Vermont Rallies to Split 2017 Twin State Baseball Classic

June 24, 2017

Game One: New Hampshire 5, Vermont 4 

Game Two: Vermont 6, New Hampshire 5

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

CONCORD, N.H.— Brady Illingworth of Bellows Falls delivered a key two-run single and hurled two innings of scoreless relief as Vermont held off New Hampshire, 6-5, in game two to earn a split in the 2017 Twin State Baseball Classic at Warren Doane Diamond at Memorial Field Saturday afternoon. 

The Granite State held off a late Vermont rally to earn a 5-4 win in the lidlifter. The border rivals have now split six one-run decisions since the series resumed in 2015 after an 11-year absence.

Illingworth, named the Vermont MVP, shut the door on the mound in the nightcap with two scoreless frames to pick up the victory after New Hampshire jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first two innings. Illingworth's two-run single triggered Vermont's five-run fourth to take the lead. After they loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch to Griff Stalcup (Burr & Burton), a single by Jordan Bell (Colchester) and a walk to Greg Johnson (Randolph), Galen Goodenough (Randolph) singled for one run before Illingworth plated two more. Two more came home on a fielder's choice by Patrick Greenan (St. Johnsbury) and a New Hampshire fielding error.

New Hampshire added a run on an error in the top of the sixth to make it 5-3 before Chris O'Brien (Champlain Valley) led the Vermont half with a long double to center. Two outs later he scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-3. Down to its last out, New Hampshire bounced back with two with two outs in the top of the seventh with a run scoring single by Granite State MVP Cole Contigiani (Belmont) and a double by Andrew Coulombe (Berlin). Abe Kovel (Essex) stranded Coulombe in scoring position retiring the last batter on a fly to center to earn the save.

Vermont had just five hits in the nightcap, three in its five-run fifth, but drew five walks while New Hampshire had 11 hits.

In game one, New Hampshire scored five times in the bottom of the second with J.P. Record (Conant) singling in two and Contigiani another. Vermont was held to one hit over the first four innings, and finished with only four, but chipped away with two in the fifth and single runs in the final two. Jake Hakey (BFA Fairfax) had a RBI-single in the fifth and Chris Fenimore (Burlington) had a run-scoring double with one out in the seventh. He and Greenan were left in scoring position as Scott Humphrey (Mascenic) struck out the last two hitters for the narrow victory. 

The Twin State Baseball Classic will return to Vermont in 2018.

(above: 2017 Twin State Baseball Classic MVPs: Brady Illingworth (Bellows Falls) for Vermont (L); Cole Contigiani (Belmont) for New Hampshire (R); Photo credits: VBCA)

Register Now For 2017 VBCA Junior Showcase

2017 VBCA Junior Showcase To Be Held Thursday June 22 at Castleton 

The sixth annual Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Castleton University's Spartan Field in Castleton, Vermont. Vermont high school baseball student-athletes who are in the 11th grade in 2016-17 will have the opportunity to display their skills and participate in a controlled game for New England and Northeast region collegiate baseball coaches. The first five showcases have widened exposure for many Vermont high school underclass student-athletes.

 Juniors will have first priority for the 50 spots available in the showcase. If spots open up for sophomores (grade 10 in 2016-17), 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. Have players dressed and ready to play. T-shirts and batting helmets will be provided. Also have catchers bring their gear and all student-athletes should bring a water bottle.

Other questions- and 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 20, 2017. Sorry, no walk-ins, pre-registration is required to print a roster.

The fifth annual VBCA Showcase was held in June 2016 with 50 underclass student-athletes displaying their skills in front of coaches from 24 collegiate baseball programs at all levels from throughout the Northeast.

Over 70 former Vermont high school players were represented on 2017 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.

2017 VPA State Championship Games Schedule: VBCA Volunteers Needed!

VBCA volunteers are needed for all four games for t-shirt sales and 50-50 raffle. This is a great source of income for the VBCA. Coaches- please contact Bruce Bosley if you are available to volunteer.

