-The Brattleboro Bears and Bellows Falls Terriers varsity baseball teams are in a down cycle this season, with smaller rosters and lots of inexperienced players. They faced each other May 1 at Tenney Field in a game that served as a good barometer for where they both stand. BF managed to take care of the key things — pitching, defense, and hitting — and came away with an 8-3 victory over the Bears, a team that has been struggling in all three areas.
The Terriers took control of this game early. Winning pitcher Steve Joslyn allowed just one Bears base runner in the first three innings as he struck out six batters. Joslyn’s teammates gave him plenty of support in the first two innings. Jaden Bazin walked and later scored on an error in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. BF then scored five runs in the second inning off losing pitcher Wylie Nelson, who walked three batters and gave up three singles. Jackson Fletcher and Joslyn had RBI singles, Jake Tostrup drew a bases-loaded walk, and Jacob Kissell drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Nelson was replaced by Charlie O’Connell in the third inning, and he held the Terriers to a run in the third inning that was scored on an error and an RBI single by Bazin in the seventh inning.
There was a glimmer of hope for the Bears when Joslyn started to lose control of his pitches in the fourth and gave up three runs. Nelson was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch, Cooper LaFlam had an RBI single, and O’Connell walked and scored on fielders’ choice by Izaya Bullins. But Brattleboro got no closer as Kissell came in to relieve Joslyn in the fifth inning. Kissell held the Bears hitless the rest of the way as he walked one batter and struck out one batter.
“There still are things for us to work on, but I think we made the routine plays that you’ve got to make,” said BF coach Bob Lockerby. One thing he said he wasn’t satisfied with was that his hitters did not make adjustments when they faced O’Connell. “We’ve got some good hitters,” Lockerby said of his 3-2 team, “but we’ve got some learning to do.”
Brattleboro coach Chris Groeger says the same thing about his team, which has started the season with three straight losses. “We’re not built to come back from a seven-run deficit,” he said. “We’ve yet to put together all three phases of the game.”
Baseball
• You don’t see too many 1-0 games this early in the high school baseball season, but Twin Valley got the only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh when Gage Ryan reached base on an error, took third on a fielders’ choice by Trey Dupuis, and scored a base hit by Halen Ranslow. That gave the Wildcats a 1-0 win over Poultney on April 27 at Baker Field.
The Wildcats spoiled a masterpiece by Poultney’s Duke Kelley, who struck out 16 and did not walk a batter during his three-hitter. Colton Corey was the winning pitcher; he had nine strikeouts, no walks, and hit one batter in holding Poultney to four hits.
Softball
• Leland & Gray is starting to roll. On April 27 in Chester, the 3-2 Rebels clobbered Green Mountain, 24-10, in six innings.
Three days later in Poultney, the Rebels came away with a 12-5 win over the Blue Devils. Winning pitcher McKinley Bertram struck out 11 batters and helped her cause with a 2-for-5 day at the plate with one run scored, one double, and one RBI. Addison Eldridge got on base in four of her six plate appearances with three runs scored, two RBIs, and one double. Molly Bingham went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs scored, and one double.
• Brattleboro dropped a pair of games last week. On April 29 in Manchester, they lost a close 4-3 decision to Burr & Burton as winning pitcher Malayla Greene went the distance and held the Bears to five hits. Alyssa Jones had two hits and scored a run for the Bears.
The Bears were beaten by Bellows Falls, 10-5, on May 1 to drop their record to 1-4. The 5-1 Terriers scored 10 unanswered runs before Brattleboro broke up the shutout with four runs in the sixth inning and another run in the seventh. Winning pitcher Brielle Mulverhill helped her cause by hitting a home run, and Delaney Stoodley also homered. They each had two hits, as did teammate Jaelyn Fletcher. All three, along with Brook Parker, drove in two runs.
Lacrosse
• The Brattleboro boys are off to a 3-0 start with a 6-1 win at Rutland on April 28. Jackson Patno, J.T. Easton, Carter Mialkowski, and Max Madow all scored in the first half for the Bears, while Colby Robins and Gabe Alexander scored in the second half. Goalie Luke DiZoglio gave up a Rutland goal in the second quarter and nothing more after that.
