By: Brendan Bowlin

Montpelier, Vt. – The Nighthawks soared past the Mountaineers in an 11-2 revenge game at Recreation Field. Upper Valley combined for eleven hits, the most against Vermont, and the second time the Nighthawks have had ten or more hits against the Mountaineers. The Nighthawks inch themselves up to third place in the division while Vermont finds itself in fifth place. 

In the top of the first, it was leadoff back-to-back walks issued to Nick Monile and AJ Brotz, Cole Fellows would walk as well, but not before Monile would circle the bases and Brotz to third on passed balls from Vermont starter Gluckman. Greco would score in AJ Brotz on a sacrifice fly. Spanier would single to put two aboard once more for the Nighthawks. Kyle Neri would slam one off the top of the wall to drive in Fellows and Spanier and force manager Kevin Smith to take Gluckman out of the game. Robbie Penswick entered the game and would get the last out for the Mountaineers. Marks the 3rd time this week the Nighthawks have scored four runs in an inning. 

In the top of the third, it was a leadoff double in the left center field gap for Anthony Greco, he would get to 3rd on a wild pitch from Mountaineers' new arm Koen Smith, Spanier hit a RBI single up the middle to drive in the fifth run of the game for the Nighthawks. Spanier would steal second and be driven home by an RBI Double from Ryan Preisano just four pitches later.  

The Mountaineers would respond in the bottom of the third as Nighthawks starter Aaron Potter plunked Conlan Daniel with two outs. Conlan Daniel took two bases on a stolen base and a wild pitch to get to third. Kevin Hager drove in Daniel on an RBI double in left field, and Thomas Shreck had a bloop single into center field to score Hager, the first runs of the game for the Mountaineers. 

In the top of the sixth, the Nighthawks found more sparks as Cooper Blauser gets on with a 2-out walk, Nick Monile follows up with a single, AJ Brotz RBI single into right field, Nick Monile scores on a wild pitch during the at-bat of Cole Fellows.    

More offense was produced in the top of the seventh. Jack Spanier and Ryan Preisano reach on errors by shortstop Kevin Hager, Kyle Neri singles to score in both Spanier and Preisano, making it the third and fourth RBIs for Kyle. Nighthawks led it 10-2 headed into the stretch.

If everyone thought the Nighthawks were done, they were only going to find out Kyle Neri would leave the yard after his close-call triple earlier. He crushed a solo shot, 354 feet, his first home run of the year, and 7th combined RBI in his last two games. Tadan Bell shut down the side on strikeouts in the bottom half of the frame to get the win for the Nighthawks.

Aaron Potter earns his second win in a Nighthawk uniform, in just his second start through six appearances. He moved his record to 2-1. Potter went five and a third innings, allowed two earned runs, four hits, two walks, and fanned five. 

Bryce Gluckman was given the loss for Vermont. He only went two-thirds of an inning, allowed two hits, four earned runs, and three walks. 

The Nighthawks will take their two-game winning streak back to Lynn, Massachusetts, to take on the North Shore Navigators in a doubleheader. First pitch for game one is at 4:00 PM with new arm Drew Koenen getting his first start in game one.