The Brattleboro Colonels won the state Division I softball title in 2010 and 2011, and lost in the championship game last year. The common denominator in these successes is pitcher Kayla Wood.
Wood, now a senior, remains the indispensable player for the Colonels. When she's on, her teammates know they have an excellent chance of winning.
Such was the case on April 17, as Brattleboro cruised to a 13-1 win over Amherst, Mass., in a five-inning game at Sawyer Field cut short by the 10-run mercy rule.
Wood struck ou 12, walked no one, and gave up just one hit, a fourth-inning solo home run to Amherst's Cassie Long.
“I thought that Kayla threw a phenomenal game,” said Colonels coach Kelly Markol. “She threw hard; her rise and change were excellent; and she hit the corners. She's a great pitcher.”
On offense, the bottom third of the batting order - Lou Lou Terwillger, Maddie Derosia, and Alex Derosia - got on base every time they were at bat and combined for five RBIs and eight runs scored. Terwilliger and Alex Derosia each had an RBI single in the second; McKinlie Carpenter smacked a two-run double in the third; and Maddie Derosia drove a run in with a double in the fourth to lead the Colonels. Rissa Smith also claimed a pair of hits.
In their season opener on April 15, the Colonels beat Rutland, 5-2. Wood threw a four-hitter, striking out six and walking one batter. Brattleboro built up a 5-0 lead as Haley Struthers had a RBI single in the first, Alex Derosia got a run in with a squeeze bunt in the second, Smith hit a two-run single in the fifth, and Maddy Derosia followed with a RBI double.
Although the Colonels are off to a great start, Markol won't let anyone get complacent. “If we want to win, we have to be consistent and be mentally tough,” she said. “That's what we still need to work on.”
• Bellows Falls lost to Windsor, 21-8, in a five-inning game cut short by the mercy rule on April 17. The game was a lot closer than that, until the Terriers fell apart in the first inning. Chelsea Wilder, Casada Pencek, and Mackenzie Crawford each connected with a pair of hits for Bellows Falls, including a double and homer by Wilder.
• Leland & Gray suffered a 20-1 beat-down in Springfield last Friday. The Cosmos scored early and often, while the Rebels were held to just three hits.
Baseball
• Brattleboro is off to a tough start. On April 17 at Tenney Field, they got blown away by Amherst, Mass., 16-5. The Hurricanes scored five runs in the first, and never trailed after that, while the Colonels were held to only two hits - one each by Chris McAuliffe and Tyler Higley.
At Rutland on April 15, a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh by Ryan Bellomo gave the Raiders an 8-7 win.
The Colonels once again had a lead heading into late innings. Kassidi Ramirez, Elliot Gragen, and Adam McPhail all had two-run singles, and McAuliffe chipped in with a run-scoring single to help the Colonels take a 7-4 lead after four innings.
But Rutland started chipping away with a run in the fifth and three more in the seventh to win it. Losing pitcher Jimmy Mills scattered 10 hits and walked two.
• Bellows Falls had eight days off before it got a chance to play its second game of the season on April 17. The Terriers showed no signs of rust with a 10-2 win over Windsor at Hadley Field. Once again, Mike LaBeau was the hero on the mound and at the plate. LaBeau pitched a complete game victory with nine strikeouts, and helped his cause with a three-for-four day at the plate with five RBIs.
• Leland & Gray traveled to Springfield last Friday and came away with a 14-1 win over the Cosmos. Leland & Gray pitcher Zach Wilkins threw for six innings to get the win, striking out seven while giving up two hits. At the plate, Wilkins had two hits and drove in four runs, while Riley Kenney went 4-for-4 with three RBIs.
Tennis
• The Brattleboro boys started their season by getting swept by Rutland in a home-and-home series. The Colonels lost in Rutland, 6-1, on April 13, and were skunked at the BUHS courts on April 15, 7-0.
The Colonels are in a transition year, with a new coach - Justin Duncan, who replaced longtime coach Phil Natowich, who retired - and have six freshmen on the team. In contrast, Rutland is rich with seniors and completely dominated the Colonels.
The only winner for Brattleboro in the April 13 match was in No. 2 singles, which Asa Lane won in a tie-breaker, 2-6, 7-5, 10-4. On his home court, Lane was beaten in straight sets by Rutland's Kyle Martin 6-3, 6-0.
There wasn't much good news in the rest of the match at the BUHS courts. In No. 1 singles, Brattleboro's Isaiah Ungerleider battled Rutland's Dom Wysolonerski, but Wysolonerski prevailed 6-2, 6-2. No. 3 Tony Acevedo was defeated by Rutland's Jake Guarino, 6-1, 6-1, while No. 4 Oliver Goodman lost to Rutland's Cameron Pierce, 6-0, 6-3.
In doubles play, Brattleboro's No. 1 team of Lachlan Francis and Jake Gartenstein lost to Rocco Stoutes and Jake Piatek, 6-0, 6-1. The No. 2 team Monday of Spencer Butter and Luke Cionci fell to Rutland's Joe Sullivan and Sean Thompson, 6-0, 6-1.
• The Colonel girls lost a tough 5-2 decision at Rutland on April 15. In singles play, No. 2 Libby Annis defeated Rutland's Mackenna Phelps 6-2, 4-6, 10-7, while the No. 2 doubles team of Aliza Racine and Haley Marcil also needed a tiebreaker to win 5-7, 6-2, 10-7.
