NORWALK, CT — The Lake Monsters scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning, including a Cooper Berry two-run double for a pair of insurance runs, to snap a 3-3 tie as Vermont beat the Norwich Sea Unicorns in the first of a two-game Futures League series Tuesday night at Dodd Stadium.
After a one-out walk and Xander Meissner (Bethany Lutheran) single put runners on the corners for Vermont, Masai Marshall (Northwestern) reached on a 6-4 RBI fielder’s choice to score Bryan Richman (Cal Poly Pomona) with the go ahead run. Then after an infield single, Berry (Pomona Pitzer) smashed an 0-1 pitch to center for the two-run double.
The Lake Monsters scored the first run of the game in the fourth on a Nolan Colby (Fairfield) two-out RBI single, but the Sea Unicorns got a two-out RBI double and RBI single in the bottom of the inning before another RBI double in the fifth for a 3-1 Norwich advantage.
Vermont quickly tied the game in the sixth with a pair of unearned runs after a walk and two-base throwing error to open the inning. Colby picked up his second RBI of the night with an RBI groundout and Nick Frontino (Mississippi State) followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the game.
Adam Schwartz (Colby) did not allow a hit with two walks and four strikeouts over the first three inning, then five Vermont relievers combined to shutout the Sea Unicorns over the final four innings on just one hit with five walks and five strikeouts. Shamus Kelly (Wesleyan) struck out two of the three batters he faced to close out the game with the bases loaded and earn his second save.
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
* Berry 2-for-4, BB, R, 2B, 2 RBI
* Schwartz 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 SO
* Langdon Hazen (Quinnipiac/Mt. Mansfield) 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO for win
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
* Lake Monsters (39-19) have won 6 of its last 7 games overall and 15 of its last 18 to move 20 games over .500 for 1st time since end of 2022 season
* Travis Stroh (Fairleigh Dickinson/CVU) went 2-for-5 with 1 run scored in his Lake Monster debut
* Hazen retired final batter of 7th (stranding 2 inherited runners) and then 1-2-3 8th to earn victory
* 17th come-from-behind victory for Vermont, who are also 27-6 when scoring 1st run of game
* Lake Monsters now 29-9 when scoring 5+ runs, while 28-2 when holding opponent to 4 runs or less
Next Game: Wednesday at Norwich, 6:30pm (fcblnetwork.com)
Next Home Game: Thursday vs. Worcester, 6:35 pm