Nate LaPointe (left) won the NECBL power hitting competition with a incredible display on Sunday afternoon at Robbie Mills Field. The Sanford Mainer slugger, with his dad in attendance, beat Holyoke's Vahn Bozoian 1-0 in the final round in one of the smallest parks in the NECBL, hitting the decisive drive with three swings to spare.
A upcoming senior at Boston College, Lapointe grabbed his bat with one hand and walked away from home plate after sending his 11th home run of the day over the Muskrat Monster in left field, where it bounced on the hill near the road and the grass parking lot. He was swarmed by Eastern Division All-Stars near the first base line.
Right off the bat, LaPointe was deserving of the crown. With three other Mainers scattered around the outfield, he hit a whopping nine home runs- more than any other player managed in their first two trips to the plate. That sent him straight to the finals, even though he added another in the second round to run his total up to 10.
LaPointe hit about a half-dozen over the 18 foot by 88 foot Green Monster replica, which was a popular target in left field. He also hit a shot that reached around light tower height before clearing Eastman Avenue behind the Monster.
"It was a lot of fun, LaPointe said. "I was just going out there to have some fun with my dad. I figured it would be more fun to have my dad out here with me doing something we can experience together. It was a good time overall and I am just glad I could share it with my Pops."
USC's Vahn Bozoian hit seven home runs (which led the field at the time) and added another in the next round to beat out Danbury's Riley Palmer by one home run to make it to the finals. Bozoian lost his momentum in the final round, as he went 0-5 without a home run to set the stage for LaPointe's walkoff.Palmer and Holyoke's Justin Morhardt came in third and fourth, respectively. Palmer hit four in the first and added another three in the second, but came up just short as he was beat by one. Morhardt also hit four in the first, but didn't get any in the second round.
Robbie Mills Field is known for it's small dimensions. Built in 2005, it measures around 315 to straightaway center, and the only big obstacle is in left field, the Muskrat Monster. LaPointe had no trouble with it, hitting eight of his 11 home runs over it.The NECBL's big sluggers consistently took aim at the monster, with various balls smacking off it, including one that hit the top of it and came back into fair play.
Laconia's hometown participant in the Derby, Ryan McBroom went homerless in the first round, along with New Bedford's Chris Shaw. The other players to be eliminated in the first round were Newport's Steve Anderson (1), Saratoga's Dylan Butler (2), North Adams Cody Doyle (2), Ocean State's Shaun McGraw (1), Keene's Brian O'Grady (3) and Vermont's Kyle Smith (1).Nate LaPointe quote thanks to New England Baseball Journal Correspondent Joshua Kummins
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