‘Neers Split Father’s Day Series with Danbury

MONTPELIER, Vt.  — Vermont snapped their five-game slide with an extra-innings victory over Danbury before Ronan Donahue's two-run homer ignited the Westerners to take Game 2. 

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

The Basics

Game 1 Score: Vermont 6, Danbury 5

Game 2 Score: Danbury 5, Vermont 3

Records: Danbury 4-9, Vermont 6-9

Location: Montpelier Recreation Field

Game 1 Rapid Recap

• After a 1-2-3 inning from Westerners pitcher Preston Tamm, Gavin Donahue hit a 2-RBI single with the bases loaded. Danbury jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first frame.

• Matthew Minckler cut the gap to one run in the 2nd inning with an RBI double with Alex Benevento hustling from 1st base to home.

• Sam Franco replaced Mountaineers starter Andrew Tringe after one inning. 

• Danbury also went to the bullpen with Hayden Tarsia. The Binghamton product retired the side in order.

• Alex Benevento blasted his second solo home run of the season to cut the lead to one. 

• Vermont tied the game in the 5th inning with a Nick Mullen RBI single. Brayden Leonard scored after he was hit by a pitch. 

(GAME RESUMED FROM JUNE 6 IN BOTTOM OF THE 5TH INNING)

• Sam Bradley launched a double to deep center field in the top of the 6th inning. Aidan Botti brought him around on a single to give Vermont their first lead of the contest.

• Tyler Jones – pinch hitting for Kevin Hager – was walked by Jacob Hines with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 5-3. 

• Jackson Hulcher finished his pitching for Vermont after three innings of work with two hits allowed and six strikeouts to his credit.

• Collin Mowry cut the lead to one after Teddy Cashman reached on an error by first baseman Sam Bradley in the bottom of the 8th inning.

• Ronan Donahue hit a sac fly to tie the ballgame in the bottom of the 9th. Matthew Kahn struck out Collin Mawry to send the game to extras.

• Two hits in the top of the 10th helped load the bases. Matthew Jackson reaching via the walk scored one run to give Vermont a 6-5 advantage.

• Matthew Kahn threw a 1-2-3 inning to end the Mountaineers' five-game losing streak.

Game 2 Rapid Recap

• Vermont scored first in the bottom of the opening frame with a groundout RBI from David Alvarez.

• Danbury snatched the lead in the top of the 3rd inning with Ronan Donahue sending a two-run home run over the left center field wall. 

• JJ Parsons drew a walk against Danbury starter Cole Gibson to bring home a runner to tie the game 2-2 in the home half of the 3rd inning.

• The Westerners registered back-to-back RBIs in the top of the 6th inning courtesy of Aidan Stern and Donahue against Kody Collins to give Danbury the lead again.

• Rain briefly halted the contest in the middle of the 7th. 

• After a double, Elliot Miles scored on a caught rundown against JJ Parsons. However, Parsons represented the third out and concluded the 7th inning after the tag.

• Michael Delph – after a triple in the 2nd inning – scored Collin Mowry and gave Danbury an insurance run in the top of the 9th.

Vermont Game/Season Notes

• Game 1 - WP: Matthew Kahn (2-1), LP: Jacob Hines (0-2)

• Game 2 - WP: Garrett Snyder (1-1), LP: Kody Collins (0-2)

• The Mountaineers tallied six extra-base hits between the two contests. Vermont is tied for the lead of the NECBL in the category.

• Vermont stole four bases against Danbury. Sunday pushes their total a league-high 53 on the season.

• Alex Benevento's home run means the New Canaan, Conn. native is one of three players in the league with 13 or more runs scored. He also is one of 15 batters with 14 or more hits after his two through the doubleheader.

• Matthew Minckler is tied for the most stolen bases in the NECBL with 11 stolen bags.

• Nick Mullen hit a double in the 1st inning against Upper Valley. He is now tied for the most in the league with five to his name.

• Jackson Hulcher fired in six strikeouts against Danbury. He is one of 12 NECBL pitchers with 16 or more Ks in 2026.

Next Up:

Vermont takes an off-day and returns to action on Tuesday, June 23 to try and even the season series against the Martha's Vineyard Sharks. The Dollar Dog Night festivities at Montpelier Recreation Field begin at 6:30 p.m. with the game streamed on ESPN+.

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