White River Junction
WRJ (11-6), which tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out double by Tyler Hamilton, has four regular-season games remaining before the state tournament, which begins on July 28 in Castleton and Rutland.
Hamilton, who pitched the sixth and seventh innings after starting in center field, drove in Robert Slocum (walk) to send the game into extra innings.
Brattleboro (12-3) added two runs in the eighth off WRJ pitcher Kyle Hedgepeth, but Post 84 would not roll over.
“This team doesn’t give up,” White River assistant coach Jamie Richardson said. “We put the ball in play, we score a lot of runs, so we’re never out of any game. As long as we have that mentality, we’ll be doing pretty well.”
Richardson took the helm on Thursday to fill in for head coach, John O’Hara, who attended a doctor’s appointment.
“(O’Hara) will be back,” Richardson said. “(It’s) nothing major.”
Duncan Frazier, Post 84’s catcher, got things going in the eighth with a one-out, infield hit. Kyle Hamilton followed with a single before Brady Clark reached on an infield hit of his own. Alex Emerson drove in Frazier on a fielder’s choice before Slocum grounded out to end the game.
“We had opportunities to win,” Richardson said. “That’s what we ask for every time.”
Clark, a Vermont Academy shortstop hailing from Springfield, Vt., led his team with three hits on the evening. He also walked, drove in a run and made an array of impressive plays in the field. Clark’s RBI — 84’s first of the game — plated Frazier (three runs) in the third inning.
Slocum scored in the fourth inning after leading off with a walk. Tyler Hamilton was hit by a pitch two batters later, which ousted Brattleboro starting pitcher Joe Rafus. When Jeremy Rounds came on in relief, Hamilton immediately tested him with a big lead off first, successfully drawing an errant throw. Slocum scored on the play and Hamilton ended up on third. The Post 84 rally ended when Moises Celaya hit a thunderous line drive right at Brattleboro first basemen Hunter Beebe, who subsequently doubled Ryland Richardson off first base.
The hosts also scored in the fifth on a fielder’s choice RBI by Emerson.
Alex Bushway started on the mound for WRJ, giving up seven hits and four runs. He struck out one and didn’t walk any batters. Walker Albrect pitched the fifth before yielding to Hamilton.
Post 84 has all but secured a spot in next weekend’s state tournament, which will include the top four teams in both the North and South divisions. Rutland, Brattleboro and Bellows Falls are likely to be the other southern teams competing at Castleton University and Mount Saint Joseph Academy.
White River already has handed Rutland and Brattleboro defeats, which gives Post 84 a measure of confidence heading into Sunday’s doubleheader with Bellows Falls.
“We know we can beat teams,” Richardson said. “We’ve just got to tighten up our defense and start playing better on the defensive side.”