FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Southern Vermont College baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Plymouth St. Tuesday at the Ft. Myers Player Development Complex, 5-2 and then 13-1.
Southern Vermont falls to 2-3 on the season while Plymouth St. improves to 6-1.
The PSU pitching staff allowed only two hits to the Mountaineers in the second game while offensively the Panthers totaled 19 of their own.
Game 1 – Plymouth St. 5, SVC 2
The Panthers didn't take long to grab the lead as they loaded the bases with three-straight singles to left before junior third baseman Brandon Cox (Nashua, N.H.) knocked in two with a double to left center. A wild pitch brought in another runner as Cox moved to third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by junior right fielder Jeff Runnals (Wolfeboro, N.H.).
Plymouth would tack on another in the second when sophomore shortstop Paul Reny (South Portland, Maine) ripped a double to the left field gap to bring around designated hitter Dan Armstrong (Danville, N.H.) for PSU to go ahead 5-0.
The Mountaineers were hard pressed to get any momentum offensively as Panther starting pitcher Michael Welch (Westfield, Mass.) surrendered only three hits through the first four innings. Southern Vermont was able to load the bases with two outs in the fifth but was unable to bring any in.
SVC reliever Dustyn Marfyak (Torrington, Conn.) threw well out of the bull pen to stop the Panthers from increasing their lead, throwing five innings while not allowing a run on two hits and two walks. He struck out four on the morning.
Southern Vermont was able to get on the board in the top of the sixth as a lead-off walk and ensuing double by sophomore first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Caves, N.Y.) would turn out to be runs for the Mountaineers. A bases-loaded fielder's choice scored the pinch-running freshman Walter Ramos (Yonkers, N.Y.), and a Plymouth error resulted in LaBadia crossing the plate. The would be it, however, as Plymouth St. hard-throwing junior closer Ryan Wakefield (Sanbornton, N.H.) came in to seal the deal for his first save of the season.
Welch (1-0) took home the win while SVC freshman righty Adam Michaud (East Hampton, Conn.) was credited with the loss.
Mountaineer sophomore right fielder Roland Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) was 1-2, his third-straight game with a hit. Senior catcher Corey D. Briggs (Wood River, R.I.) was also 1-2 with a run batted in.
Armstrong was 1-2 for the Panthers with a run scored while Cox was 1-3 with two RBIs.
Game 2 – Plymouth St. 13, SVC 1
In the day cap, Plymouth again stormed out to an early lead as back-to-back doubles to start the game were followed by senior Ryan McIntosh (Lincoln, N.H.) getting plunked. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, and a Cox poke over Mountaineer first baseman Corey Armstrong (Bennington, Vt.) to bring in the second Panther run. A walk and then a single by sophomore first baseman Brian Thompson (Southington, Conn.) brought in McIntosh, and a sacrifice fly from Dan Armstrong saw PSU up 4-0.
The Panthers would add another in the second with a Cox single to right that moved Reny to third; he was then waved home as the ball was bobbled in the outfield. PSU continued to change the board in the top of the third with as the Panthers had a two-out rally that included a stolen base by senior left fielder Steve Beard (Middletown, Mass.); as the throw went down to second, senior center fielder Brendan Cosgrove (Merrimack, N.H.) headed for home to make it a 7-0 ballgame. A McIntosh single to right field allowed Beard to round third and score.
Southern Vermont struggled to get anything going offensively against Panther starting junior righty Tucker Regan (Niantic, Conn.) who only gave up one hit in four innings of work. He struck out three and only walked one batter.
The plate went uncrossed until the top of the seventh when PSU added another five
Regan earned his first win of the season (1-0) while Southern Vermont senior captain Max Ginter (Hamden, Conn.) is credited with the loss (1-1).
S VC sophomore left fielder Jarod Hayen (Esperance, N.Y.) was 1-1 while his replacement, junior Corey B. Briggs (Adams, Mass.) plated the only SVC run of the game.
Beard finished the game 4-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Reny went 3-6 with three runs scored and one batted in. McIntosh and Cosgrove had two RBIs apiece.
Southern Vermont continues Wednesday with a 10 a.m. game against The College of Wooster and a 1 p.m. game versus the University of Minnesota-Morris; both games will be nine innings. The Panthers have a single game against Utica College Wednesday at 9 a.m.