It may have been too much to ask of the Brattleboro Colonels softball team to make two bus rides to St. Albans in the space of 24 hours. Or to maintain their intensity after having a thunderstorm interrupt the game and force that second ride to St. Albans. Or to face the team they beat last year for their second straight state title under these circumstances.
But that was the hand that was dealt to the third-seeded Colonels, who lost a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to the second-seeded BFA-St. Albans Comets in the Division I semifinals last Thursday.
The Comets and Colonels got rained out in the bottom of the second inning last Wednesday. When the game resumed the next day, with the score at 0-0, both teams blocked out the distractions and played superbly.
BFA-St. Albans took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Maria Lowe singled to right to lead off the inning, and pinch runner Hanna Lovelette advanced to second base on a sacrfice bunt by Caitlyn Abbott. Celsey Lumbra smacked a single to left field to put runners at the corners with one out. Kathryn Howrigan drove in Lovelette with a sacrifice fly to center field, while Lumbra, who stole second and advanced to third on Howrigan's sac fly, scored on a passed ball.
Brattleboro had the makings of a big inning in the fifth when they loaded the bases with one out as Rissa Smith and Bailey Paige were both hit by pitches and McKinlie Carpenter drew a walk. But the Colonels only got one run out of it. Smith scored on a passed ball, but Comets pitcher Chelsea Abbott pitched out of the jam by retiring the next two batters.
Abbott and losing pitcher Kayla Wood dueled to the end. Abbott got the win by holding the Colonels to just three hits with a complete game, eight strikeout performance. Wood was outstanding despite suffering her first-ever loss in the postseason, she struck out three and walked four in pitching a complete game three-hitter.
It was the kind of game you would expect from two evenly-matched teams. Both finished the regular season with 14-2 records and 53 index points, the Vermont Principals' Association (VPA) seeded the Comets higher based on the strength of their schedule.
• In last Monday's 15-7 loss to top-seeded Peoples Academy in the Division III quarterfinals, Twin Valley coach Aaron Wood filed a protest to the VPA because Peoples did not use regulation softballs for the game. Under VPA rules, Dudley softballs are the only ball permitted.
Last Tuesday, the VPA denied Twin Valley's request, although it fined Peoples $250 for violating its policy. According to the Burlington Free Press, a second violation would result in the school being called before the VPA's Activities Standards Committee.
Baseball
• Top-seeded Northfield rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to beat No. 5 Leland & Gray, 4-3, in a Division III semifinal last Tuesday.
Drew Barnum gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run double, and Riley Kenney hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to stretch the Rebels' lead to 3-1 before the Marauders came back to win it.
Barnum was the losing pitcher, despite striking out seven batters and holding Northfield to just two hits over seven innings. The Rebels finished the year with a 13-6 record.
Tennis
• The second-seeded and undefeated Rutland Raiders blitzed No. 6 Brattleboro, 6-1, in a Division I semifinal last Tuesday. Brattleboro's Isaiah Ungerleider defeated Dom Wysolmerski 6-4, 6-4, at No. 1 singles for the only win of the day for the Colonels.
The Colonels finished with a 14-3-1 record, and went further into the playoffs than anyone expected.
Track and field
• The Division III state track meet at Green Mountain High School in Chester started on June 1 and didn't finish up until June 6, due to persistant rains that prevented the field events from taking place. Despite the delays, both the Bellows Falls boys' and girls' teams finished second in the event.
Brit Moyna (pole vault), Enny Mustapha (discus) and Kammie Crawford (javelin) were first place finishers for the Terrier girls. Moyna added a second in the high jump, while Mustapha was second in the shot put and third in the javelin. Corina Stack was second in the javelin, and Mariah Barnett was third in the pole vault.
Moyna was runner-up in the 110 and 300 hurdles. Anna Clark finished third in the 800 and fourth in the 1,500, Chloe Boyce ended up third in the 300 hurdles, and Chapin Reis was sixth in the 100. In the relay events, the Terriers were first in the 4 X 100, second in the 4 X 400 and third in the 4 X 800.
Jamie Moore finished second in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000, while John Punger (400) and TJ Bernier (110) each won a state title for the BF boys. Bernier was also second in the 300 hurdles. The BF boys won the 4 X 100 relay and finished third in the 4 X 800.
Joe Aslin won the javelin and was third in the shot put, while Will Bourne came in third in the long jump and sixth in the pole vault. Jake Stoddard was second in the triple jump, while Punger and Kendrick Mills placed third and fourth, respectively, in the pole vault.
Post 5 Legion team will play this year
• It was a close call, but there will be American Legion baseball in Brattleboro this summer.
Last month, Brattleboro American Legion Post 5 announced was cutting back on its funding of the baseball program. That put the burden of fundraising on the players and their families and friends. They came through with enough money to cover much of the estimated $6,000 cost of fielding a team for the 2012 season.
The Legion season will begin on Monday, June 18, when Post 5 takes on Bellows Falls at Hadley Field.
'Glove, Sweat and Cheers' tournament seeks teams
• The 18th annual Glove, Sweat and Cheers Women's Slow Pitch Softball Tournament is set for July 7 and 8 at Brattleboro's Living Memorial Park, and there's still time for teams to register to play.
This tournament is a fundraiser for the Women's Freedom Center, and it is filled with plenty of fun for everyone. Organizers stress that you don't need to be on a team to play, and you don't need to be an experienced player to participate - just bring your glove and your enthusiasm.
Registration and other tournament information is available by sending an email to glovesweatcheers@gmail.com.
Baseball, basketball camps offered
• The Brattleboro Recreation and Parks Department offers baseball and basketball camps this summer.
The Brattleboro Area Baseball Camp will conduct its 21st season this summer under the direction of Alan Libardoni. The camps are as follows: Little League Age Camp - June 20-22 and June 25-29, from 9 a.m. to noon daily; Babe Ruth Age Camp - July 2-3 and July 5-7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily; and the Small Fry Age Camp - July 9-13, 9 a.m. to noon daily.
All camps are conducted at Tenney Field at Brattleboro Union High School. For more information, contact Libardoni at 802-257-4203.
The Hoop It Up Basketball Camp for children entering grades 2 through 7 is directed by BUHS coaches Todd Bell and Jay Cudworth, and all counselors are present or past athletes attending BUHS or are involved in college basketball programs.
For students in grades 2-4, the camp will run from 9 a.m. to noon and will focus on the development of motor skills giving each child the opportunity to practice specific skills in a structured and fun setting. It is for youngsters who want to have fun while improving their basketball skills.
For students in grades 5-7, the camp runs from 1 to 4 p.m., and will focus on the development of motor skills, as well as provide opportunities to practice team skills in game situations. The camp is meant for boys and girls to improve their skills with ball handling, dribbling, passing, catching, and lay-ups.
The camp is scheduled for the week of June 18-22, and is held at the Gibson Aiken Center, 207 Main St. The cost of the one week camp is $85 for Brattleboro residents and $100 for non-residents.
Brochures on both camps are available at the Recreation Department office on Main Street. Call 802-254-5808 or visit BikeReg.com at a discounted price of $20. Race-day registration opens at 7 a.m. in the base lodge and the race will begin at 9 a.m.