CLAREMONT ALONE IN FIRST, CHESTER/SAXTONS WINS IN MUD, SUNAPEE BEATS WALPOLE AND KEENE WINS FIRST GAME IN CRVBL ACTION
By Kevin McElhinney, CRVBL
The defending Connecticut River Valley Baseball League champion Claremont Cardinals are now in sole possession of first place, the Chester/Saxtons River Crush emerged victorious in a rain shortened battle against Putney, Sunapee defeated Walpole and Keene won its first game of the year in recent action among local adult baseball teams.
Claremont and Newport squared off under the lights at Barnes park in Claremont in a battle of undefeated town teams, with the Cardinals emerging a 6-2 winner. The Cardinals relied on aggressive hitting and baserunning during a four run fourth inning and solid pitching from Mike Wells, sho picked up his first victory of the season. Lefty Brandon Stocker pitched well for the Polar Bears.
The Chester/Saxtons Crush and the Putney Fossils managed a five inning game on a muddy Dummerston Field, with the Crush coming out on top, 12-1. Nick Wirkkala picked up the win, giving up seven hits while striining out five. He also helped his cause with a hit and a run batted in. League batting leader Scott Renfro boosted his average to .688 with three hits and a pair of RBI. Junior Sargent had 2 hits and an RBI for the Crush.
In Sunapee, the Old Lakers rode the pitching of Tom Frederick and the hitting of Mike Saindon and Kyle Cummings to a 7-2 win over the Walpole Wild Blue. Frederick struck out 10 and gave up just one earned run while Saindon and Cummings each went 3 for 5 with a double and two runs batted in. Chris Ballou of Walpole struck out nine coming our of the bullpen.
At Dummerston Field, the pitching of Tim Santaw led the Keene Black Dawgs to their first victory of the season, beating the Brattleboro River Rats, 4-1. Santaw allowed just four hits in seven innings and went two for three at the plate. Sunny Lucas scored the only Brattleboro, after doubling, stealing third and taking home on a throwing error.
Next weekend’s CRVBL action starts Friday evening when Newport travels to Walpole for a 6:00 p.m. On Sunday, May 19th, Claremont takes on Keene at Keene State College at 11:00 a.m. At the same time, Chester/Saxtons and Brattleboro start a doubleheader at Vermont Academy and Sunapee hosts Putney. All games are free of charge, and to find out more about the league, please visit its website at www.crvbl.org .
STANDINGS
Claremont 4 0
Chester 4 1
Newport 3 1
Sunapee 3 2
Walpole 1 3
Putney 1 3
Keene 1 3
Brattleboro 0 4
