Wednesday July 18, 2012

SAXTONS RIVER -- The Saxtons River Pirates put up four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind and defeat the Brattleboro River Rats, 5-4, Sunday at Vermont Academy, in Connecticut River Valley Baseball League action.

Brattleboro battled back with a run in the top of the ninth and had the potential tying run on third, but could not extend the game.

Joey Parrott picked up the complete-game victory for Saxtons River, striking out nine and giving up eight hits. Andrew Robbins was the offensive star for the Pirates with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Ken Sloat went 7 2/3 innings on the mound for Brattleboro, surrendering only two earned runs, striking out six and walking none. John Waitekus was 3-for-4 at the plate for the River Rats, scoring one run and driving in another.

The victory moved Saxtons River past Brattleboro in the CRVBL standings. The Pirates travel to Chester next Sunday to face the first place CRUSH in an 11 a.m. game, while the Rats host Walpole Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Dummerston School field.

Walpole 13, Newport 11

NEWPORT -- Walpole eked out the win in a cat-and-mouse game with the Newport Polar Bears that came down to the last inning. In the end, the Wild Blue went home with a 13-11 victory.

Walpole’s offense featured a two-run bomb in the fourth inning by right fielder Doug Palmer, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double and three RBIs.

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Shortstop Gary Dennis shook off a strained left hamstring to rip three singles, going 3-for-5 with three trips across the plate. Drew Davis had three hits including an RBI double and a perfect bunt down the third baseline. Left fielder Chris Ballou went 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs, and recorded the win in relief on the mound, while Nate Kelly had two hits and two RBIs in his debut performance with the Wild Blue.

Claremont 11, Putney 4

CLAREMONT, N.H. -- Claremont starting pitcher Scott Christian scattered seven hits and three earned runs over six innings to get the win over the Putney Fossils Sunday. Christian pitched himself out of a serious, bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the third, inducing a harmless infield fly rule out and then a 6-4-3 double play. He also ripped three hits (including an RBI double) and scored twice in the Cardinals’ 11-4 victory.

Claremont’s offense was the story of the day as they pounded out 17 hits against Putney’s Richard Bissell. Brothers Josh Duford (3-for-5, double) and Nate Duford (3-for-4, double, 2 RBIs) joined Christian with three hits each, while Mike Wells, Steve Condon and Paul Felix had two each. Putney’s Dave Guadalupe singled, doubled, and scored a run, while Richard Bissell (2 RBIs), Travis "Magic" Watson and Quinton Carr had multiple hits on the day.

The Cardinals solidified their hold on second place in the CRVBL standings with an 8-4 record. Putney dropped to 4-9.

This Saturday, Putney travels to Black River High School to take on Ludlow at 6 p.m., while Claremont takes on Keene, N.H., at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Dummerston.

Chester 8, Keene 1

DUMMERSTON -- The first-place Chester CRUSH continued their winning ways with an 8-1 victory over the Keene Black Dawgs. Southpaw Nick Wirkkala posted his fifth win of the season, pitching the first six innings of the game. Doug Roberts tore up Keene pitching, going 4-for-5 with two doubles.

Keene third baseman Richard Hermsen prevented the score from getting more out of hand by playing amazing defense at the hot corner.

The current standings are: Chester CRUSH 9-2, Claremont Cardinals 8-4, Keene Black Dawgs 6-5, Walpole Wild Blue 6-5, Newport Polar Bears 6-6, Ludlow Athletics 4-6, Saxtons River Pirates 5-8, Brattleboro River Rats 4-7, Putney Fossils 4-9.