Vermont Lake Monsters

8th-Inning Doubles Lead To 7-6 Vermont Win

boxscore

BURLINGTON, VT — After Norwich scored four runs in the top of the eighth for a one-run lead, Jack Fitzgerald and Tommy Popoff both had RBI doubles in the bottom of the inning to lead the Vermont Lake Monsters to a 7-6 victory over the Sea Unicorns Wednesday night on Delta Dental Diamond at Centennial Field. 

James Henshon (Tufts) opened the bottom of the eighth with a single to right before Fitzgerald (Montevallo) lined his RBI double down into the right-field corner to plate Henshon with the tying run. Then after a sacrifice bunt advanced pinch runner Brendan Walsh (Endicott) to third, Popoff drilled a one-hopper off the fence in right for the go ahead RBI double. 

Vermont had an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the second and third innings, but the Sea Unicorns tied the game in the fifth before Bryan Richman (Cal Poly Pomona) scored the second of his three runs of the game in the bottom of the inning on a Joe Dunlap (Catawba) RBI groundout. |

Lake Monsters added a pair of runs in the seventh on a Hunter Strohm (Mississippi State) RBI fielder’s choice and a throwing error, but Norwich rallied for four runs on three hits and three walks in the eighth. After a leadoff walk in the top of the ninth, Sam Lebrecque (Oberlin) came on recorded the final three outs for his league-leading fourth save of the season.

MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
* Justin Sweeney (Saint Joseph’s) 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 SO
* Richman 2-for-3, BB, 3 R, 2B, 3 SB
* Fitzgerald 2-for-3, HBP, 2B, RBI

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE 
* With Sweeney’s 4 scoreless innings, Vermont starting pitchers have now allowed just 3 runs over their last 38 innings (26 H, 10 BB, 32 SO) for 0.71 ERA|
* Fitzgerald’s base hit in 8th inning increased his league-lead in both doubles (7) and RBI (24)
* Each of the 8 pitchers in the game for Vermont had at least 1 walk, including 10 BB, 1 SO for relievers
* Lebrecque now has 11 straight outings with 1 scoreless inning and has retired 21 of last 24 batters faced
* Zach Geertsma (Mississippi State commit) went 1-for-4 in his 1st Vermont game
* Jake Taylor ( Columbia) recorded the final 2 outs of the top of 8th to earn his 1st win of season
* Vermont (16-7) has won 4 straight overall for 2nd time this season (won first 4) and 6 straight at Centennial

UPCOMING 
Next Game: Thursday vs. Norwich, 6:35pm
Promotion: First Responder’s Night
Broadcast: WYCI (TV), FCBLnetwork.com (streaming), WJOY 1230am (radio)