Game 34 Recap: Mountaineers 2, Gulls 1

Vermont's Sam Bordner went eight innings in his best start of the summer.

Making his first appearance since the All-Star Game last Sunday, first basemen Mikael Mogues returned to the Vermont lineup and cranked a two-run home run that proved to be decisive in the Mountaineers 2-1 win over the Newport Gulls Friday at Cardines Field.

Mogues’ shot came off Gulls righty Blake Battenfield in the top of the first inning. Paired with eight strong innings from Sam Bordner, the Mountaineers held off several Gulls rallies to snap sole possession of fourth place in the Northern Division.

Bordner was at the top of his game, scattering nine hits and a walk while striking out five over a season-long eight innings. In a performance reminiscent of collegiate teammate Sean Leland a summer ago, Bordner struck out five and provided a boost for a taxed Mountaineers pitching staff coming off of a doubleheader in Plymouth.

The Mountaineers sit two games under .500, but Winnipesaukee and Keene both faltered on the road last night, allowing Vermont to build a game advantage for the fourth and final playoff spot. Vermont faces a tough test tonight as they travel to take on the Ocean State Waves (19-16), while Winnipesaukee and Keene face off at noon before playing their regularly scheduled games against Sanford and North Adams, respectively.

Mogues finished 2-for-4 with a walk, providing a much-needed boost for a Mountaineers offense that has largely been held in check the last couple of games. His first-inning shot was the only runs Vermont pushed across, but his bat in the middle of the Mountaineers lineup is a welcome sight.

The theme for both teams was leaving runners on base, as the teams combined for 21 hits but just three runs. Vermont left seven runners on base against Battenfield, who allowed the Mogues home run but otherwise worked around nine hits and struck out five in five innings of work.

Gulls reliever Matthew McGarry turned in his best outing of the summer, striking out five over four scoreless frames. McGarry worked around jams in the sixth and eighth, but kept his team within striking distance in a good outing.

Newport, though, struggled to get to Bordner until his last inning of work. The Gulls ran themselves out of runs — Cole Fabio was caught stealing in the third, and a botched first-and-third walkoff play ended with Mountaineers second basemen Trevor Ezell gunning down Stephen Scott at the plate.

Back-to-back singles in the sixth were squandered as well, even after a sacrifice bunt put two in scoring position with just one out. A leadoff double in the eighth from Fabio proved to be enough to get a run in, as Scott’s one-out groundout to second brought in Newport’s first run. Border stranded the tying run at third, however, and turned it over to Jonathan Stiever for the ninth.

In his first save situation of the summer, Stiever worked around a two-out single to close out the Gulls.

Jeremy Giles finished 3-for-3 with a walk out of the nine spot in the Mountaineers order, while catcher Ryan Fineman reached base three times and showed his defensive prowess by throwing out a runner. Fireman’s been one of the better defensive catchers in the league so far this season, and almost scored twice. Will Morgan added a 2-for-5 day, doubling in the first and scoring on Mogues blast.

The five-game road trip has gotten off to a promising start for Vermont, who’s 2-1 and in good shape entering their final stretch. After starting a shaky 1-10 on the road, the Mountaineers have began to find success, which is important with plenty of road games left.

The Great Northern Division Playoff Race

Over the next two weeks. the battle for the Northern Division’s playoff spots will somehow heat up even more as the regular season winds to a close. Entering Friday’s action, their are three teams tied for the fourth playoff spot and sit five games out of first. The third-place team is just one game back of second and the ability to host a playoff series, while the second-place team is two out of first.

Even the last-place team is just 2 1/2 games behind the fourth and final playoff spot. The level of parity in the North is unprecedented, making this one of the more exciting postseason races in recent memory. Every team is playing meaningful games at the end of the season in both divisions, as even in the South the last-place team is just 1 1/2 out of a playoff spot.

It’s incredible, but for the focus of this post, here’s an extensive look at the Northern Division. Here are the current standings as we head down the stretch.

