WORCESTER, MA — The Vermont Lake Monsters edged closer in the Futures League standings to first-place Worcester with a 3-2 victory over the Bravehearts on Friday night in the first of a three-game series at Fitton Field.
The teams exchanged unearned runs with the help of two defensive errors in the top and bottom of the second inning before Vermont took a 3-1 lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
Lake Monsters took the lead in fourth on three straight two-out singles from Sam Cavossa (Saint Michael’s), Bryan Richman (Cal Poly Pomona) and Shaun McMillan (St. Johns). Thomas O’Connell (Virginia) had an RBI single in the fifth to plate Leandro Guevara (AIC) for a 3-1 advantage before Worcester got a run back in the seventh.
The Bravehearts put the tying run on third and winning run on first with one out in the ninth off Sean Gamble (Bethany Lutheran), but the league-leader in saves got a pop out to third and a comebacker to the mound to escape with his 8th save.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
* Richman 3-for-5, 2B
* John Higgins (Seton Hall) 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO for win
* Zach Davis (Bryant/Colchester) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* Vermont has now won a season-high 8 straight (longest since 13 straight early 2022 season)
* Lake Monsters have also won 6 straight road games and 10 of last 11 away from Centennial since June 28th
* Vermont (32-16) is now 1.5 games behind Worcester (34-15) for 1st-place in FCBL standings
* Win snapped a 6-game Lake Monsters losing streak to Worcester (now 2-6 vs. Bravehearts in 2025)
* Vermont is now 8-2 in 1-run games, 10-9 when scoring 4 runs or fewer (24-2 when holding opponent to 4 or fewer)
* McMillan league-leading 46th RBI with RBI single in 4th that scored Cavossa with FCBL leading 36th run
* Cavossa leads FCBL with 59 hits (not including 2 hits in 7/13 suspended game), while McMillan 3rd with 52
* Nolan Colby (Fairfield) had 1st inning single and has now reached base safely (H/BB/HBP) in 20 straight games
* Starter John Higgins and reliever Matt Higgins (Tufts) combined for 2 runs (1 ER), 6 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts over first 6.2 innings
* Gamble earned 4th save in last 4 appearances over last 7 Vermont games and 20th career saves
Next Game: Saturday at Worcester, 6:30pm
Next Home Game:: Tuesday July 29th vs. Norwich, 6:35pM