WESTMINSTER, Vt.- Bellows Falls Post 37 welcomed Brattleboro Post 5 on Thursday night with the teams tied for third in the Southern Vermont Legion Division, both with records of 7-3. Brattleboro came out hot, scoring three runs in the top of the first, and left BF playing catch-up for the remainder of the game. Although BF did rally late, it was ultimately not enough, as they lost 7-3 on their home diamond and fell to fourth in the standings.
Brattleboro was able to round the bases and put up runs on Post 37’s pitcher Rex Hill (Green Mountain) in the top of the first. In the inning, Hill started it off with a strikeout, but then Brattleboro got hot at the dish. Tyler Millerick posted a stand-up double, Tommy Carroll hit an RBI-double to right-centerfield, Dan Petric scored on a passed-ball, and Chris Frost had an RBI-double deep down the third baseline. Hill responded well by retiring the last two batters back-to-back, but Post 37 saw themselves in an early 3-0 hole.
In the bottom of the first, Post 37 had a chance to cut into the lead. With runners on second and third and two outs after a Clayton Groenewold (BF) double, Kendal Heath (Fall Mountain) stepped up to the plate, but was struck out on a nice curveball from Post 5’s Tanner Bell.
In the top of the second, it was BF’s turn to make a nice play with runners on second and third and two outs. At second base, Jacob Streeter made a nice diving stop to his left, knocked the ball down, and fired to first, saving at least one run and getting Hill out of the jam unscathed. In the bottom of the second, BF’s Tucker Wright (Fall Mountain) was gunned down at home trying to score from third after tagging up to erase their only scoring chance in the inning.
Post 5 stretched their lead in the third. With runners on first and third and one out, Spencer Clark (BF) came onto the rubber in place of Hill. After striking out the first batter he faced, Brattleboro had a three-run, two-out rally. Frost started it by stealing home on the pitch and catching Post 37 off-guard. Hunter Beebe then scored on a fielding error, and Adam Norton delivered a base-knock. In the fourth, Brattleboro posted another score with an RBI-single from Beebe and were riding a 7-0 advantage. Seth Balch (Windsor) then came onto the mound and got Post 37 out of the inning with a punch-out.
Balch got Post 37 on the board in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI on a fielder’s choice. Balch and Ethan McNamara (BF), who pitched the final two innings, would hold Post 5 scoreless for the remainder of the game. BF tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring twice with two outs, but it wasn’t enough to get back into the ballgame.
BF out-hit Brattleboro on the day, 8-7, but allowed 8 walks while Brattleboro only allowed 2. At the plate for BF, Gunnar Sawyer, Balch, and Streeter all posted RBIs and Wright led the team with two hits on the day.
For Brattleboro, Frost led the team on offense, going 3-for-3, walking once, scoring twice, and knocking in a run. Bell went the distance for Post 5, picking up the win while allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits, two walks, and six strikeouts.
Post 37 falls to 7-4 and drops below Brattleboro (8-3) in the standings. Post 37 will look to bounce back on Saturday when the host Lakes Region for a doubleheader. Game times are 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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