• The 0-4 Brattleboro girls lost to Rutland, 11-4, on May 1. Natalie Knutson scored the Bears’ first goal early in the opening quarter, but Rutland responded by outscoring the Bears 7-1 to take a 7-2 halftime lead. Louise Frehsee, Emerson Frehsee, and Parker Thibault scored the other Brattleboro goals in the second half, and Bears goalie Fallyn Wood made 13 saves.
Tennis
• The Woodstock Wasps edged the Brattleboro boys, 4-3, in their April 28 match at the BUHS courts. Brattleboro’s wins all came in singles play. No. 1 Mark Richards needed to survive a tiebreaker to defeat Vasko Malik, 6-4, 4-6, 10-4. No. 3 Eli Welch defeated Sam Bowdoin 6-1, 6-3, while No. 4 Seamus Bald beat Arlo Clark 6-3, 6-2 in the No. 4 singles spot.
The Bears’ two singles losses were close ones as No. 2 Elias Frazer Olsen was defeated by Woodstock’s Sam Molalley 5-7, 4-6, and No. 5 Dashielle Moyse lost to Woodstock’s Keller Murphy 3-6, 5-7. Brattleboro was swept in doubles as No. 1 Logan Waite and Felix Hulme were defeated by Finn Costello and Beck Welch 2-6, 4-6, and No. 2 Zane Rizvi and Owen Elliott lost their match, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 4-10.
It was the first of three matches Brattleboro will play against Woodstock this season, and Bears coach Ben Brewer liked what he saw from his team in their first outing against the Wasps. “Anything can happen in a close match, and winning one point can change the momentum,” said Brewer. “We have to have the confidence that it can happen.”
• The Bellows Falls girls lost to Rutland, 4-3, in an April 29 match on the Hadley Field courts. The closest match of the day was at No. 2 singles between Rutland’s Chelsea Pond and BF’s Avery Dole. Dole won on the tiebreaker, 15-13, after Pond won the first set, 6-4, and Dole the second set, 6-2.
Track & Field
• The Brattleboro girls finished second and the boys finished fourth as the Bears were the hosts for a six-team meet April 29 on the Freeman Track. Burr & Burton won the girls’ meet with 200 points, with Brattleboro in second place with 141 and Bellows Falls in fourth with 50 points. White River Valley won the boys’ meet with 165 points as Brattleboro was fourth with 91.83 points and BF was fifth with 50 points.
The Bears had a solid meet on the track as Stockton Woodruff (24.19 seconds) and Colby Weaver (24.35) finished 1-2 in the boys 200-meter dash, and set a new school record in the boys’ 4x1000 relay as Woodruff, Willow Sharma, Nico Conathan-Leach, and Jackson Ferreira won the event in 11:33.85. The girls’ 4x800 relay team of Stella Thies, Leanna Rago-Marker, Xela Nestel, and Lydia Donahue won with a time of 11:47.30.
In the field events, BF’s Veronica Moore won the girls’ javelin with a throw of 28.28 meters, while teammate Avery Maxfield (23.20) was third. Moore also had a second-place finish in the girls’ triple jump with a distance of 9.38 meters. Brattleboro’s Hailey Richards won the girls’ pole vault event by clearing 2.90 meters, and teammate Evelyn Paine was second in the girls’ high jump, clearing 1.32 meters. The BF boys were also strong in the field events as Brockton Lovell was second in shot put (10.91) and Camden Perry was second in discus (31.78).
The Twin Valley boys finished sixth overall. Benny Gerding was their top performer, finishing fourth in the high jump (1.57).
Unified basketball
• John-Michael Richard had a game-high 25 points for Twin Valley in a 52-41 road win over the Fair Haven Slaters on April 27. Fair Haven led 18-16 at halftime, but the Wildcats took a 26-25 lead heading into the final quarter and pulled away from there. Mason Ranslow also scored 14 points for Twin Valley, Brogan Boyce followed with 12 points and Brady Lackey chipped in two points.