Sanford, 21-14
Valley, 18-15
North Adams, 18-17
Vermont, 15-18
Winnipesaukee 15-18
Keene, 15-18
Upper Valley, 13-21

Sanford’s heated up as of late, winning eight of 10, and appear they’ll lock up their first divisional title in several years barring a collapse. Still, Valley and North Adams are within two and three games, respectively, so it’s no guarantee.

The most interesting race is for the fourth seed in the postseason, as three teams are tied for it. To figure out if any of the teams have an advantage, let’s take a look at their respective schedules.

VT: @NG, @OSW, @NBS, vs UV, vs NSC, @VAL, @WIN, vs NSC, @VAL, @UV (2)
WIN: @VAL, @KSB, @SM, @UV, vs MYS, @OSW, vs SM, vs VM, vs VAL, @NSC, @VAL
KSB: @DM, vs WIN, vs NSC, @NSC, @PP, vs SM, vs VAL, @MYS, vs SM, @UV, @NG

Each team has an off day mixed in during this decisive 11-game stretch. Winnipesaukee has a tough double-header tomorrow, as they play in Keene at noon, then travel to Sanford for a nightcap. Keene plays at noon and at 6:30 against North Adams at home, while Vermont’s double-header is against Upper Valley on the last day of the season.

By pythagorean record, Winnipesaukee has the hardest schedule the rest of the season. They have to play the NECBL-leading Mystic Schooners twice, no small task. Keene is second, facing the division-leading Mainers twice while also traveling to Newport and Mystic. Vermont, despite a tough Southern Divisions swing, is in good shape. They close the season with eight divisional games, including three against the last-place Nighthawks.

Tomorrow’s doubleheader is huge. While the Mountaineers are in Rhode Island, Winnipesaukee and Keene face off at noon before playing Sanford and North Adams, respectively.

A lot has happened in the Northern Division this summer, and we’re poised for a dramatic end of the season. The rest of the way, baseball’s going to be unpredictable. Vermont’s had three straight games end in walk-offs, so it’s hard to pretend that baseball is even remotely predictable. Regardless of what happens, the NECBL is witnessing one of their closest divisional races in league history.

Game 32+33 Recap: Mountaineers trade walk-offs in doubleheader split

Mountaineers shortstop Michael Osinski sparked a rally in Game 2 with a home run. He's hitting .380 this summer.

The start of a five-game road trip against Southern Division foes featured plenty of excitement, as the Mountaineers traded walk-offs with the last-place Plymouth Pilgrims in a doubleheader split. Coming away with a win and a loss, Vermont remains three games below .500, but sit in a three-way tie with Winnipesaukee and Keene for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Northern Division.

They’ll attempt to gain ground tonight as they travel to Newport to face the Gulls (20-16). Newport is three games out of first place in the Southern Division, having won seven of their last 10 games. First pitch comes at 6:35 p.m. at Cardines Field.

Game 1: Vermont 3, Plymouth 2

Plymouth right-hander Thomas Lane was cruising. He’d retired 12 of the last 13 Mountaineers he’d faced, and had quickly recorded a pair of strikeouts to open the seventh and final frame. It appeared Lane would quickly finish off a seven-inning start and the first half of a doubleheader would go to extras.

Lane allowed a two-out single to Vermont’s Trevor Ezell on his 110th pitch of the night, but Pilgrims manager Greg Zacrickson still had faith in the Boston College right-hander. Instead of going to his bullpen, Lane faced Mountaineers centerfielder Joe Tietjen.

Tietjen took the first pitch he saw and drove it off the fence in right, walking off with a double to ensure Vermont’s early 2-0 lead hadn’t been squandered.

Lane was a tough luck loser, allowing three earned runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 while striking out eight. He was working on eight days rest after throwing 94 pitches in a no-decision against Newport, but it’s hard to justify leaving a pitcher in over 100 pitches in a summer collegiate league.

