Vermont, New Hampshire Split 2016 Twin State Baseball Classic Doubleheader

2016 Twin State Baseball Classic

Game One: New Hampshire 6, Vermont 5

Game Two: Vermont 3, New Hampshire 2

Contact: Bruce Bosley (802-324-8334/bbosley.vbca@gmail.com)

LYNDON CENTER, Vt. -- Strong pitching led by Eamonn McCabe (St. Johnsbury) and Andrew Bortnick (Champlain Valley), and an excellent two-way effort by Codi Smith (Hartford) gave Vermont a 3-2 win over New Hampshire in the second game of the 2016 Twin State Baseball Classic Saturday afternoon at Skip Pound Field. 

New Hampshire scored twice in its last at bat to come from behind to take the lidlifter, 6-5. It is the second straight year the two states split the twinbill, all one-run contests, in the series that resumed after an absence of more than a decade.

In the twinbill, Smith, named the Vermont MVP in the classic, went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored. He opened the scoring in the nightcap and then closed out the one-run game on the mound with the save. 

Smith led game two with a single and came around on an infield out to give Vermont an early 1-0 lead. The Green Mountain State went up 3-0 with two more in the fourth. With two down, Eli Baez (Essex) and Bortnick singled with Baez scoring on a third straight single by Sam Mikell (Champlain Valley). Smith's infield grounder went for an error to allow the third run come home.

New Hampshire made it 3-1 in the fourth with an unearned run off Bortnick, driven in on an infield ground out by Caleb Drouin (Belmont). Cole Cruz (Sunapee), who went 2-for-3 in game two, singled home Kyle Shaw (Campbell) to bring the Granite State within one, 3-2, in the top of the sixth. With one out in the seventh, New Hampshire's Tyler Brown (Littleton) walked and one out later went to second on a hard single to center by James Salta (Laconia). Smith came in with the go-ahead runs on base to retire Kyle Shaw (Campbell) on a grounder to first for the save.

McCabe hurled three scoreless innings allowing one hit and a walk while strking out three to earn the victory. Bortnick followed him for the next two frames and struck out four, allowing just the unearned run in the fourth. 

In the opener, New Hampshire had a 2-1 lead through three on RBIs by Drouin and Cruz before Vermont scored three times in the top of the fourth. Jason Chrisman doubled with one out and was followed three straight run-scoring singles by Henry Cunningham (South Burlington), Baez and Smith to go up 4-2. 

New Hampshire tied it in its half on the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Drouin and a two-out RBI single by James Salta. 

In the sixth, Smith walked with one out, stole second and came in on a two-out RBI single by Matt Page (Blue Mountain) to put Vermont on top 5-4. Hew Hampshire rallied again to take the lead on a two-run double by Cruz with two outs in its half of the sixth. Vermont had its first two hitters reach in the seventh but Brown put away the next three to seal the 6-5 win.

Brown picked up the win for New Hampshire and Ben Sykes (North Country) too the loss. Cruz, named the Granite State MVP, finished game one 2-for-2 with a walk and the two RBI and wrapped up the twinbill 4-for-5 with three stolen bases and three RBI. 

Mark Connor (BFA St. Albans) went 2-for-2 at the plate while Smith and Chrisman each singled and doubled in three trips as Vermont had 10 hits in game one.

Below: 2016 Twin State Baseball Classic MVPs: New Hampshire's Cole Cruz of Sunapee (L) and Vermont's Codi Smith of Hartford.

Successful Fifth Annual VBCA Junior Showcase Held June 16 at Castleton U.

Forty-eight Student-Athletes Workout For Over 23 Collegiate Programs

Contact: Bruce Bosley: bbosley.vbca@gmail.com

CASTLETON, Vt. -- For the fifth straight year the annual Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase was a success as the underclass athletes worked out in front of coaches from over 23 collegiate programs. This year's showcase was held Thursday, June 16, 2016 at Castleton University's Spartan Field.

Forty-eight Vermont high school baseball student-athletes displayed their skills and participated in a simulated and controlled game for over the many New England and Northeast region college baseball coaches from all three NCAA divisions. 