Brattleboro avenged that loss with a 4-3 win over Rutland in a rematch last Friday morning at the BUHS courts. The No. 3 singles match decided this one, as Brattleboro's Anna Kerlin-Smith, in her varsity debut, outlasted Megan Nadler, 6-4, 7-5.
The Colonels also got singles wins from No. 2 Annis and No. 5 Sophie Finnerty, and from the No. 2 doubles team of Marcil and Jaida Henry. Annis beat Phelps 6-0, 6-2, while Finnerty won by forfeit and Henry and Marcil beat Sarah Nadler and Brenda Delorey 6-4, 6-3.
Taylor Bird and Linnea Jahn, playing in their first match at No. 1 doubles, lost to Rutland's Kelsey Bullock and Amber Thomas 6-4, 6-4. Rutland's Melanie Hubbard rallied to beat Kara Piergentili at No. 4 singles 6-4, 1-6 (10-8), and No. 1 Aidan Earley lost to Rutland's Kirsten Switzer 6-1, 6-4.
Lacrosse
• The Brattleboro boys won their home opener under the lights at Tenney Field last Friday with a 16-2 victory over Otter Valley.
Sam Siegel led the Colonels with four first-half goals. Adam Griffin scored three times, and Tanner Freeman and Bryce Fletcher both added two goals. Devon Avery, David Mahoney, Nik Rancourt, Conner Elliott-Knaggs, and Brennen Zolonoski each scored a goal. Goalie Romello Lindsey finished with seven saves.
Track and Field
• The Brattleboro boys finished second to Mount Anthony in a three-team meet on April 17 in Bennington. Several of their athletes qualified for the state meet with their performances.
Paxton Reed qualified after placing first in long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 9.75 inches, and a triple jump with 39 feet, 0.5 inches. Miles Goldenbird placed first in discus with a toss of 110-7 toss, and in the javelin with a 130-foot throw.
Dan Burke won the the 3,000-meters in 11:17.5 time, while the 4x100 relay team of Reed, Austin Nichols, Josh Parro, and Ben Janis won in a time of 47.9 seconds.
The Brattleboro girls were also runners-up to Mount Anthony. In the 800 meters, Catey Yost won with a time of 2:43.8. Aimee Johnston took first in javelin with a toss of 79-6, and the 4x100m relay team of Guen Harris, Kiwi Lewis, Aisha Schor, and Franny Cornick came in first in 59.6 seconds.
Tulip Trot benefits Green Street School
• The Green Street School PTO will hold its inaugural Tulip Trot 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, May 4. The 3.1 mile road/trail race route begins at Green Street School in Brattleboro, will cover both roadway (Western Avenue) and trailway, and will return to the school. There will also be a half-mile Sprout Race for children 5 and under and seniors: Participating children 13 and under must have an adult guardian registered to walk/run with them.
The rain-or-shine event is open to the general public and is family-friendly, but keep the pets at home. Registration at Green Street School is 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Trot Day. Race times are 10 a.m. for the 5K and 9:45 a.m. for the Sprout Race.
Proceeds from the race help support various Green Street School PTO initiatives including field trips, the Winter Sports program, special school events, and parenting workshops. To register as individual or family runners or walkers, visit www.greenstreetschool.com.
To volunteer as an event helper, contact Rachel Doty at 802-254-7333. To help sponsor a participating individual or family, or the event itself, contact Lisa Bauer at 802-258-2618.
Learn to row this spring
• Now that the rivers are free of ice, it's almost time for rowing season. The Putney Rowing Club is getting ready to hold its annual beginner clinics open to anyone interested in learning rowing or sculling, and who can swim.
Scullers use two oars instead of one as the sweep rowers do, and can row in a single rowing shell. They can also row in a double, which holds two people, or a quad, which holds four. Rowing shells have a sliding seat, so that when you row you exercise your arms, legs, back, and core.
The club will have its annual Learn to Row Day on Saturday, May 18, between 9 a.m. and noon. Write [email protected] with questions.
Sign-ups begin for Tour de Grace
• Grace Cottage Hospital's eighth Tour de Grace bicycle rally is Saturday, July 13. Riders start at Stratton Mountain between 8 and 10 a.m. and ride at their own pace to Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend.
Bus transportation is provided by Stratton to return riders and their bikes back uphill to the mountain. It's a scenic, mostly downhill ride for family and friends, and the event helps to raise money for patient care at Grace Cottage Hospital.
Volunteers will be stationed along the 19-mile route from Stratton Mountain to Grace Cottage Hospital to provide free beverages, snacks, and even musical entertainment. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 100 riders who sign up.
Pre-registration cost is $25; $30 on the day of the event. For more information, visit www.gracecottage.org/events or call 802-365-9109.
West River Park reaches its goal
• The Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club recently presented a check for $3,500 to the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department to put toward completion of the new West River Park on Route 30.
The club raised the money last fall during a ping pong tournament. According to Recreation & Parks Director Carol Lolatte, this donation put fundraising efforts for the park past their goal of $800,000.
The new softball diamond at West River Park will be ready for use when the Brattleboro Area Men's Softball League begins its season next month, capping off years of planning and fundraising by townspeople to build this gem of a public space.