Vermont starter TJ Santiago scattered seven hits and two runs, one earned, over six innings. He lowered his season ERA to 2.28 in his second straight strong start, piling up six strikeouts to zero walks. Reliever Michael Fairchild recorded the win, working around a one-out walk in the seventh.

The Mountaineers struck for two quick runs against Lane in the first, as Ezell opened with a double. He stole second and scored on Will Morgan’s RBI single. Morgan scored two batters later via a RBI double from Troy Scocca.

Morgan went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI, leading a Mountaineers offense that managed just seven hits. Three were for extra bases, however, as Ezell went 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored.

Plymouth got a run back in the second on a RBI fielders choice from Cameron Hanley, then tied it in the fourth. Tyler Kirkpatrick reached on a fielding error by Jeremy Giles at short, moved to third on Cole Gordon’s single, and scored on a Hanley single.

The Pilgrims threatened to pull ahead several times, but left seven runners on base. They had the go-ahead run 90 feet away in the seventh against Fairchild after a passed ball and wild pitch, but he caught Brian Sharp looking with a strikeout to end the frame.

Game 2: Plymouth 4, Vermont 3

The doubleheader’s nightcap was a tough loss for the Mountaineers. After Vermont rallied for three runs in their final at bat to tie it, Plymouth’s Kirkpatrick answered with a walk-off single, salvaging a win for the Pilgrims after they had lead much of the ballgame.

Kirkpatrick, who went 2-for-3 in the first game, came up with his only hit of the nightcap in his final at-bat. He brought in pinch-runner Ryan Brown in from second base with his single, coming off of Mountaineers reliever Rayne Supple.

Supple had cruised through his first two innings of work. After entering a bases-loaded jam in relief of starter Davis Feldman, Supple issued a walk to bring in a run, but bounced back to retire seven straight. He gave up a leadoff single to Plymouth’s Joey Thomas to start the seventh, and Thomas eventually came around to score in the form of Brown.

Plymouth starter Andrew Mitchell was cruising through his first six innings, as he held the Mountaineers hitless through four. He tired quickly in the seventh though, and was left out to long by Zacrickson.

Osinski greeted Mitchell with a solo home run to open the seventh, cutting the Pilgrims lead to just one. Osinski finished 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch in the second game, raising his batting average to .380 on the year — a mark tied with Upper Valley’s Joey Denison for the best in the NECBL.

Mitchell, who totaled 104 pitches, ran into more trouble. He walked Slade Heggen and Ryan Fineman before recording his first out of the inning with a strikeout of Keegan Meyn. A costly error loaded the bases, and Jeremy Giles brought in a run with a sacrifice fly. Another walk loaded the bases again, chasing Mitchell.

Plymouth reliever Jake Wyrick brought in the game-tying run with a wild pitch, but ended up stranding three runners by getting Tietjen to fly out to center field. Leaving three on would come back to haunt Vermont, as Kirkpatrick ended it in the bottom of the frame.

Feldman earned a no-decision, allowing three earned runs on three hits over 3 2/3. He walked five and struck out two. He looked strong early, retiring the first six batters he faced, but control problems allowed the Pilgrims to build a 3-0 lead.

Game 31 Recap: Mainers 7, Mountaineers 6

Vermont's Joe Tietjen slides safely into home plate during the first inning. /TA Photo

In an as back-and-forth a game as you can imagine, the visiting Sanford Mainers came out on top against the Vermont Mountaineers.

Sanford designated hitter Jordan Powell’s RBI single with one out in the 11th inning lifted Mainers to a 7-6 win in extras on Wednesday night.

Powell’s clutch hit off reliever Sean Callahan gave Sanford it’s sixth win in seven days as the Mainers handed Vermont a second straight loss at home. The Mountaineers led 5-2 through four innings, but a resilient Sanford dug in.

Sanford reliever Joe Orlando gave up the game-tying run in the eighth inning, but followed with three scoreless frames. After a runner reached in the bottom of the 11th, Sanford’s Dalton Curtis closed the door on Vermont’s comeback bid when pinch-hitter Troy Scocca came to bat with runners on first and second and two outs before grounding out to short on the first pitch he saw.

