Mountaineers rout Mainers, 10-1

Thomas Roulis went 3-for-6 to keep his average at .500.
Photo by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

Kevin Stypulkowski returned to Goodall Park in a different jersey on Saturday night, and he made sure to make his presence known. The Mountaineers catcher launched a two-run home run in the top of the second, two of four RBIs on the night for the former Sanford Mainer in a 10-1 rout..

Teammate Simon Rosenbaum added five RBIs and Vermont cruised to an easy nine-run victory, taking advantage of a weak Sanford bullpen. The Mountaineers batted around in both the fifth and seventh innings, racking up double-digit hits for the second consecutive night.

The Mainers, meanwhile, were silenced by Vermont starter Casey Brown (1-0). He had a tough go to open the night, throwing a pair of wild pitches and issuing a balk in the first inning, which allowed Sanford to open a 1-0 lead following a RBI fielders choice from Dalton Thomas.

Brown quickly settled into a groove, however, retiring the next eight batters he faced and 10 of 11 to pick up the win. The twin brother of 2013 Mountaineer Cody Brown, Casey went six innings and allowed just four hits- three of which were scattered throughout the infield. He needed just 75 pitches and gave up a lone walk while striking out two.

Stypulkowski gave Brown all the run support he would need in the top of the second. After Garrett Copeland continued his hot start to the season with a line drive single up the middle, Stypulkowski put the Mountaineers up for good as he got a hold of a Ben Wessel (0-1) fastball and deposited it over the right field fence. It went an estimated 330 feet, easily gone for the first Vermont home run of the year.

Wessel, apart from the home run blip, was solid over four innings of work in his first start of the year, a loss.. He set down six on strikes while issuing a single walk. He escaped a jam with two runners in scoring position in the fourth, stranding four hitters over the course of his outing.

The bullpen, however, crumbled and turned a close game into a blowout. Brendan Shea was tagged for five earned runs and Connor Columbo couldn’t record an out while being charged with three earned runs.

Stpulkowski did more damage against his former team in the fifth. After a mound visit to check on Shea following a walk to load the bases, the Mountaineers catcher lined a two-run single into left field. Shea filled up the bases again for Rosenbaum, who knocked in two with a single of his own down the load.

Mainers manager Aaron Izaryk stuck with Shea into the seventh, but he was pulled after giving up a leadoff single to Copeland. Copeland swiped second and third, but Vermont’s hitters couldn’t get anything to hit as Columbo loaded the bases with a pair of walks. It set the stage for Rosenbaum again, and the 6’6” first basemen smacked a bases-clearing double down the left field line to run his RBI total to five, good for the team lead through the first two games.

Rosenbaum came home on a throwing error from Sanford’s Brandon Bingel at second, but that was all Vermont would get against reliever Blake Morgan. Morgan enjoyed a successful debut, setting down all seven batters he faced while piling up five strikeouts.

Vermont’s Adam Seibert enjoyed a similar performance, facing the minimum through three scoreless, hitless innings of relief. He struck out two and remarkably earned a save despite the lopsided win, having thrown three innings to finish the game out.

The Mountaineers evened their record to 1-1 to open the year, spoiling Sanford’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of Goodall Park. The Mainers dropped to .500 as well, falling to 1-1.

Vermont takes a day off tonight before traveling to Laconia on Monday night. The Muskrats are 1-1 as well, with first pitch coming at 6:30 p.m.