The following schools were represented at the showcase in 2016: UAlbany, Fairfield, Siena, Maine, Southern New Hampshire, Assumption,  Franklin Pierce, College of St, Josephs (Vt.), Castleton, Lyndon State, Norwich, Southern Vermont, Colby Sawyer, Keene State, New England College, St, Joseph's (Maine), Mass College Liberal Arts, Wheaton, Endicott, Nichols, Worcester (Mass.) St., Skidmore, RPI, St. Lawrence, Clarkson, Union, Plattsburgh St. and www.prepbaseballreport.com.

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Special thanks for their efforts for the fifth annual showcase go out to: Ted Shipley of host Castleton University for the use of his program's facility; Vermont umpires Larry Riegert and Denny Barnard for donating their time; Tim Mitchell of Mitchell Tees; the Vermont Principals Organization and Spalding for the baseballs; and the many head coaches and assistants from VBCA member schools for volunteering at the showcase.

For the fifth straight season over 70 former Vermont high school players from all four statewide divisions were represented on 2015 NCAA Division I, II and III and USCAA baseball rosters. Many of the freshmen, sophomores and juniors on this year's collegiate rosters participated in the first three VBCA Junior Showcases. Several Vermonters earned all-conference honors or participated on teams that advanced to the NCAA Baseball Championship. Here is a link to the list of Vermonters on 2016 collegiate rosters: http://www.vermontbaseball.org/2016/05/at-least-70-vermonters-on-four-year.html

2016 Vermont Twin State Baseball Classic Team Announced

Annual Classic To Be Held Saturday June 18 in Lyndon

June 13, 2016

Contact: Bruce Bosley (bbosley.vbca@gmail.com)

Eighteen of the finest senior baseball players from the Green Mountain State will compete for Vermont in this year's Twin State Baseball Classic against New Hampshire on Saturday, June 18, 2016 in Lyndon, Vermont. The Vermont Baseball Coaches Association announced its roster today.

The 2016 Vermont team consists of: Elijah Baez, IF, Essex; Andrew Bortnick, RHP/IF/OF, Champlain Valley; Jason Chrisman, 1B, Burlington; Mark Connor, RHP/IF, BFA St. Albans; Henry Cunningham, C, South Burlington; James Gaboriault, RHP/IF, Mount Mansfield; Andrew Gonyaw, C, North Country; Andy Kenosh, RHP/1B, Rutland; Eamonn McCabe, LHP/1B, St. Johnsbury; Sam Mikell, RHP/3B, Champlain Valley; Noah Normyle, IF, Mount Anthony; Sam Ognenoff, IF, Brattleboro; Matt Page, RHP/OF, Blue Mountain; Jacob Perkins, IF, Hartford; Mark Puffer, C, Blue Mountain; Codi Smith, OF, Hartford; Zachary Streeter, OF/RHP, Bellows Falls; and Ben Sykes, LHP/OF, North Country.

The Green Mountain State's squad is made up of student-athletes from 14 different high schools from all corners of the state. The New Hampshire roster will be finalized and announced this week.

Mike Brown (BFA Fairfax) is the Vermont head coach and assisting him will be Scott Blood (Blue Mountain), Bob Lockerby (Bellows Falls) and Marcel Girouard (Burlington).

First pitch of game one of the doubleheader (two seven-inning games) will be at 11 a.m. at Skip Pound Field on the campus of Lyndon State College in Lyndon, Vt. Admission is free. The rain date for the 2016 classic is Sunday, June 19. 

Originally held from 1983 to 2004, the Twin State Baseball Classic returned to the diamond at Nashua's Holman Stadium in June of 2015 with the two teams splitting a pair of games. The site will alternate between states each year.

2016 VBCA Junior Showcase To Be Held Thursday June 16 at Castleton

Previous showcases have widened exposure for many Vermont high school underclass student-athletes  

The fifth annual Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016 at Castleton University's Spartan Field in Castleton, Vermont. Vermont high school baseball student-athletes who are in the 11th grade in 2015-16 will have the opportunity to display their skills and participate in a controlled game for New England and Northeast region collegiate baseball coaches. Juniors will have first priority for the 50 spots available in the showcase. If spots open up for sophomores (grade 10 in 2015-16), it will be by invitation only.