A fielding error in the 11th inning allowed the game-winning run to reach base, represented by Zach Jancarski. He moved all the way to third on Nelson Mompierre’s long single. Mompierre was just feet shy of a two-run home run, settling for a long base hit off the wall in right.

The loss dropped Vermont to 14-17 as the team enters a brutal five-game Southern Division road stretch, starting with a doubleheader against Plymouth tonight. Scheduled as a pair of seven-inning games, first pitches are coming at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Vermont starter Joe Rocchietti was in line for his first win of the season on Wednesday, holding the Mainers to two runs in five innings. He scattered 10 hits, walked none and struck out three. He escaped several jams in his fifth start, but took the no-decision.

The Mainers got to him quickly, as Jancarski reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and eventually came around to score on Mompierre’s single in the first. The Mountaineers, however, answered. Joe Tietjen drew a two-out walk against Sanford starter Will Tribucher in the home half and scored on Michael Osinski’s RBI single.

Sanford took the lead in the fourth on a RBI single from Michael Young, but Vermont answered again, and then some. Jeremy Giles drew a bases-loaded walk and Trevor Ezell followed with a two-run single that dropped in right field to take the lead back. Vermont chased Tribucher in the following inning, as the team loaded the bases again.

Tribucher served up a season-high five earned runs while lasting just 4.1 innings and walking five in his worst start of the summer. The southpaw still sports a 2.45 ERA, but he has gradually slipped in recent starts. After not allowing an earned run over his first 18 innings to start the summer, Sanford’s ace has appeared merely human, coughing up nine in his last 13.

Reliever Thomas Fortier gave up a sacrifice fly to the first batter he faced, Slade Heggen, allowing Vermont to take a four-run lead into the sixth.

Vermont reliever Christian Isbell, looking for a fourth straight scoreless outing, faltered. He gave up a RBI double to John Cresto in the sixth, then allowed three more to come across in the seventh on one swing of the bat.

After a dropped third strike that allowed Zach Jancarski to reach and a single from Shaine Hughes, Isebll fanned two. He should’ve been out of the seventh, but Sanford right fielder Christopher Gaetano had other plans. He took a 1-1 pitch and teed off, launching it over the fence in right for his fourth home run of the season.

It temporarily gave the Mainers a lead, but Vermont rallied once again. Sanford reliever Joe Orlando hit the first batter he faced in the eighth, Jeremy McCuin. Giles bunted him to second, Ezell singled, and Gaetano misplayed the ball in right field to bring him in. A questionable out call on a double play ended Vermont’s threat, resulting in extras.

Game 30 Recap: SteepleCats 7, Mountaineers 2

Mountaineer Mike Osinski was a bright spot in a tough loss to North Adams.

Entering Tuesday night, Vermont was poised to take over sole possession of third place in the Northern Division. They were one win away from finally reaching .500 after starting the summer 2-11, and losses from Winnipesaukee and Keene at the end of the night would have them a game up on the pair.

It wasn’t in the cards, however. Vermont missed out on several opportunities, and the visiting North Adams SteepleCats piled up 12 hits in a resounding 7-2 victory that once again sets the Mountaineers back.

“They played way better and way harder,” Vermont manger Joe Brown said of North Adams. “They came out and attacked us while we sat on our heels, so they earned a win. That’s disappointing because the opportunity we had in front of us was pretty good, but we couldn’t take advantage of it.”

“It shouldn’t of happened,” he added. “It’s unacceptable.”

Vermont starter Jonathan Stiever gave up four earned runs on seven hits, both summer-highs, and the Mountaineers couldn’t climb out of an early 1-0 hole. The SteepleCats had four doubles and made the most of their chances, getting to one of the top starting pitchers in the league.

