BURLINGTON, VT — After rallying with two runs in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 7-6 win the completion of a suspended game from July 13th, the Lake Monsters rallied again late in the regularly scheduled contest with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth for a 6-4 victory over the Norwich Sea Unicorns Wednesday night at historic Centennial Field.
The July 13th game resumed with Norwich leading 6-5 with two outs in the top of the 10th, which Zander Teator (Babson) quickly ended with a strikeout. An error to open the bottom of the inning put runners on first-n-third and Bryan Richman (Cal Poly Pomona) tied the game with a safety squeeze. After a walk and flyout, Nick Frontino (Mississippi State) lined a walkoff RBI single to left to score Sam Cavossa (Saint Michaels).
Cooper Berry (Pomona Pitzer) put Vermont on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first of the second game with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. Shaun McMillan (St. Johns) added an RBI groundout in the third for a 3-0 advantage, but Norwich scored one in the fifth and three in the seventh to take a one-run lead.
Back-to-back singles from Tommy Popoff (Binghamton) and Tyler Harmony (Northeastern) and a one-out walk to Richman loaded the bases for the Lake Monsters in the bottom of the seventh. After a McMillan strikeout for the second out, Berry walked to tie the game and Aidan Botti (Rhode Island) was hit by a pitch to force home the go ahead run. Richman added an insurance run in the eight with a two-out RBI single, scoring Popoff who had doubled with one out.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
* Matt Higgins (Colby) 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO
* Berry 2-for-4, BB, HR, 3 RBI
* Popoff 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* With the 2 wins, Vermont (35-18) have clinched a FCBL playoff spot for the 5th straight season
* The Lake Monsters have won 9 straight games at Centennial, starting with the victory Wednesday in the completion suspended game (counts as a win on July 13th)
* Since back-to-back losses July 11-12, Vermont has won 11 of last 13 and are 17 games over .500 for first time this season
* McMillan now leads the Futures League with 16 doubles and 51 RBI, while Cavossa leads FCBL with .357 average, 66 hits and 40 runs scored
* Sean Gamble (Bethany Lutheran) 1-2-3 9th with a strikeout for FCBL-leading 9th save (21st career)
* Richman was 2-for-4 for his 11th multi-hit game and now 3rd in league with .333 average
* Vermont now 3-4 in 10-inning games (winning Tuesday and Wednesday after 10-inning losses Saturday and Sunday at Worcester)
Next Game: Thursday vs. Norwich, 6:35pm
Promotion: Coffee Tumbler Giveaway from Keurig Dr. Pepper
Broadcast:fcblnetwork.com (stream)