Lyndonville, VT - Vermont State University Lyndon errupted for 11 runs and 13 hits and went on to defeat Plymouth State University, 11-5, in a non-conference baseball game this afternoon. Lyndon improved to 12-21 on the season, while Plymouth fell to 6-19.
Lyndon got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Evan Duncan (Little Elm, TX) beat out an infield hit leading off, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then to third on Matt Gonyeau's (St. Albans, VT), before coming home on another wild pitch.
The Hornets added a run in the home half of the third inning. Chuck Gratton (Bennington, VT) drew a one-out walk, then moved to second when EJ Camden (Corona, CA) followed with another walk. Gratton came all the way around to score when Carter Paquette (Shoreham, VT) reached on a Panther error.
Lyndon doubled up its lead with two more runs in the fourth inning. Duncan got things started with a base hit, then stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored when Bryan Nazario (Little Elm, TX) reached on another Plymouth error. After Gonyeau singled and Gratton walked to load the bases, Nazario scored on a Dale Ostermann (Harrington, DE) sacrifice fly, making the score 4-0, Hornets.
Meanwhile, Lyndon starter Joey Hanlon (Trinity, FL) kept the Panthers off the scoreboard through four innings. That would change in the top of the fifth inning. Cole Johnston reached on a Lyndon error to get the Plymouth rally started. He stole second, then moved to third on Login Desrochers' base hit. Connor Dobson's base hit back up the middle brought home Johnston with the first Plymouth run. Tony Suarez followed with another base hit to load the bases. Luke Sokoloski then delivered a single to left field, which the Hornets misplayed to allow both Desroches and Dobson to score, cutting the Lyndon lead to 4-2. Owen Baum reached on an error to load the bases again, but Hanlon came up with back to back strikeouts fo get the Hornets out of the inning.
Lyndon opened up the lead again in the bottom of the fifth. Pinch hitter James Ripley (Jeffersonville, VT) got things started with a one-out walk, then was lifted for a pinch runner, Michael Matsi (Las Vegas, NV). Matsi moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored when Duncan reached on an error. Duncan promptly stole second, then scored on a Gonyeau base hit. After Gratton walked, Ostermann laced a base hit to right field, driving in Gonyeau to increase the Lyndon lead to 7-3.
Plymouth chipped away with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, the Panthers took advantage of a pair of Lyndon errors and plated a run on Dobson's RBI single. And in the seventh, Plymouth loaded the bases on back to back base hits from Sokolski and Baum and a Lyndon error allowing Ryan Morgado to reach base, Byron Bell grounded into a fielder's choice to Sokolski, but Lyndon reliever Alberto Bustamante (Northridge, CA) was able to strike out Desrochers to end the threat.
Jack Holley (San Gabriel, CA) came on to relieve Bustamante in the eighth inning and promptly set the Panthers down in order. Lyndon then broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Paquette led off with a walk, then stole second and moved to third when Luis Rivera Pellot (Wimauma, FL) flied out to right. After Will Perkins (Holtwood, PA) walked, Duncan singled to drive in Paquette. Nazario followed with a two-run single, then scored later in the inning when Ostermann grounded into a bases loaded fielder's choice.
Holley closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning, earning the save and preserving the win for Holley, who allowed one earned run run and six hits with five strikeouts over five innings. Plymouth starter Jack Gintof took the loss.
The Hornets return to action on Wednesday afternoon when they host Vermont State University Castleton in another non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