North Adams right-hander Peter Lannoo scattered seven singles over six innings of work, allowing a lone unearned run while striking out two. Vermont loaded the bases against him in the second, but he induced an unconventional 5-2-3 double play to escape the jam. A wild pitch after a runner reached on an error brought in the lone run against him, as he worked out of jams in a variety of ways. A two-out single was erased after a caught stealing, and a runner was doubled up after stealing on the pitch and getting caught on a flout.

SteepleCats right fielder Edward Haus went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs, and shortstop Easton Johnson went 2-for-3 with a trio of RBIs and a run scored. Johnson opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the second, then drove in two more runs in the fourth for an early 3-0 lead.

Vermont got a run back in the bottom of the fourth, but the SteepleCats had an answer as well. Nick Riotto doubled with one out, Daniel Holst drew a walk, and Dustin Shirley added another double to bring in a run. That put North Adams up 4-1, chasing Stiever after five innings of work.

Mountaineers reliever Kevin Kernan took over and cruised through his first three innings of work, allowing a lone hit while striking out three. With two outs in ninth, however, his defense let him down. Vermont’s Will Morgan misplayed a ball and it got all the way to the wall, allowing a run to score and the runner to go all the way to third.

Shaken, Kernan issued a walk, then gave up back-to-back singles to Holst and John Mazza that both brought in runs. It was a tough turn of events for Kernan, who had been cruising and ended up getting tagged with three runs.

“I thought he pitched great for us,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, he got stabbed a little bit with just one out to go, but he saved us.”

The SteepleCats trio of Jack Rupe, Andrew Camiolo, and Logan Austin combined for three strong innings in relief. Austin gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth, as Jeremy Giles came up with a RBI groundout, but North Adams still had an easy win locked up.

Rule and Camillo have been two of the league’s top relievers, each with sub-2.00 ERA’s. Camiolo needed just 11 pitches for a 1-2-3 eighth against the heart of Vermont’s lineup.

NOTES: Michael Osinski played first base for the Mountaineers as Mikael Mogues remains out with an injury. Osinski didn’t make an error, and had a nice play and ensuing flip to the covering pitcher in the ninth inning. “He’s unselfish,” Brown said. “He’s a good baseball player and was willing do that to help us, and we appreciated that.”... Osinski had a strong day at the plate as well, going 3-for-4 with a trio of singles to raise his season average to .374. It was his second straight multi-hit game, and he's working on a four-game hitting streak where he’s gone 9-for-13 (.692)... Keegan Meyn, a Player of the Week Honor Roll selection last week, pinch-hit in the eighth inning for Troy Scocca and grounded out on the first pitch he saw. It’s been a slow few games for Meyn, who’s just 1-for-12 over the last three games.

UP NEXT: Vermont welcomes Sanford (19-14), who has won eight of 10 and hold a 1 1/2-game lead on the Valley Blue Sox atop the Northern Division. Winners of two straight, the Mainers blanked Winnipesaukee, 3-0, last night. Southpaw William Tribucher (Michigan) is the Sanford probable starter, set to make his sixth start. He’s 3-1 with a 1.33 ERA over 27 innings, good for an All-Star nod. He’s piled up 28 strikeouts while issuing just 13 walks and allowing 16 hits. Tribucher started the summer with three straight starts of six innings where he didn’t allow an earned run.

Game 29 Recap: Mountaineers 6, Muskrats 2

Joe Tietjen hit his team-leading fourth home run, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs and RBIs.

Without All-Star first basemen Mikael Mogues for the first time since the eighth game of the season, the resilient Vermont Mountaineers trotted out a different lineup and capitalized on chances, knocking off the Winnipesaukee Muskrats, 6-2.

Joe Tietjen, hitting out of the three spot for the first time in some time, went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, opening the scoring with a two-out solo home run on the first pitch he saw from Muskrats right-hander Paul Campbell in the first. Mike Osinski went 2-for-4 with a run and Jeremy McCuin had his first big game, going 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI out of the nine spot in Vermont’s order.

“You have to play without people,” Vermont manager Joe Brown said. “I was probably going to give him rest any way, but you should be able to win without people, that’s what the other guys are for. It was a good job coming out of the break.”