Ultimate disc
• Leland & Gray played competitively, but never completely overcame an early deficit in a 15-9 loss to Mill River in Townshend on April 27.
• Brattleboro edged Mill River, 13-12, in North Clarendon on May 1, to improve the Bears‘ record to 2-1.
BOC Consignment Sale & Swap is May 9
• The annual BOC Consignment Sale & Swap of small human and wind-powered watercraft and related gear will be held Saturday, May 9, from noon to 2 p.m. Boats will be accepted Friday, May 8, from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. On May 9, boats will be accepted beginning at 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The swap will be 11:30 a.m. to noon, with the sale starting at noon.
This is a consignment sale to fund the BOC Summer Paddling Program, which is free and open to the public. Boat owners set the price, and BOC Paddling receives 10% of the eventual selling price, plus sales tax. When two or more prospective buyers want the same boat, an “auction” will decide the eventual buyer. Donations are accepted, and appreciated. Only serviceable craft will be allowed; no “project” boats. With a successful swap, each boat owner donates $25 to BOC. For more information, contact Larry McIntosh at Lmacyak@gmail.com.
Local towns are looking for lifeguards
• The towns of Brattleboro, Vernon, and Putney, plus Spofford, New Hampshire, are currently accepting applications for lifeguards for the upcoming summer swimming season. These openings are seasonal — full and part-time positions to guard outside pools and waterfronts — from approximately the end of the current school year in June to about a week before the beginning of the new school year in August.
Lifeguards are responsible for maintaining the safety of patrons in and around public swimming areas. They actively monitor swimmer activity, enforce rules and safety policies, and respond quickly and effectively to all situations. Candidates must be reliable, attentive, and comfortable working with children, families, and members of the public. Flexibility in scheduling is required.
They must have First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer, AED, and Lifeguard Certifications. Routine safety checks, keeping a clean swimming environment, and desk duties could be expected as a daily routine. All those interested must be at least 15 years of age at the time of hiring and possess strong swimming abilities. A current Lifeguard Certification is required or the applicant must be willing to obtain the certification prior to the start of employment. For a beach guard, a Waterfront Lifeguarding course is also required.
A full lifeguard course will be offered locally, beginning May 8, along with re-certification courses. Anyone interested in Waterfront Lifeguarding may also obtain the certification after completing the Lifeguard Course. If you need information or a Lifeguarding Certification and/or an add-on course in Waterfront Lifeguarding Certification, contact Beverly Baldwin Wright at beverlylifeguardclass@gmail.com.
Senior bowling roundup
• The winter/spring season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl concluded April 30 with Bad Boys (48-37) finishing in first place, just a half-game ahead of second place Serious (47.5-37.5). Wayne’s World (46-39) finished third, followed by Lucky 7 and Strikers (both 45-40), Candy Men (44-41), Spare Time (42-43), Three Strikes (37.5-47.5), Bowling Stones (36-49), and Slo Movers (32-53).
Mary Piluski had the women’s high handicap game (243), while Darlene Ladabouche had the high handicap series (659). Wayne Randall had the men’s high handicap game (270) and series (707), and Three Strikes had the high team handicap game (873) and series (2,562).
Kevin Napaver had the men’s high scratch series (641) with games of 236, 203, and 202, while Robert Rigby had a 639 series with games of 226, 211, and 202. Randall had a 560 series with games of 221 and 198, John Walker had a 558 series with games of 195 and 193, and Rick Westcott had a 557 series with games of 213 and 190. Gary Montgomery had a 553 series with a 213 game, Warren Corriveau Sr. had a 546 series with a 192 game, and Mike Pavlovich rolled a 195.
Ladabouche had the women’s high scratch series (440) and game (170). Shirley Aiken had a 169 game, Diane Cooke had a 163 game, and Carol Gloski rolled a 161.
Randolph T. Holhut, deputy editor of this newspaper, has written this column since 2010 and has covered sports in Windham County since the 1980s. Readers can send him sports information at news@commonsnews.org.
This Sports column by Randolph T. Holhut was written for The Commons.