The showcase will be administered by VBCA member coaches.

On-field registration for the student-athletes begins at 11:30 a.m. with the first showcase workouts beginning at noon. Rain date for the event is the following week. The cost per student-athlete is $25, payable to the VBCA.  Student-athletes can contact their coach for more information and for registration forms. 

Other questions- and other requests for registration forms- can be sent to Bruce Bosley, VBCA executive director, at bbosley.vbca@gmail.com or bosleyb@comcast.net. The deadline for registration is June 13, 2016. 

The fourth annual VBCA Showcase was held in June 2015. Nearly 50 underclass student-athletes displayed their skills in front of coaches from over 20 collegiate baseball programs at all levels from throughout the Northeast, and one from the southwest.

Over 70 former Vermont high school players were represented on 2016 NCAA Division I, II and III, and USCAA four-year baseball rosters. Several earned all-conference honors and participated or will participate with schools advancing to the NCAA Baseball Championship.

Vermont To Host 2016 Twin State Baseball Classic at Lyndon State College

Contact: Bruce Bosley, executive director, VBCA: bbosley.vbca@gmail.com

The 2016 Twin State Baseball Classic pitting many of the top high school seniors from Vermont and New Hampshire will be held at Lyndon State College's Skip Pound Field on Saturday, June 18, 2016. The Vermont Baseball Coaches Association and Lyndon State will be the hosts for this year's twin-bill.

Last year the Twin State Baseball Classic returned after an 11-year hiatus with Vermont and New Hampshire splitting a pair of games at Holman Stadium in Nashua, N.H. 

Home of the D-III LSC Hornets, Skip Pound Field has undergone several renovations over the last few years including a new infield surface and mounds, warning tracks, a new scoreboard, dugouts and bathrooms. Lyndon State College is easily accessible to I-91, I-93, US Routes 5 and 2. 

First pitch of game one of the doubleheader (two seven-inning games) will be at 11 a.m. The Vermont squad will be the top seniors from the all four divisions of the state while for the at least one more year, the Granite State will be made up of New Hampshire's top seniors from its Division III and IV. 

Head coach for the Green Mountain State will be Mike Brown of BFA Fairfax, a LSC alum. Joining him on the Vermont staff will be Scott Blood of Blue Mountain, Bob Lockerby of Bellows Falls and Marcel Girouard of Burlington. The Vermont roster will be announced in early June.

Co-sponsor of the event is the New Hampshire Baseball Coaches Association led by Brent Demas, a Vermont-native who is the head coach at Londonderry High.

70-plus Vermonters on Four-Year Collegiate Rosters During 2016 Season

Contact: Bruce Bosley, VBCA 

Seventy-plus former Vermont high school baseball players were student-athletes and coaches on NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III, and USCAA (four-year) collegiate baseball rosters for the 2016 season. 

The list includes six Vermonters on NCAA Division I programs (two in the ACC) and six former Vermont high school or collegiate products as NCAA head coaches. In all divisions, several student-athletes played on teams that earned spots in the NCAA Baseball Championship tournaments including Castleton (Vt.) University, champions of the D-III North Atlantic Conference (the 2016 D-I field will be announced in late May). Earlier this month the College of Saint Joseph in Rutland won the 2016 USCAA national title winning the College World Series in Glens Falls, N.Y.

Several Vermonters were team captains or earned all-conference honors. A complete honor roll will be posted on www.vermontbaseball.org later this spring.

The list was compiled by the Vermont Baseball Coaches Association. The student-athletes and coaches come from 42 different Vermont high school programs representing all four VPA divisions, and come from all areas of the Green Mountain State.

If you know of any others on four-year collegiate rosters, please e-mail Bruce Bosley, executive director of the VBCA, at bosleyb@comcast.net or bbosley.vbca@gmail.com.  

NCAA Division I:

Clemson: Mike Triller, Sr, OF, Rutland;  

Fairfield: George Molner, Sr., RHP, Twin Valley (Wilmington);  

Siena: Ryan Bellomo, So., RHP, Rutland; 

St. John's: Matthew Messier, Fr., RHP, Lake Region (North Troy);

South Dakota St.: Cody Sharrow, Sr., IF, Mt. Mansfield (Jericho).