Despite striking out 12 times, the Mountaineers piled up six runs on nine hits, scoring four in the final three frames to pull away against the Muskrats. It ran Vermont’s winning streak to four as they continue to climb in the Northern Division, improving to 14-15. They’ve leaped into a tie with Winnipesaukee for the fourth and final playoff spot, but are just 2 1/2 games out of division-leading Sanford.

Vermont starter Rayne Supple gave up solo home runs to Winnipesaukee’s Keivan Berges and Ryan Stekl, lasting just 3 1/3 as he labored through 73 pitches. Supple, who went four innings in his first start, earned a no-decision. It was the work of the Mountaineers bullpen that sealed the deal, as the combination of Fitz Stadler and Chandler Sedat was practically unhittable.

Stadler entered with a runner on first in the fourth and induced a first-pitch double play, and ended up scattering a pair of hits over 3 2/3 in long relief. He ran into trouble sixth, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position with a strikeout and groundout. The towering right-hander struck out four to earn the win.

“Fitz was great and he’s been coming and coming recently,” Brown said. “Each out, it’s been a little bit better from him. That big inning where they had second and third with one out and Fitz getting that strikeout was huge.”

Sedat extended his scoreless innings streak to start the season to 17 1/3, striking out one and walking one over two innings for his second multi-inning save of the summer.

Vermont’s bullpen has been a strength to start July. Over 19 appearances and 45 innings of work, Mountaineer relievers have allowed just nine earned runs for a sub-2.00 ERA. Stadler, Christian Isbell and Michael Fairchild have all found success in recent outings for the Mountaineers, while Sedat has been a reliable arm all summer long.

“We’re establishing roles and guys are rested,” Brown said of his bullpen’s recent run. “Nobody’s gassed right now and we’ve got our pitching lined up.”

Tietjen’s home run in the first put Vermont up 1-0, but the Muskrats answered with a pair of home runs coming in the second and third. Tietjen reached with two outs in the third, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and tied the game on a fielding error at second.

Errors were a troubling trend for Winnipesaukee, who committed three after allowing just 21 in their first 30 games, tops in the NECBL. Vermont took the lead back in the sixth after a pair of costly errors. Osinski singled to right, then caught right fielder Grant Meylan sleeping to take an extra base. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on the same play, as Muskrats catcher Michael Alesico’s throw down sailed into left field.

Campbell was a tough-luck loser, allowing three runs, just one earned, over six innings. He struck out eight in his longest start of the summer. Winnipesaukee reliever Geoffrey Kayo gave up three runs in his two innings of work. Tietjen drew a bases-loaded walk, Troy Scocca had a sacrifice fly, and McCuin doubled in a run.

Winnipesaukee’s lost five of six and fall below .500 at 15-16.

Mountaineers aim to build on recent success

Vermont's Davis Feldman is one of several key pieces in a second-half surge for the Mountaineers. /TA Photo

Closing out the stretch before the All-Star break with six wins in seven games, the Vermont Mountaineers climbed out of last place in the Northern Division and sit in good position after finding the reset button on their slow start to the summer.

What’s already happened has been well-documented in this newspaper, as Vermont limped out to a 2-11 start and routinely dealt with defensive struggles. Following a seven-game losing streak – and just one road win in Vermont’s first 11 chances – fans faced the harsh reality that it’s simply not the Mountaineers’ year.

But over the past two weeks, that resignation turned into resolve.

Winners of eight of their past 10 games, the Mountaineers enter the second half with a dangerous lineup and reliable pitching. Vermont won a pair of games against the league-leading Sanford Mainers and is now poised to make a playoff run in an incredibly close Northern Division. All seven teams are within six games of each other and every upcoming game will carry more weight.

