NEW BRITAIN, CT — For the second time in last three games the Lake Monsters scored seven runs in the top of the third inning, while Tristen Spalter tossed six scoreless innings in Vermont’s 13-1 seven-inning mercy-rule victory over the Brockton Rox in Futures League action Thursday night at Campanelli Stadium.
Vermont scored one unearned in the first inning and two more unearned runs in second before the seven-run third for a 10-0 lead. Ben Slaughter (Middlebury) and Eduardo Diaz (Navy) had RBI singles, while Tommy Martin (Yale) a bases loaded walk and Colby Brouillette (BFA/Central Connecticut) capped the inning with a two-run single.
Brockton reliever Marika Lyszczy, who just finished her first-year at Sonoma State and is the first female player in the FCBL, retired the final two Vermont batters in the third, tossed and 1-2-3 fourth before allowing three unearned runs in the fifth (including Brouillette two-run triple).
Spalter (Babson) retired the first 14 Rox batters before giving up a two-out double in the bottom of the fifth inning. He also allowed a leadoff double in the sixth, but stranded a runner at third with back-to-back strikeouts to complete his six shutout frames.
Winners of three straight for the first time this season, Vermont (6-3) will wrap up its five-game roadtrip at Brockton on Friday night before returning home to host the Westfield Starfires in a two-game series Saturday (6:05pm) and Sunday (5:05pm
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
- Spalter 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 SO (retired 18 of 20 batters faced)
- Brouillette 2-for-5, 2 R, 3B, 4 RBI
- Slaughter 2-for-5, R, 2B, RBI
- Tyler Wells (St. Johnsbury/UNew Haven) 1-for-2, 3 BB, 2 R
MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
- 12-run win was Vermont’s 1st 10-run mercy rule win of season and 1st since an 11-1 victory vs. Westfield July 21, 2022 (Lake Monsters won 6 mercy rule games last season)
- Vermont has scored 10 or more runs in 3 straight games for the first time since 4 straight games June 15-18, 2022
- Lake Monsters have scored 13 runs in each of the last 2 games for the 1st time since June 18-21, 1997 when then-Vermont Expos 13 runs scored in 3 straight games
- All 9 batters in Vermont lineup scored at least 1 run (4 players scored twice)
- Brouillette 2-run triple was his 3rd triple in just 7 games played
- Brockton scored its only run of game bottom 7th, but left bases loaded
Next Game: Friday at Brockton, 6:30 pm
Next Home Game: Saturday vs. Westfield, 6:05 pm (Post-Game Fireworks)