Revamped Mountaineers Add Speed, Set Hopes on 2014 NECBL Title

In the next two-plus weeks leading up to Opening Day, the NECBL will unveil team-by-team previews for the 2014 campaign, one per weekday leading up to June 5.

Recapping 2013
One of the steadiest franchises in terms of just about everything – attendance, atmosphere and on-the-field success – since its inception in 2003, Vermont enjoyed another strong campaign last summer, culminating in an absolutely thrilling West Division Finals that needed three games and extra innings to determine a winner.

While the Mountaineers came up just short against eventual league champion Keene, there was still plenty to be proud of in Montpelier in 2013; Vermont finished the regular season with a 24-20 record, good for second place in the West and the franchise’s ninth playoff appearance in 11 years.

The Mountaineers swept North Adams in the postseason’s opening round to setup the aforementioned Western Division Finals against Keene; Vermont dropped the opening game of the best-of-3 series before rallying for a walk-off win in the middle tilt; the ‘Neers appeared on their way back to the NECBL Championship Series after scoring three runs in the top of the eighth of Game 3 before Keene rallied all the way back from down five runs to eventually win it in the bottom of the 10th, wrapping up arguably the best postseason series in recent memory.

Vermont opened the season as the hottest team in the league, winning nine games in a row and finishing the month of June at 13-4. After the injury bug struck, leaving the roster eight players short come the end of July, the Mountaineers finished a combined 11-16 over the rest of the way.

John Miles (Missouri), Robert Strader (Louisville) and David Hickey (Yale) led the Vermont pitching staff, as all three players pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA.

Chandler Brock (Alabama Huntsville), Scott Donley (Indiana), Pat Weise (Le Moyne) and Kevin Krause (Stony Brook) led things offensively, as all four players hit .300 or better in 2013.

Players To Watch
Christian Morris, Junior, RHP, Indiana - Morris brings a feel-good story to Vermont as a player that underwent Tommy John surgery in the fall of his senior year at Williston High School in Archer, Fla., temporarily halting his dreams of playing college ball. He was offered a scholarship the night before he had surgery in his senior year of high school. Perhaps the top starting pitching prospect headed to Central Vermont for the summer 2014, Morris is coming off an exceptional sophomore season at Indiana. The right-hander started 13 games for the Hoosiers this spring, pitching to a 6-3 record and a 1.82 ERA, while holding opponents to a .236 batting average. Morris did not overpower batters, amassing 45 strikeouts in 79.1 innings, but showed the ability to get hitters out. 

Rob Strader, Junior, LHP, Louisville - No stranger to the friendly confines of Recreation Field, Strader returns to the Mountaineers for his second season. A tall left-hander, Strader had the lowest ERA, 0.72, of any Mountaineers pitcher in the summer of 2013. This spring at Louisville, he pitched to a 1.93 ERA in 14 appearances, while opponents hit just .191 against him.

Chandler Brock, Senior, OF, Alabama Huntsville - Brock is another Mountaineer returning for his second consecutive season in green and white. After a modest month of June in 2013, Brock became the story of the league, posting an astounding .413 average in July. Coming off another Gulf South Conference title in 2014 with the UAH Chargers, Brock concluded his junior campaign with a .307 average, starting all 57 games the team played. He ranked second on the team with 66 hits and tied for third with 37 RBIs. Brock earned All-GSC First Team honors for the second straight year.

Ben Hall, Senior, INF, Alabama Huntsville - Along with fellow UAH Charger, Chandler Brock, infielder Ben Hall joins the Mountaineers for the summer 2014. Hall started all 57 games for the Chargers, leading the team in RBIs (44) and co-leading in walks (27). Hall is expected to add some power to the Vermont lineup, as he ranked second on Alabama Huntsville with five home runs. For his postseason performance, Hall was named to the South Region All-Tournament Team.

Robbie Knightes, Sophomore, INF, St. John's - Knightes enjoyed much success at St. John's this spring, leading the team in average (.399) and on-base percentage (.458). The freshman played in 46 games with the Red Storm, making 40 starts. He was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team.

Evan Harasta, Junior, C, Albany - Harasta started all 45 games for the Great Danes in the spring of 2014, posting a .314 average, which was good for second best on the team. The sophomore led the team with an incredible .484 on-base percentage. He also ranked tied for second on the squad with 28 RBIs. He was named to the America East Second Team for his numbers.

The Coaching Staff
Head coach Joe Brown (SUNY Cortland) returns for his second season at the helm of the Mountaineers. Brown enjoyed much success in his first summer in Montpelier, leading Vermont to a 24-20 regular season record and the #2-seed in the Western Division playoffs. Pitching coach Travis Ratliff (Cortland) also returns for his second summer. Ratliff coached the Vermont staff to the fourth-lowest ERA in the league in 2013. Also joining the staff are Max Rosing (Cortland) and Anthony Iacomini (Cortland).

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