases before Guevara (AIC) collected the fourth single of the inning with a groundball into rightfield scoring Masia Marshall (Northwestern) and Thomas O’Connell (Virginia) for 3-1 Vermont lead.
The Starfires, who had tied the game 1-1 in the third on a sacrifice fly, cut the deficit to 3-2 with another sacrifice fly in the sixth. Westfield then left the bases loaded in the seventh, stranded a runner on third with no outs in the eighth and left the bases in the ninth. Despite issuing the 13 walks, Vermont pitchers allowed just two Westfield hits (leadoff singles in third and fourth) and struckout 10.
Langdon Hazen (Mt. Mansfield/Jericho, VT) made his Lake Monsters debut by getting the final out of the seventh to leave the bases loaded, then worked out of runner on third with no outs jam in the eighth with a strikeout, walk and two strikeouts looking.
MONSTER PERFORMANCE
* Cole Tarrant (Hobart/Williston, VT) 2.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO to earn win
* Alvin Gomez (AIC) 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
* Hazen 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 SO
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* 13 walks were the most for Vermont pitchers since the Lake Monsters joined the FCBL in 2021 and the most for any Lake Monster team since 14 base on balls July 24, 2010 vs. Lowell
* Vermont went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position and Westfield was 0-for-10
* Lake Monsters scored run in 1st inning on Jeremy Sosa (Manhattan) RBI groundout after back-to-back singles from Sam Cavossa (Saint Michael’s) and Bryan Richman (Pasadena CC)
* Vermont outhit Westfield 10-2 with Richman 2-for-5 for only multi-hit game
Next Game: Saturday vs. Westfield, 6:35pm
Promotion: Margaritaville Night/Post-Game Fireworks