Wake Forest: Rayne Supple, Fr, RHP, Champlain Valley (Shelburne)

NCAA Division II:

Saint Michael's: Curt Echo, Sr., RHP, Champlain Valley (Shelburne);  Zach Lanzillo, So., LHP, Mt. St. Joseph (Rutland); Joey Robertson, IF/OF, Essex

NCAA Division III/USCAA: 

Bowdoin: Kyle Stanley, So., RHP, Champlain Valley (Shelburne);

Castleton: Ethan Hanson, Sr, RHP, South Burlington; Conner Johnson, Sr., RHP, Fair Haven (Castleton); Sam Spencer, Sr., RHP, Mt. Mansfield (West Bolton); Nick Swim, Jr, IF, BFA St. Albans;  Zach Bahan, Jr., 3B, Mt. Anthony (Shaftsbury); Dylan Watts, Jr., IF, Spaulding;  Michael LaBeau, Jr., RHP, Bellows Falls; Luke Salerno, Jr., RHP, Essex; Steve Jurkiewicz, Jr., LHP, Essex; Devin Hayes, Jr., RHP, Vergennes; Zach Dichard, So., IF, South Burlington; Aaron Smith, So., LHP,  Middlebury; Dylan Bailey, Fr., IF, Harwood (Duxbury); Tyler Davis, Fr., RHP, Blue Mountain (Groton); Brandon Davenport, Fr., C, Poultney; Skylar LaFerriere, Fr., C, Rutland, Pat Mumford, Fr., OF, Mill River (Chippenhook); Deegan Poland, Fr. OF, Champlain Valley (Williston); Charlie Stapleford, Fr., RHP, Vergennes;

Colby-Sawyer: Justin Devoid, Jr., 1B, Hartford (Quechee); Doug Avellino, So., IF, Woodstock;

Endicott: Nick Berno, So., IF, BFA St. Albans; 

FDU Florham: Jake Alercio, Fr., IF, Rutland;

Fisher: Scott Bigelow, Sr., RHP, Spaulding (Montpelier)

Hamilton: David Rose, Sr., IF, Burlington;

Husson: Darik Messier, Sr., 1B, Lake Region (North Troy); Alex Chapman, Fr., OF/LHP, BFA Fairfax (Westford); Dylan Covey, Fr., OF, Milton, Sean Remillard, Fr., C, Rice Memorial (Fairfax);

Keene State: Kevin Guild, Sr., RHP, Essex; Noah Rizio, So., RHP, Burr and Burton (Manchester Center); 

Lasell: Brandon Arel, Fr., OF, Colchester;

Lesley: Aaron Rhodes, Jr., OF, Rutland; 

Lewis and Clark (Oregon): Holden Jones, Fr., RHP, Burlington; 

Lyndon State: Reese Tanguay, Jr., IF, Essex (Essex Junction);  Shane LaCroix, Jr., RHP, St. Johnsbury; Nate Stewart, Jr., C, North Country (Newport); Devon Rollins, Jr., IF, Winooski; Ian Machia, So., IF, Enosburg (Montgomery); Ben Brooks, So., OF/P, Lyndon Institute; Colin Clark, So., OF, Rutland; Davis Guyer, So., RHP, Lyndon Institute; David Laroche, So., C, Missisquoi Valley (Franklin); Josh Laroche, So., OF, Missisquoi Valley (Franklin); Zach Hale, So., IF/RHP, St. Johnsbury; Josh Kennison, Fr., RHP, Spaulding (Barre); Wyatt Prue, Fr., 1B, North Country (Westfield)

UMass Dartmouth: Sean Callahan, Jr., RHP, Colchester; 

Maine-Farmington: Brett Elliott, So., RHP, Danville; 

Middlebury: Mark Dickerson, Sr., RHP, Mt. Abraham (Bristol); Jake Stalcup, Jr., RHP, Burr and Burton (Manchester);

New England College; Brighton Bischofberger, So., RHP, Green Mountain (Londonderry); Colby Howe, Fr., LHP, Bellows Falls;

Nichols: Ross Caswell, So., C, Randolph; 

