By Christopher Shaban
Staff Writer
WINDSOR, Vt. — Jack Boyle’s gap double in the top of the 7th inning gave Green Mountain a thrilling come-from-behind win on Saturday with a great crowd on hand.
The Yellow Jackets were cruising along but the Chieftains kept picking away until they exploded for 6 runs in their final at bat to snag the win 12-9.
Windsor coach Jamie Richardson would use five pitchers on the day with Ryan Connely getting the nod to start as the Jack bats grabbed a 7-2 lead after the first three innings. Ethan Belvin’s RBI got Windsor on the scoreboard and a loud double off the bat of Maison Fortin plates two more runs as Windsor was coasting.
Green Mountain began slicing into the Windsor lead as Skyler Klezos would grab a run in the 4th inning on a fielders choice and Josh Cohen’s sacrifice fly let Boyle trot home to cut the lead to 7-4. Windsor would get a run back when Belvin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but Windsor would squander a golden chance to break thing open as Kagan Hance’s strike out ended the Windsor threat with the bases full of Yellow Jackets.
Kelzo’s second hit of the day started things off for Green Mountain in the 6th as GM would score on a past ball and an error. Boyle was intentionally walked to load the bases for Jordan Place and Place reared back and struck out the next two batters to keep the Jacks in the lead 8-6.
“We were making good decisions and getting the plays we needed to, until the 7th inning when we just came apart,” said Richardson as Green Mountain exploded in the top of the last inning to grab a big lead.
Ty Merrill’s single open the flood gates for Green Mountain as the bases were visited by multiple Chieftain runners as errors and well hit balls were the recipe for a Green Mountain comeback. With the game tied 8-8, Boyle was up with the bases loaded.
“I was just focused on making them pay for the intentional walk they game me the last time I was up and make good contact,” Boyle said.
That determination resulted in a deep blast to right center for a two-RBI double giving Green Mountain a lead as they closed out the inning leading 12-8.
“This team is very resilient and determined,” said Green Mountain head coach Matt McCarthy. “This group has always dug deep to find a way to win.”
This group has won soccer and basketball championships for Green Mountain.
Windsor’s comeback fell short as Hance would finish off his two-plus innings of relief with a strikeout to close out a Green Mountain come-from-behind win.
Boyle would end the day with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with three RBIs while Hance chipped in with two RBIs of his own with two hits on the day. Cohen would notch two RBIs also with Hance getting the win.
For Windsor it was Fortin and Belvin leading the Jacks with two hits and two RBIs each.
“I can’t really explain why we have success,” Boyle said. “We’ve all been playing for so long together, I know we just like the taste of winning.”
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