Montpelier, VT - Holyoke starter Ben Mount pitched a complete game two-hitter as the Blue Sox defeated the Vermont Mountaineers 4-1 in New England Collegiate Baseball League Western Division Semifinal action on Thursday night. The loss eliminates Vermont from the playoffs, ending their season, while Holyoke awaits the winner of the Keene-Danbury series in the Western Division finals.
Mountaineers starter Ryan Fasano was staked to an early lead when Brian O'Grady was awarded first base on a catchers interference rule in the bottom of the first inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch before reaching third on a fielders choice from Rob Kelly. O'Grady (Warminster, PA/Rutgers) would be plated by Rob Griffith's sacrifice fly to center giving Vermont an early 1-0 lead.
Fasano (Stony Point, NY/Rutgers) cruised through his first three innings facing the minimum nine batters. However, he gave up a lead off walk to start the fourth to Alex Glenn who would be advanced to third on Eric Smith's single. Sam Eberle then hit a sacrifice fly of his own that tied the score up at one. The Blue Sox would then add another run in the top of the fifth when Trey Mancini laced a double to right field and scored when Justin Ringo hit a single to follow putting Holyoke up 2-1.
That lead would be more than enough for Ben Mount who was dazzling throwing a full nine innings giving up just two hits, walking three, and hitting two batters. The USC Trojan also struck out eleven batters as he threw 134 total pitches. His complete game was able to happen thanks to Mancini who launched his first homerun of the playoffs in the top of the ninth off Mountaineers closer Kyle Grana (St. Louis, MO/Bellarmine) plating two runs and making the deficit 4-1.
However, Vermont would not go quietly in the ninth. Rob Kelly reached on an error by shortstop Eric Smith followed by two straight outs. Johnny Mishu then advanced to first on Smith's second error of the inning and Jeff Cammans was hit for the second time in two at bats to load the bases with two outs. With the tying runs on base, Ty Young came up but struck out swinging to end the inning and the game.
Mount gets his first win of the playoffs after finishing the regular season at 5-1 with a 1.36 ERA. Ryan Fasano is saddled with the loss going five innings giving up two runs on three hits walking two and striking out one.
Vermont finished the regular season at 26-16 and third place in the Western Division. They also set a new NECBL single season record for stolen bases in one season with 118. The previous mark was 110 set by Central Mass in 1997. O'Grady also broke the Mountaineers single season stolen base record with 25, surpassing Beau McMillan's 22 in the inaugural 2003 season.
2012 will be a special season for the Mountaineers as this year's Assistant Manager Jason Falcon will take over for John Russo. It will also be the tenth season for the franchise who will host the 2012 NECBL All-Star Game.
