SteepleCats Topple Mountaineers, 6-4
MONTPELIER, Vt. — A three-run seventh inning was the difference for the SteepleCats on Monday night at Recreation Field in their 6-4 win over the Vermont Mountaineers.The Mountaineers scored first, though, in the bottom of the third inning off SteepleCats starter Tim Boyce. A two-out walk to designated hitter Clay Jones brought up right fielder Steven Rosado who reached on an infield hit. The next batter, catche Steven Felix, doubled to deep right field to drive in Jones and give the Mountaineers the 1-0 lead.
The SteepleCats were no-hit through the first five innings by Mountaineers starter Andrew Benak but broke through for their first run in the sixth. Catcher Joe Pavone singled to left to lead off the inning and moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt by designated hitter Grant Gajdosz. Pavone then moved up to third base on center fielder Patrick Johnson's fly out to center field. He then scored on left fielder John Schultz's infield hit that just got under the glove of diving shortstop Jantzen Witte.
The SteepleCats took the lead in the seventh inning. Paul Hoilman, who made his first start of the season at third base, singled to lead off the inning. His base hit was followed by a walk by right fielder Matt Goulas. Hoilman and Goulas moved up a base each on first baseman Tony Brunetti's sacrifice bunt. The next batter, second baseman Cameron McMullen, singled up the middle to plate Hoilman and make the score 2-1. Pavone came up next and walked to load the bases. Johnson then came up and singled to right to drive in two more runs and give the SteepleCats the 4-1 lead.
The Mountaineers added runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, but two more SteepleCats runs in the top of the eighth secured the the SteepleCats' 6-4 win.
Boyce went 6.2 innings and allowed two runs off six hits and three walks while striking out 9. He got the win and improved to 3-1 on the season. Benak allowed five runs off five hits and three walks over seven innings of work. He took the loss and fell to 1-4 on the season. SteepleCats closer Kevin Fuqua allowed two runs over the game's final 2.1 innings but still picked up his league-leading eighth save of the season.
The win gives the SteepleCats the regular season series against the Mountaineers, 4-2. It's the first time ever that the SteepleCats have taken the regular season series against the Mountaineers. For the first six years they were in the league, the Mountaineers split the season series evenly with the SteepleCats each year. The win is also manager Jeff Verplancke's 43rd win with the SteepleCats. He is now the winningest manager in the franchise's short history. Currently in his second year as manager, Verplancke is 43-40 as the SteepleCats' skipper.
The Mountaineers (19-18), who have now lost a franchise-record six in a row, will be at home again Tuesday and will try to right the ship against the division-leading Keene Swamp Bats. The SteepleCats (23-16) will travel to eastern Massachusetts to take on the New Bedford Bay Sox at 6:30 p.m.
