NEW BRITAIN, CT — The Vermont Lake Monsters rallied all the way from an 11-0 deficit to tie game 11-11 and then again 12-12 in top of the eighth inning, but the New Britain Bees were able to score a run in the bottom of the eighth inning before the Futures League game was called early due to weather/field conditions at New Britain Stadium Saturday night.

The Bees sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs on seven hits and four walks in a 47-minute bottom of the first inning, but the Lake Monsters chipped away at the deficit until they tied the game 11-11 in the top of the seventh on a bases loaded fielder’s choice/throwing error that scored two runs.

Earlier Vemont had sent nine to the plate in the top of the fifth, cutting the deficit to 11-7 with four runs including a Henry Godbout (Virginia) bases loaded hit by pitch followed by Tyler Favretto (Crowder) and Jackson Kline (Kansas) RBI singles. Godbout’s two-out, two-run single in sixth cut the Bees lead to 11-9.

The Bees retook lead bottom seventh on one-out triple and sacrifice fly, but again Vermont tied game top eighth on a sac fly of their own from Godbout for his fourth RBI of game. New Britain scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the eighth on a walk, wild pitch and a one-out RBI single to center. After the next batter was hit by a pitch, the umpires stopped the game and the Bees declared the winners.

Monster Performances
* Liam Reiner 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO
* Henry Godbout 2-for-3, HBP, R, 4 RBI
* M.J. Metz 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 RBI

Monster Highlights
* Williston’s Liam Reiner (CVU/St. Lawrence) came on in relief to retire final batter of bottom 1st, then pitched 5 more scoreless innings allowing the Lake Monsters to erase the 11-0 deficit.
* Williston’s Tanner Wolpert (Rice HS) made his official Futures League debut, allowing a 1-out triple and sac fly with 1 strikeout in bottom of 7th

Beyond The Boxscore
* Vermont has scored double-digit runs for 1st time in franchise’s 28 seasons, breaking record of 3 straight 13-run games in June of 1997 (Lake Monsters have scored at least 1 run in 23 of last 32 innings they have batted)
* The 11 runs allowed in the 1st were the most against Vermont in an inning since June 24, 2003 when the Lowell Spinners scored 12 runs on 11 hits in 4th inning of a 16-3 victory.
* Just 2nd loss in 14 games against New Britain last 2 seasons (3-2 in 2022 after 9-0 in 2021)
* Since July 1st of 2021, the Lake Monsters have a 46-11 regular-season record (30-6 to end 2021, 16-5 in 2022)
* Vermont (16-5) has won 16 of its last 18 games after dropping first 3 games of season

Next Game: Sunday at Norwich, 4:00pm
Next Home Game: Tuesday vs. Pittsfield, 6:35pm