After starting the American Legion Baseball season with a pair of narrow losses to Bennington and Manchester, Brattleboro Post 5 got into the win column on June 26 with a doubleheader sweep of Lakes Region on June 26 at Tenney Field.
It was the home opener for Post 5, and they made it a happy one by winning the first game, 10-4, and shutting out Lakes Region in the second game, 10-0, in six innings.
Pitching will be a strength for Post 5 this season, and they showed it against Lakes Region as starters Alex Kendall and Zinabu McNeice picked up the wins in their respective games.
In the first game, Kendall gave up a run in the first inning and another in the third before settling down. Brattleboro then scored four runs in the bottom of the third on a throwing error on a Ryan Gerard bunt and an RBI single by Jeremy Graves.
Alex Bingham came in to pitch in the fifth inning and gave up a run, but Post 5 got it back when in the bottom half of the inning when Aaron Petrie was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on an infield hit by McNeice, and scored on a balk by losing pitcher Ethan Kelly.
Post 5 put the game out reach with five runs in the sixth inning. Petrie hit a two-run single to lead the way.
Game 2 featured a dominant pitching performance by McNeice. He held Lakes Region to just one hit, with four strikeouts and a walk. The infield did a great job behind him, turning a pair of double plays, and the outfield handled all of its chances as they dealt with a swirling wind that made every fly ball an adventure.
“I had good command today,” McNeice said after the game. “I was locating most of my pitches where I wanted them.”
He was also helped by his catcher, Turner Clews, who celebrated his 17th birthday by catching both games of the doubleheader. “It's easy catching 'Z' when he has all his pitches working,” Clews said.
Just to make sure he had a lead to work with, McNeice led off the first inning by reaching on an error, stealing second, and scoring on a single by Chris Frost.
That one run was all Post 5 got until it scored three runs in the fourth inning. McNeice drove in two runs with a single and later scored on a successful double steal.
Post 5 ended the game by scoring six runs in the sixth inning as the 10-run mercy rule took effect. Bingham and Jack Pattison both had a pair of hits for Brattleboro.
The wins evened Post 5 record in the Southern Division at 2-2.
Post 37 wins home opener, splits doubleheader with Rutland
• Rex Hill struck out 10 batters, walked two, and gave up three hits as Bellows Falls Post 37 defeated Bennington Post 13, 8-1, in the home opener for Bellows Falls on June 24 at Hadley Field.
Hill, a student at Vermont Academy who lives in Andover, retired the side in order in the second, third, fifth, and seventh innings. The only run he gave up came in an RBI single by Post 13's Nat Greenslet in the fourth inning.
Post 13 got three runs in the third inning, and picked up two more in the fourth on a two-run single by Cam Hartman. Elliott Graham went 2-for-3, and Jamison Nystrom and Sam Presch both had hits.
On June 27, Bellows Falls traveled to Rutland and split a doubleheader with Post 31.
Post 37 took the first game, 15-2, in five innings, while Rutland won the second game, 15-6, to drop Bellows Falls to 1-2 in the Southern Division standings.
Rec. Dept. offers youth camps
• The Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department is accepting registrations for a variety of youth sports camps this summer. For all programs, events, facility information, online fillable registration forms and more, visit www.brattleboro.org.
• A youth softball camp with coaches Jay Cudworth and Michele Nelson. This camp is for those in grades 3-6. Softball camp will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Living Memorial Park's lower field. The fee is $125 for Brattleboro residents, $140 for non-residents.
This softball camp will focus on fundamentals, and help participants develop good habits and proper technique, increase knowledge of the game, and build confidence at the plate. All participants should bring a glove, sneakers/cleats, and a bat if they have one.
• A youth baseball camp will be offered on the lower field at Living Memorial Park. Session One is for ages 6-9 and will run from July 5-9. Session Two is for ages 9-12 and will run from July 12-16. Both sessions will go from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $125 for Brattleboro residents, $140 for non-residents.
