PITTSFIELD, MA — Vermont scored three runs in three consecutive innings to stave off elimination and force a third-and-deciding game in the Futures League Championship Series with a 12-5 victory over the Pittsfield Suns Wednesday night at Wahconah Park.
Vermont trailed 3-1 in the fourth inning when Colby Brouillette (BFA-St. Albans/Clarkson and Nick Marola (UMass-Lowell) had one-out sin before Tyler Pettit (Trinity) smacked a 3-2 pitch just out of the reach of Pittsfield leftfielder Jack Cooney as he tumbled over the short bullpen fence for a three-run homer and 4-3 Vermont lead.
After a Brian Schaub (Trinity) walk and Chris Brown (UConn) single to open the fifth, Jimmy Evans (Tufts) laced a two-run triple to centerfield and then scored one out later on a Brouillette sacrifice fly to left for 7-3 advantage. Vermont then added three more runs in the sixth on a walk, back-to-back bunt singles followed by a RBI fielder’s choice and a Brown RBI single that also scored third run of inning on an error.
The Lake Monsters added two more runs in the eighth on an Evans RBI infield single and Brouillette RBI single to center for his third hit of the night. Pettit, who entered contest 0-for-11 in Vermont’s first three playoff games, was 2-for-2 with three walks, two runs and a double to go along with the three-run homer.
For the second game in a row, Pittsfield scored a run in the first inning without the benefit of a base hit and then scored two runs on just one hit in the third as Vermont starter M.T. Morrissey issued four walks and hit a batter over 2 1/3 innings.
Wyatt Cameron (New England College) came on in relief of Morrissey with bases loaded, one-out and Pittsfield leading 2-1 and got a potential inning-ending double play to second, but after a forceout shortstop Zach Landry (Worcester State) dropped the ball on the exchange allowing the Suns third run to score.
Cameron, who had pitched 2 innings or less in each of his previous 19 outings, tossed a season-high 5 2/3 innings with two runs on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He gave up single runs in the sixth and eighth innings, but more importantly his 5 2/3 innings kept the Vermont bullpen fresh for game three.
Ticket information for game three of the FCBL championship series will be released later tonight.