BENNINGTON, Vt. — Windsor High’s Robert Slocum used his legs, his bat and, most importantly, his pitching arm to keep the White River Junction Junior Nighthawks on a tear in the Vermont Summer Baseball League.
After scoring twice in an 11-0 win over Bennington to open Saturday’s VSBL doubleheader at the Bennington Baseball Park, Slocum came on in relief to help secure an eight-inning, 7-5 win and a sweep. That stretched the Junior Nighthawks’ winning streak to seven games heading into a key contest on Wednesday.
Bennington (1-8) jumped on WRJ starter Curtis Barry (Hartford) for six runs in the opening two innings, so coach Justin Devoid tapped Slocum’s shoulder in time for the third. The former Yellowjacket held the hosts to just three hits the rest of the way, striking out four.
Down, 5-2, WRJ (7-1) started its comeback with fourth-inning RBIs from Nick Martin (Hartford) and Nathan O’Donnell (Thetford). Kyle Hamilton (Hartford) delivered a run-scoring single in the fifth to tie the game and eventually force an extra frame.
The Junior Nighthawks’ Cam Tucker (Hartford) started the eighth by reaching on a fielder’s choice, stealing second base and scoring on an RBI single from Jacob Dwinell (Hartford). A Bennington error later brought Dwinell home, and Slocum retired the hosts in order in the home half for the win.
WRJ cruised in the opener, which ended on the 10-run rule after five frames. The Junior Nighthawks sent 12 batters to the plate in the third, scoring seven of them. A two-run single from John Kasten (Hartford) did the most damage.
Hamilton, Dwinell and Martin all had two-hit games for WRJ, and Kasten threw a complete-game one-hitter for the victory.
The Junior Nighthawks visit Lakes Region (5-1 entering the weekend) on Wednesday.
LEBANON — The Upper Valley Anglers rescheduled two games on Saturday.
The 19U squad will play Sunday’s New Hampshire COVID Baseball League game with Seacoast Pirates Silver at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton. The contest, which had been slated for Dover’s St. Thomas Aquinas High, will be the first NHCBL meeting of the season between the two sides.
The 17U squad had a Saturday’s home doubleheader with the STA Saints postponed by weather. No makeup date has been set.