WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The White River Junction Junior Nighthawks plan to defend their turf. They’ll have the entire weekend to do so if things go their way.
The Vermont Summer Baseball League entry secured a first-round postseason bye and a quarterfinal home game by posting a 12-4 regular-season record to finish third in the 13-team league. The Junior Nighthawks — essentially what would have been White River Junction Post 84 had the Vermont American Legion baseball season not been canceled by the coronavirus pandemic — will host either No. 11 Barre (4-11) or No. 6 Brattleboro (9-7) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at the Maxfield Sports Complex.
Should the Junior Hawks win, they’d play a Maxfield semifinal on Saturday, where a win would draw a title-game visit at the Max on Sunday. WRJ coach Justin Devoid said his guys have taken to their home in the short time they’ve been together.
“I think everyone’s excited,” Devoid said after the Hawks’ 6-2 loss to Brattleboro in Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Maxfield. “I know the kids are. It’s better to wake up in your own bed and not have to drive two hours to a game. We’re pretty pumped to be here, get here early enough to take some BP. I think it will be more comfortable for us.”
Tuesday’s defeat was WRJ’s first at home after seven straight wins, and it came with Devoid employing a lineup of reserves. Whoever visits on Friday will see the squad Devoid usually sends out.
That’ll begin on the mound with Windsor High graduate Robbie Slocum. A key part of the Yellowjackets’ VPA Division III baseball state championship in 2018, Slocum went 2-0 in four appearances over 16 innings as a freshman pitcher at Norwich University this spring before the pandemic wiped out college sports.
Slocum is one of three college players on the Junior Hawks’ roster, the others being his former Windsor teammate, Ryland Richardson (Norwich U.), along with Zach Whitmore, a Randolph High grad who pitched at Maine’s Husson College this spring. Southpaw Whitmore has proved a worthy No. 2 starter behind Slocum, and Hartford High’s Alex Bushway has also thrown well out of the No. 3 slot. That leaves Devoid confident in his rotation entering the postseason.
If WRJ can score early and often, it would allow Devoid to pull Slocum and leave him available to help at some other point of the weekend. Richardson, Kyle Hamilton (Hartford), Colin Vielleux (Hartford; complete-game one-hitter vs. Bellows Falls on July 21) and John Kasten (Hartford) are among Devoid’s many bullpen options.
“I’ve got a lot of pitching,” Devoid said. “Rob Slocum has pitched well for me all year. Zach Whitmore has pitched some very good games for us, along with Alex Bushway. We have three pretty good starters. You look at the playoffs as you’ve got three games, you’ve got three starters. … I think we’ll be pretty effective on the mound.”
Ryan Pepe (Thetford) and Jacob Dwinell (Hartford) provide speed both on the bases and in the outfield for WRJ. Dwinell made a spectacular diving grab of a sinking liner to rob Brattleboro of two potential runs in Tuesday’s contest.
Devoid’s one concern is White River Junction’s offense, which has had a penchant for occasional stretches of silence. That said, the Junior Nighthawks scored at least six runs in each of their 12 wins this summer.
A Brattleboro visit would not only present a rematch of Tuesday, but it would also produce a reunion with the only team to win a season series from WRJ. The Hawks also haven’t played anyone from the league’s northern half, as the VSBL schedule kept travel to a minimum.
All Devoid knows is his team is at home for as long as it’s alive. That’s a comfortable place to be.
“I tell the kids all year: The mantra’s been 21 outs,” Devoid said. “You give them 21 outs, throw strikes, score some runs, we’re going to be in good shape.”
Fungoes: Saturday’s semifinals are set for 1 and 4 p.m. The Junior Nighthawks are in the latter’s bracket. Sunday’s championship game has a noon first pitch. … Hartford High grad and current Babson College pitcher Jordy Allard has helped Devoid as an assistant coach this summer. He’ll miss this weekend’s games because of a previously arranged vacation. … Hinesburg’s S.D. Ireland (14-1) is the tourney’s top seed, followed by Fair Haven-based Lakes Region (13-3) and the Hawks.
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.