Vermont Mountaineers vs Upper Valley Nighthawks

Final Score: Upper Valley 2, Vermont 5

Hartford, VT - The Vermont Mountaineers improved to 8-12 on the season as they defeated the Upper Valley Nighthawks 5-2 Tuesday night. Despite finishing with only seven hits to Upper Valley’s eight, a 10-strikeout performance was what helped the Mountaineers secure the victory.

Vermont was the team that scored the first goal early in the top of the first. Joey Pagano (St. Joseph’s) lined a ball into center field to score the first run, and this was followed up by a Braeden Smith (Charleston) two-RBI single, which also found its way into center field. 

The Nighthawks were able to respond to two of the Mountaineers' runs in the bottom of the fourth. Ryan MacDougall (Dayton) trotted up the plate and drove the baseball into the outfield, scoring two runners. However, that was all the Nighthawks could muster against the Vermot pitching.

The Mountaineers added one more run in the fifth inning. Thomas Schreck (United States Military Academy) brought home the run with an RBI single. Vermont capped the game off in the top of the seventh with another Thomas Schrek RBI hit. 

The Vemront pitcher Ryan VanDeWater (Marist) was credited with the win while his fellow Mountaineer Noah Hertzler (William & Mary) was issued a save. The Nighthawks’ ace Will Harrigan (Columbia) was given a loss on the season.

The Upper Valley Nighthawks return to action on Wednesday night as they host the Valley Blue Sox. The Vermont Mountaineers return to action as they head home to face the league-best Keene SwampBats Wednesday night.

See Box Score here

Valley Blue Sox vs Sanford Mainers 

Final Score: Valley 4, Sanford 2

Sanford, ME- The Mainers hosted the Blue Sox for a mostly one-sided matchup on Tuesday night. Michael Elko (Richmond) got things started early for the Blue Sox when he scored on a passed ball to put them up 1-0 in the top of the second inning. In the top of the fifth, Andrew Loikits (Wofford) hit a two-RBI double, driving in runs 2 and 3. Mike Lucarelli (Penn State) followed that up with another RBI double, to make the score 4-0 Blue Sox.

The Mainers wouldn’t go down silently, as in the bottom of the fifth, Ryder Kirtley (Miami OH) drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to make it 4-1 after Valley put up three in the top of the inning. In the bottom of the ninth, Blake Schaaf (Wake Forest) hit an RBI double, driving in Charlie Jones (Georgia) to make the score 4-2. Unfortunately, that was all Sanford could muster as Jack Wajda (Murray State) was able to earn the save for Valley, striking out three in the process. 

The Blue Sox improve to 11-9 on the season while Sanford falls to 7-12. The Mainers host the SteepleCats for a doubleheader on Wednesday, July 2nd at 4pm and 6:30pm, and the Blue Sox take on the Nighthawks in Hartford, Vermont at 6pm. 

You can view the box score here

Bristol Blues vs Ocean State Waves

Final Score: Ocean State 5, Bristol 0

South Kingston, RI- The Waves hosted the Blues for an exclusively one-sided matchup Tuesday night. Sam Seidel (Bowling Green St) got things started with a sac fly to put Ocean State up 1-0 in the bottom of the second. Ryan Gerety (Northeastern) added on in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double, driving in another run to make it 2-0. 

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Coen Niclai (Oregon) hit an RBI single, driving in another run to make the score 3-0 Waves. Sam Seidel (Bowling Green St) was able to score on a wild pitch increasing the lead to 4-0. Matt Brinker (Northeastern) added on when he hit a sac fly, making the score 5-0 Ocean State after a huge seventh inning.

The Waves were able to blank the Blues 5-0, improving to 11-10 on the season, while Bristol fell to 14-9, still maintaining the number two spot in the South Division. 

Bristol hosts the Schooners at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, July 2nd, while Ocean State heads to Newport to take on the Gulls at 6:35 pm. 

You can view the box score here 

Newport Gulls vs Martha’s Vineyard Sharks

Final Score: Newport 8, Martha’s Vineyard 1

Oak Bluffs, MA – There’s no stopping the Newport Gulls right now, as they’ve won 9 of the last 10, including an 8-1 victory over the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on Tuesday night.

After a scoreless first two innings, Newport struck first in the top of the third after Adrian Areizaga (Miami) doubled and was brought home on a Matthew Bolton (Binghamton) single. The Gulls added two more in the fourth, as Michael Gupton (Samford) blasted a two-run shot, his first of the season, bringing the score to 3-0.

Martha’s Vineyard wouldn’t respond until the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from Will Hampton (Vanderbilt), but could not get a rally going as they trailed 3-1 heading into the seventh, where the Gulls quickly responded on a Petey Craska (North Alabama) RBI to extend the lead back to three.

Newport added two more runs in the eighth on a Randy Seymour (Michigan State) RBI and Gupton’s third hit of the day, this one being an RBI double, to sit comfortably in front 6-1. 

In the ninth, Craska joined Gupton on the home run party, knocking a two-run blast of his own to put the Gulls ahead 8-1. Brennan Phillips (Oklahoma St) struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure Newport's thirteenth victory of the season.

Phillips and Finbar O’Brien (Gonzaga) were the only two pitchers to appear for the Gulls today, but it’s clear they didn’t need any more. O’Brien went five scoreless innings, striking out four and earning the win. This appearance brings his ERA to a league-leading 0.43, as he’s only allowed one run in 21 innings of work. Phillips went four innings himself, striking out eight and only allowing one hit. Martha’s Vineyard’s Luca Alagheband (Harvard) was credited with the loss. 

After scoring 27 runs in an onslaught of the North Adams SteepleCats, the Sharks have only scored four runs in three games since, losing all three. They look to break this streak tomorrow at 6:30 pm on the road at Danbury, while Newport improves to 16-7 and hosts the Ocean State Waves at 6:35 pm tomorrow.

Box Score