Vermont opens the final stretch of the season with a three-game homestand, but it’s a brief break in the midst of a grueling schedule. Ten of the Mountaineers’ final 16 games are on the road, including a five-game overnight trip against Southern foes. With six regular-season games remaining at the friendly confines of Recreation Field, the Mountaineers will need to play better on the road. Vermont has become a heavy-hitter in the hunt for a playoff berth even though the team has gone 3-10.

Facing three divisional foes during the current homestead will provide Vermont with a valuable chance to gain ground. It marks the start of a very lengthy stretch, as the Mountaineers are slated to play 10 games in nine days before their next day off. Vermont manager Joe Brown will have his hands full while attempting to not overwork his pitching staff, especially after the loss of reliable arms Culver Lamb and Joey Benitez to innings limits earlier in July.

Brown has done an excellent job of spreading innings around, as only three members of the Mountaineers pitching staff have thrown over 20 innings this summer. The Mountaineers are adding a right-hander to the bullpen with the signing of returnee Billy Whaley of Northfield. The Norwich University standout piled up 31-plus innings last summer and made four starts for the Mountaineers, posting a 4.02 ERA over nine games.

Whaley could be a valuable innings-eater, and several other pitchers have started to find their groove. Reliever Christian Isbell, who gave up three runs in an inning in his season debut, hasn’t allows an earned run in seven innings spanning three appearances. Starter Davis Feldman has turned in quality back-to-back outings, throwing five scoreless innings during a start against Sanford. After that he held Upper Valley hitless in a three-inning relief effort.

The ability to showcase strong pitching from throughout the staff has been a trademark of Brown’s Mountaineers, and it will be key in the final three weeks of the season. And while Vermont is also a very dangerous team at the plate — scoring nearly seven runs per game over the last 10 contests — the potent offense has glossed over some of the team’s recent mistakes.

Vermont has committed 51 errors in 28 games, and that ranks second-worst in the NECBL behind divisional rival Sanford (53). The Mountaineers are last in fielding percentage, and as a result they have allowed the fewest earned runs in the league. Defensive miscues have been a recurring theme for the Mountaineers, and recently the offensive success has helped cover up the fielding mistakes. But as Vermont enters the stretch run, every error will become more and more costly.

A routine lineup could help matters as players grow accustomed to their positions, and it’s a lineup that could easily be the most productive in the Northern Division. When a team’s offense is working as well as the Mountaineers’, coaches typically don’t tinker with the batting order. Second basemen Trevor Ezell leads off and is followed by a stretch of All-Stars in centerfielder Joe Tietjen, first basemen Mikael Mogues and shortstop Mike Osinski. The white-hot Keegan Meyn and another All-Star in Troy Scocca follow. The first six batters entered Monday’s game hitting over .300. And paired with a strong pitching staff, that combination has been nearly unbeatable lately.

Vermont is still in position to contend for its third straight Northern Division title after coasting through the last two regular seasons and claiming the top seed by multiple games. After a miserable start to 20016, the Mountaineers are playing critical games once again.

NOTES: Four Mountaineers competed Sunday in the NECBL All-Star Game, which ended in an 8-8 tie. The Vermont-backed Northern Division jumped out to a 8-1 lead, with Mountaineers shortstop Michael Osinski reaching base three times and scoring twice. The South scored seven runs in the final two innings, with Keene reliever Michael LaBeau blowing a four-out save.

Vermont first basemen Mikael Mogues finished second in the Home Run Derby after putting on a show in the opening round. During the All-Star Game he drew a walk in his first at-bat and then came a feet shy of belting a two-run homer in the third inning. He settled for a fly-out to the warning track in center, then exited in the fourth after attempting to make a leaping catch over the tarp near the right-field line.

Mogues was the second-to-last hitter to go in the first round of the home run derby, launching a then-best seven home runs. He added two more in the final, but Newport’s Gabe Snyder soared above while playing in his home park. Snyder hit nine in the first around and 11 more in the second, totaling 20 to secure the victory.

Scocca entered in the fifth inning and played left field, flying out to center. Joe Tietjen reached on an error in a pinch-hit appearance in the ninth inning.