BURLINGTON, VT — The Lake Monsters scored four times on five hits in the bottom of the first inning, two unearned runs in the second on a throwing error and Xander Meissner lined a three-run homer in the seventh to lead Vermont to a 9-2 Futures League victory over the Westfield Starfires Friday afternoon on Delta Dental Diamond at historic Centennial Field.
Sam Cavossa (Saint Michael’s) and Bryan Richman (Cal Poly Pomona) led off the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles before the Lake Monsters scored on a Hunter Kingsbury (Bryant) one-out RBI single, a Nick Frontino (Mississippi State) two-run single and Tommy Popoff (Binghamton) two-out RBI single.
Westfield scored a run in the top of the second on an RBI infield single off Vermont starter Alvin Gomez (AIC), who allowed just the one run on 2 hits with three walks and two strikeouts over five innings for the win, before a bases loaded two-out throwing error in the bottom of the second plated two more Lake Monster runs.
The game stayed 6-1 until the seventh when leadoff and two-out walks preceded the Meissner (Bethany Lutheran) three-run homer to right field for his first home run of the season for the Lake Monsters.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
* Gomez (W) 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
* Romel Roca (AIC) 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
* Meissner 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* Vermont is now 21-12 overall on the season, including 8-0 vs. Westfield (7-0 at Centennial)
* Cavossa went 2-for-4, with 2 runs and a walk, raising average to .394, league leading hits to 42 and runs scored to 29
* Popoff was 2–for-4 for his 1st multi-hit game of season and has now hit safely in 7 of 8 starts (8-for-26)
* Meissner has hit safely in 4 of last 6 games (5-for-20, .250)
* Frontino has hit in 3 straight (5-for-11) and 6 of his first 7 games (8-for-26, .308)
* Gomez threw just 6 pitches in a 1-2-3 3rd inning, while Roca 5 pitches in a 1-2-3 top of 7th
* 1st Vermont July 4th win since joining Futures League (DNP in 2021, lost in 2022, 2023, 2024)
Next Game: Saturday vs. Nashua, 6:05pm
Promotion: Expos Night!
Broadcast: FCBLnetwork.com