Norwich: Billy Whaley, Sr-inj., RHP/1B, Northfield; Brandon Pedley, Jr., C, Northfield; Kyle Lamorey, Jr., SS, Northfield; Kyle Farquharson, Jr., RHP, Blue Mountain (So. Ryegate);  Leland Goodenough, Fr.-inj, C, Randolph; Chris Leach, Fr., C, Vergennes;

Plattsburgh State: Kyle Combs, Fr., IF,/RHP, BFA Fairfax; Jordan Godfrey, Fr., IF, Rutland; 

Rensselaer (RPI); Patrick McMackin, Fr., RHP, South Burlington;

Rivier: Eddie Soucie, Sr., RHP, Blue Mountain (South Ryegate);

U. Rochester: Will Conroy, Jr.-inj, OF., Rice Memorial (Shelburne); 

St. Lawrence:  Frank Grady, Sr., RHP, Burlington;

College of St. Joseph: Derek Osborne, Sr., RHP, Springfield; Tyler Kunzmann, Jr., RHP/1B, Mt. Anthony (Bennington); Russ Krebs, Jr., RHP, Mt. Anthony (Bennington); Brett Patterson, So., RHP, Otter Valley (Brandon);  Lincoln Pritchard, Fr., OF/RHP; Mill River (Clarendon);  

Skidmore: Hayden Smith, So., C, Champlain Valley (Williston); Will Potter, Fr., RHP/IF, Champlain Valley (Charlotte);

Thomas (Me.): Casey Covey, Sr., C, Middlebury;  Ezra Caron, Fr., OF, Mt. Anthony (Pownal);

Worcester Poly (WPI): Rob Chase, Fr., RHP, Colchester (Grand Isle); Shea Mooney, Fr., IF, Mt. Anthony (Bennington)

Head Coaches: 

Amherst:  Brian Hamm, head coach, Middlebury College

Fairfield: Bill Currier, head coach, Essex (UVM);  

MIT: Andy Barlow, head coach, Burlington (UVM); 

Norwich: Frank Pecora, head coach, Northfield; 

Saint Michael's, Greg Wells, int head coach, Essex (American);

Wentworth: Steve Studley, head coach, Castleton; 

Assistant Coaches: 

Endicott: Taylor English, Spaulding (Endicott);

Fairfield: Mike Cole, (UVM); Dan Gasparino,  (UVM);
Keene State: Cagney Brigham, Enosburg (Castleton); 

Lyndon State: Greg Mehuron,  Harwood (Colby Sawyer); Sam Matthews, St. Johnsbury (Lyndon St.)

Middlebury: Mike Phelps, Middlebury (Castleton); 

Norwich: Paul Morgan, Essex (Williams); John Rhoades, Woodstock

College of St. Joseph's: Cam Curler, Vergennes (Castleton); Patrick Riley, Hartford (Castleton)

Plattsburgh St.: Matt Meunier, Colchester; 

Saint Michael's, George Buteau, Burlington (SMC); Len Whitehouse,  Burlington;

Southern New Hampshire:  Zach Labarron,  Mt. Anthony (SNHU);

Thomas (Me.): Matt Eisenhuth, Leland and Gray;

Annual VBCA Clinic and Meeting Slated For March 12, 2016

The 2016 Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Spring Clinic and State Association Meeting will be held Saturday, March 12 at the Essex High School gymnasium. Baseball coaches at all levels are invited to attend. The clinic fee is $25 per person and registration starts at 9 a.m.

Following registration and the annual state association meeting that begins at 9:30 a.m., the annual coaches clinic will be held in the Essex High gymnasium. Meeting agenda and the clinic speakers will follow soon.

All high school and amateur coaches are encouraged to become a member of the VBCA, an organization that promotes, publicizes and enhances baseball in the state of Vermont. Membership dues are $25 per school or amateur team. High School membership entitles your school's coaches and senior baseball players for post-season all-star consideration as well as participation in the annual VBCA Junior Showcase.

Please share this notification with other baseball coaches in your community and encourage them to attend. For more information, please contact VBCA executive director Bruce Bosley at bbosley.vbca@gmail.com or bosleyb@comcast.net, or Jeff Stetson of the VBCA at jstetson@anesu.org