The Brattleboro 13-year-old Babe Ruth Baseball All-Stars rolled to a sweep of the state tournament over the weekend at Tenney Field.
Brattleboro dominated every phase of the game. None of its pitchers allowed a run in the three tournament games that counted (they played an extra game that didn't count) and no fielder made an error in any of the four games they played. Brattleboro was patient at the plate and aggressive on the base paths.
In all, it was a textbook example of championship baseball. Brattleboro manager Todd Bell was quick to credit every one of his players for contributing to the victory.
Brattleboro got off to a big start on a scorching hot Friday afternoon by clobbering Lake Region, 15-1, in a five-inning game cut short by the 10-run rule. Brattleboro scored seven runs in its first inning, chasing Lake Region starter Noah Royer before he could get the second out of the inning.
Royer walked six consecutive batters in his ill-fated start, but reliever Ryan Descheneou couldn't slow down the Brattleboro attack either.
Starter Lief Bigelow cruised through the first two innings. Reliever Ben Nelson-Belz gave up Lake Region's only run of the game, in the fourth inning, on a balk.
Brattleboro's Ian Fulton-Black had two hits and drove in three runs, while Tyler Germain stole two bases and scored three runs. Tony Martinez, Dan Petrie, Tanner Bell, and Nelson-Betz scored two runs apiece. Bigelow had a three-run triple in the fifth inning, while Bell hit a two-run double.
Bigelow was back on the mound against Franklin County on Saturday morning, and Brattleboro clinched a spot in Monday's championship game in the double-elimination tournament with a 2-0 win. On Sunday, Green Mountain of Barre/Montpelier advanced to Monday's final with a 3-2 win over Franklin County.
Monday's game saw Brattleboro cruise to an all but anti-climactic 10-0 win in five innings, with pitchers Fulton-Black and Tanner Bell combining on the shutout.
Petrie opened the scoring for Brattleboro with a two-run double in the first. RBI singles by Fulton-Black and Germain, a bases-loaded walk by Martinez, and a wild pitch that scored Kam Pelkey made it a 6-0 game after two innings. Fulton-Black had another RBI single in the third, and Bridger Grout drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth.
Brattleboro finished off Green Mountain in the fifth with a bloop RBI single by Germain, an intentional walk to Matt Cutter, and a fielder's choice by Jack Trudeau that scored Tanner Bell for the 10th and deciding run to set off the celebration.
The All-Stars now represent Vermont in the New England Tournament in Manchester, N.H., this weekend. Brattleboro's first game is Friday, July 26, at 1 p.m.
Post 5 makes state Legion tourney
• It took until the last weekend of the American Legion Baseball season to do it, but Brattleboro Post 5 nailed down its spot in the state tournament, with a 12-2 win over Bellows Falls Post 37 at Hadley Field last Friday in a five-inning game stopped due to the 10-run rule.
Post 37 was woefully shorthanded, with only nine players available to play. Post 5 took full advantage, scoring two runs in both the first and second innings off Post 37 starter Robbie Litchfield, then lighting up relievers Austin Stack and Carson Fullam for two more runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth.
Chris Lasch, Chris McAuliffe, and George Atkins all had two hits each for Post 5. Atkins was the winning pitcher as he held Post 37 to just two hits in the four innings he worked.
The state Legion tournament will be played July 25-29 at Castleton State College and St. Peter's Field in Rutland. Brattleboro, the No. 4 seed, faces Addison County in the tourney opener on July 25.
Brattleboro Rec track team competes at state meet
• A small group of Brattleboro-area youth made a strong showing last Saturday in the Vermont Parks and Recreation Track and Field meet at St. Johnsbury Academy along with 19 other teams. Participants included Delaney Bullock, James Dougan, Caitlin Lonardo, Isabella Lonardo, John Lonardo, and Margaret Lonardo.
John Lonardo won both the discus throw (103 feet) and the shot put with a new state record for 13-15-year-olds (40 feet, 6.5 inches). Delaney Bullock won both the 1,600 meters (6 minutes, 10.83 seconds) and the 400 meters (1:06.89), and placed second in the long jump (13-8).
Margaret Lonardo finished fourth in the 100 meters (15.38). James Dougan, in his first-ever entry in shot put, had a 15-9 toss. Isabella Lonardo ran the 400 in 1:30.12. Caitlin Lonardo ran the 100 in 19.53.
Art of fly fishing workshop at MSA
• Local fly-fishing expert David Deen will lead a workshop on the art of fly fishing on Sunday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Main Street Arts in Saxtons River.
The owner of Strictly Trout, the oldest professional fly-fishing guide service in Vermont, Deen will guide participants in casting, presenting a fly, and controlling a fly rod. No license is required as no fish will be caught. Some rods will be available and can be reserved at registration.
Reserve space now, as it will go fast. The fee is $32 for MSA members and $40 for non-members. For more information, call MSA at 802-869-2960, write [email protected], or visit www.mainstreetarts.org.