Vermont Drops Series Opener to Holyoke 4-3

Posted: 08-04-2011

Holyoke, MA - Blue Sox starter DJ Brown pitched seven innings of one run ball as the Holyoke Blue Sox defeated the Vermont Mountaineers 4-3 in New England Collegiate Baseball League Western Division Semifinal action on Wednesday night. Holyoke leads the best-of-three series 1-0 with game two Thursday night in Montpelier.

The scoring began when Alex Glenn led off the bottom of the first with a double before scoring on Eric Smith's single. He would advance on a throwing error from right fielder Brian O'Grady. Ronnie Freeman then worked a walk to put two on with nobody out. Trey Mancini then grounded out before Tom Murphy hit a fielders choice to third baseman Greg Bachman who came home to retire Smith. Mountaineers starter Troy Scribner then struck out Justin Ringo to end the inning.

The Blue Sox added another run in the second when Sam Eberle hit a single and scored on Frank De Sico's RBI single. Meanwhile, starter DJ Brown allowed one base runner in each of the first three innings but kept them from scoring.

Vermont would get on the board in the top of the fourth when Brett Johnson and Rob Kelly hit back-to-back singles. With runners in the corners and no outs, Bachman (Germantown, TN/Austin Peay) hit a sacrifice fly to score Johnson and cut the lead in half at 2-1.

The Blue Sox would get the run back in the home half when Eberle plated Murphy with a one out single. The reigning Offensive Player of the Week finished the night three for three with an RBI and a run scored. Holyoke would tack on an insurance run in the fifth as Eric Smith knocked home his second RBI with a single.

Scribner (Washington Depot, CT/Sacred Heart) pitched a full six innings giving up four runs, three earned, while walking one and striking out five. He was relieved to start the seventh by righty Jerome Werniuk.

After Brown, Holyoke turned to reliever Ryan Harvey for the final two innings. He gave up a lead off walk to O'Grady (Warminster, PA/Rutgers) to start the eighth. He would advance to third on Johnson's double with one out before scoring on a wild pitch. Rob Kelly then lined out go short before Bachman struck out swinging to end the inning with the score 4-2.

Werniuk (Toronto, Canada/LeMoyne) set down all six batters he faced in order tossing two scoreless innings striking out three.

In the ninth, Johnny Mishu walked to begin the frame. He would then steal second and advance to third on a throwing error by catcher Tom Murphy. Rolando Gautier would pinch hit and walk to put runners at the corners with one out. Ty Young (Coatesville, PA/Louisville) then hit a single to score Mishu and bring the score to 4-3 in favor of Holyoke. With the tying and go-ahead runs on-base, O'Grady hit a soft line drive to the second baseman De Sico who stepped on second and fired first for a game ending double play.

Brown receives the win giving up one run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Scribner is saddled with the loss for his six innings while Harvey got the two inning save.

Game two of the series is Thursday at Montpelier Recreation Field at 6:30 p.m. Ryan Fasano will start for Vermont while Ben Mount is due to pitch for the Blue Sox. You can hear all the action live on ESPN 1240, WSKI and online at www.thevermontmountaineers.com.

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Vermont Drops Series Opener to Holyoke 4-3

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