NORWICH, CT — The Norwich Sea Unicorns scored three times in the first inning and held Vermont to just two hits overall in a 5-2 Futures League victory Saturday night at Dodd Stadium that snapped the Lake Monsters five-game winning streak.
The Sea Unicorns used four base hits and two walks to score the three first-inning runs off Vermont starter Ethan Bowen (Rutgers). Norwich added an unearned run in the second and scored another run in the fourth for the 4-0 lead.
Vermont, which scored a run in the fifth on a walk, two hit batters and an Antonio Perrotta (Virginia) RBI groundout, were held hitless over the first five innings. Norwich starter Alistair Morin went the first 4 ⅓ innings, allowing one run with four walks, two hit batters and six strikeouts.
After a leadoff walk to Khal Coney (TrinityU) in the sixth, Devan Kodali (Vanderbilt) advanced Coney to third with a single to right for the Lake Monsters first hit of the game. Jack Winnay (Wake Forest) followed with a sacrifice fly to left scoring Coney to cut Norwich lead to 5-2. Winnay had Vermont’s second hit to leadoff the ninth inning.
With the loss and a doubleheader sweep for Worcester over Brockton, Vermont (24-9) and Worcester (24-9) are now tied for first-place in the FCBL standings. The Lake Monsters will wrap up the two-game series at Norwich on Sunday beginning at 1:00pm (game time has been moved up from 4:00pm due to weather concerns).
MONSTER PERFORMANCES
- Ethan Mishra (Tulane) 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 SO
- Winnay 1-for-3, 1 RBI (sac fly)
- Coney 0-for-2, R, BB, HBP
MONSTER HIGHLIGHTS
- Vermont begins July with a loss after going 19-5 in June
- Lake Monsters have scored 2 runs or less in 8 of their 9 losses (24-1 when 3+ runs)
- The 2 hits are a season-low for Vermont and fewest hits in game since 1 hit in 2-0 loss at Nashua July 6, 2022
- Colin Barczi (Vanderbilt) made his Vermont debut, going 0-for-3 with a walk as starting catcher
- Along with Mishra’s 1 R in 4 IP, Carson Walsh(Northeastern) and Dylan Knightley (Middlebury) both tossed 1 scoreless inning for combined 1 R, 5 H, 2 BB, 6 SO in 6 IP
Next Game: Sunday at Norwich, 1:00pm (moved from scheduled 4:00pm start)
Next Home Game: Wednesday vs. Worcester, 6:35pm