Font ResizeCLAREMONT, N.H. -- Marty Vallender’s 16-strikeout, complete game performance combined with an effective run manufacturing process led the Brattleboro River Rats to a 5-2 victory over the Claremont Cardinals, Sunday at Barnes Park.
Vallender scattered six hits while walking two, and at one point fanned six Cardinals in a row to pick up his first win of the season. Gerry Thompson went the distance on the mound for Claremont, giving up just four hits.
The game was broadcast on local radio, and Brattleboro manager Rob Eccleston said on the air before the game that the Rats hoped to win by playing small ball, and he proved to be a prophet as his team strung together walks, sacrifice bunts and base hits for three one-run innings and one two-run frame.
At the plate, third baseman John Waitekus led the way for the Rats with a pair of base hits, two runs scored and an RBI. John Grainger had a triple and a double for the Cardinals.
Brattleboro improves its record to 4-4, while Claremont is now 6-3. Brattleboro hosts Chester at Dummerston Field next Sunday at 10 a.m., and Claremont’s next game is July 8, when the Cardinals travel to Newport, N.H.
Chester 7, Putney 4
WALPOLE, N.H. -- Jamie Spence’s first inning three-run homer proved to be the difference in the Chester CRUSH’s victory over the Putney Fossils on Thursday. Spence went 3-for-3 with a run and four RBIs.
Scott Renfro went the
Steve "Stanley Steamer" Stanley and Travis "Magic" Watson had two hits each for Putney. Quinton Carr drove in two runs.
Walpole 16, Putney 9
DUMMERSTON -- The Wild Blue improved to 5-4 on the season with a win against the Putney Fossils on Sunday.
Chris Ballou went the distance on the mound, giving up four earned runs, 10 hits and striking out nine.
Stand-outs at the plate for Walpole included left-fielder Drew Davis who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, first baseman Matt Beam (3-for-5, three runs), Ryan Kohler (three hits), and Doug Palmer who crushed two long balls, one that went for a single after he tripped at first base, the other a double. Adam Kobeski (RBI) and Brian Pickering (RBI) had two hits each.
Putney’s defense was very shaky and did little to help pitcher Danny Lichtenfeld who went the distance and had to face 55 batters. The Fossils’ offense was led by Steve "Sticks" Kapral who went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs, and Keith Hazard who also stroked three hits and drove in two. Kyle Whitworth had two hits including a double and two RBIs.
Ludlow 11,
Saxtons River 4 (game 1)
Ludlow 12,
Saxtons River 5 (game 2)
LUDLOW -- The Ludlow Athletics tripled their season win total with a double-header sweep over the Saxtons River Pirates on Saturday night.
In game one, Jay O’Neill got the win on the mound. Shortstop Ray Romero went 4-for-4 with three runs and two stolen bases. Johnny Durgin (3-for-4, two doubles, two runs, two RBIs), and Dave O’Neill (two hits, two runs, two RBIs) also had good days at the plate. Zach Smith blasted a two-run homer.
Smith struck again in game two, crushing another homer to left-center to go along with a single and three runs scored. Dave O’Neill (3-for-4, double, two runs, two RBIs), Durgin (two hits, three runs, RBI), and Howie Paul (two hits, double, run, two RBIs) led the Athletics to victory.
Newport 9, Keene 3
NEWPORT, N.H. -- Despite racking up an impressive 15 hits -- including five straight in the first inning -- the Keene Black Dawgs fell to host Newport Polars. Sean Lantas earned his first victory of the season with a complete-game performance. Despite giving up a lot of hits, he walked only two and fanned seven. He also helped his own cause by going 3-for-3 with a run at the plate.
Scott McNamara ripped a three-run homer for the Polar Bears in the bottom of the seventh, and Eric LeMay had two hits and two RBIs.
Keene had six players with hits: Dave Fenuccio (double, run), John Luopa (double, two runs), Brandon Oldham (two RBIs), Matt Mucha (double), Bryan Lantz and Nate Woody (single).