Cudworth and Chris Groeger will train participants in the fundamentals of baseball. Each camper will receive personal attention to help improve their skills and develop proper playing habits to help players take the next step in their baseball development. All participants should bring a glove, sneakers/cleats, water, and a bat if they have one.
• Summer gymnastics camp will take place at the Gibson-Aiken Center for those 5-13 years old. Camp weeks will be held as follows: Week 1: July 5-9, Week 2: July 12-16, Week 3: July 19-23, Week 4: July 26-30, Week 5: Aug. 2-6, and Week 6: Aug. 9-13.
The fee per week is $105 for Brattleboro residents and $120 for non-residents. Camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon (sharp), Monday through Friday. Participants should bring a nutritious snack, water bottle, mask, plastic zip lock bag, and tight-fitting clothes.
• A girls' lacrosse camp with Sarah Clark is offered for those in grades 3-8. Camp will run from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on July 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, and 23 at West River Park on Route 30. The fee is $55 for Brattleboro residents, $70 for non-residents.
Campers will work with Clark on skills and drills to improve fundamentals and knowledge of the game. Bring your stick, goggles, mouth guard, water bottle, and cleats and/or sneakers.
• If there are special needs required for these programs, let the Recreation & Parks Department know by five days in advance. For more information, call 802-254-5808.
Be safe, considerate at swimming holes
• With the return of summer's hot weather comes the hordes of people who seek to cool off in the swimming holes and rivers of Vermont. The Vermont Swimming Hole Collaborative, made up of more than a dozen nonprofit organizations and state and federal agencies that manage more than 25 swimming holes around the state, recently offered some important safety and etiquette considerations for swimmers.
First off, staying safe “begins with an awareness of your surroundings whenever going to a new place, or even a favorite spot,” said Holly Knox, Recreation Program Manager for the Green Mountain National Forest, in a news release. “Knowing the unique features of each swimming hole you visit will help you understand where swift currents and cliffs are located, and whether it is safe for you to plunge in.”
Knox also notes that heavy rain can cause dangerous swimming conditions and can impact the water quality. It is best to avoid swimming 24 hours after a heavy rain.
Then there are the other challenges to swimming spots, such as litter, unleashed dogs and pet waste, dangerous overflow parking on roads, and trespassing on private property.
These issues pose a risk to continued public access to swimming hole sites, so the Collaborative is asking the public to follow these guidelines: Carry out all your trash and recyclables, use designated bathroom facilities (human and dog waste lead to dangerous bacteria in the water), always keep your dogs leashed or leave them at home, don't park on private property or in the traveled area of roads, and respect “no trespassing” signs.
In other words, don't be a slob, be considerate of others, and look before you leap. The payoff is continued access to your favorite swimming spots, cleaner water for everyone to swim in, and not getting hurt.
Senior bowling roundup
• After week 9, the midpoint of the spring/summer season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl, Team 2 remains in first place (33-12), five games ahead of second place Team 6 (28-17). Team 7 moved into third place (25-20), followed by Team 3 (24-21), Team 5 (18-27), Team 1 (15-30), and Team 4 (14-31).
Nancy Dalzell had the women's high handicap game (229), while Shirley Aiken had the high handicap series (619). Jerry Dunham had the men's high handicap game (259), while Norm Corliss had the high handicap series (690). Team 4 had the high team handicap game (877), while Team 2 had the high team handicap series (2,421).
In scratch scoring, Robert Rigby led the men with a 570 series that featured a 219 game, while Warren Corriveau Sr. had games of 194 and 191 as part of his 524 series, and Wayne Randall had games of 192 and 189 as part of his 507 series. Dunham had a 213 game, while Marty Adams rolled a 188, and Pete Cross had a 180.
Dalzell had a high scratch series of 491 to lead the women, while her 189 game was the women's high scratch score. Josie Rigby had a 181 game as part of her 481 series, and Aiken had 475 series.