D4 #2 Danville (13-4) vs. #1 South Royalton (17-0); 7 p.m. Friday, June 9, 2017

D3: #3 Randolph (14-5) vs. #1 Enosburg Falls (15-3) 2 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2017

DI: #2 Burr and Burton (16-2) vs #1 Essex (17-2); 5 p.m. Saturday, June 10, 2017

D2: #4 Union 32 (14-5) vs. #3 Otter Valley (13-6); 7 p.m., Monday, June 12, 2017

All games at historic Centennial Field, Burlington, Vt. 

Click HERE for live web-streaming (pay-per-view) and DVDs available  on the NFHS Network: 

Best of luck to all the finalists!

Below is parking information from the Vermont Lake Monsters for fans attending the games at Centennial Field, especially the Friday night and Monday night games:

Parking for all four championship games will be limited and fans are encouraged to park at the University of Vermont's Gutterson Fieldhouse parking garage and use the Merchants Bank shuttle service to the ballpark. Free parking will also be available in the Trinity Campus parking lot off of Colchester Avenue. Limited parking space is available in the Centennial Field parking lot for $3.

For more information about parking and directions to Centennial Field, go to www.lakemonstersparking.com. 

2017 Vermont Twin State Baseball Classic Team Announced

Annual Classic Slated For Saturday June 24 in Concord, N.H.

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

Eighteen of the finest senior baseball players from Vermont will play for the Green Mountain State against New Hampshire in the 2017 Twin State Baseball Classic on Saturday, June 24 in Concord, N.H. The Vermont Baseball Coaches Association announced its roster today.

The 2017 Vermont team consists of: Brady Illingsworth (1B/LHP), Bellows Falls; Jake Hakey (RHP/IF), BFA Fairfax; Chris Fenimore (RHP/IF), Burlington; Griff Stalcup (RHP/IF), Burr and Burton; Chris O’Brien (1B), Champlain Valley; Jordan Bell (C), Colchester; Abraham Koval (OF/RHP) and Tyler Roberge (OF), Essex; Jordan Allard (RHP/IF), Hartford; Ryan Austin (OF), Milton; Shea Fitzgerald (RHP/IF), Kyle Leggett (C) and Ray Wilson (IF), Mount Mansfield; Galen Goodenough (IF) and Greg Johnson (OF), Randolph; Dalton Hotchkiss (OF), Rutland; Patrick Greenan (LHP/1B), St. Johnsbury; and Josh Scoskie (RHP/IF), South Royalton.

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

Coaches for Vermont will be Bob Lockerby (Bellows Falls), Marcel Girouard (Burlington), Roy Sargent (Missisquoi Valley) and Mike Czok (Randolph). The Granite State will be led by Matt LeBlanc of Belmont, Jim Gorham of Campbell and Dave Kretchmar, formerly of Somersworth.

First pitch of game one of the doubleheader (two seven-inning games) will be at 11 a.m. Memorial Field in Concord, N.H. Admission is free. The rain date for the 2017 classic is the following day. 

Originally held from 1983 to 2004, the Twin State Baseball Classic returned to the diamond at Nashua's Holman Stadium in June of 2015 and was played last June at Lyndon State’s Skip Pound Field in Lyndon. Since its resumption the two teams have split four one-run decisions. The site will alternate between states each year.

2017 Twin State Baseball Classic Slated For June 24 in Concord, N.H.

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

The 2017 Twin State Baseball Classic featuring many of the top high school seniors from Vermont and New Hampshire will take place Saturday, June 24 at Memorial Field in Concord, N.H. The New Hampshire Baseball Coaches Association is the host of this year's classic.

The Twin State Baseball Classic returned after an 11-year hiatus in 2015 with Vermont and New Hampshire splitting two doubleheaders the past two seasons with all four games decided by one run.

First pitch of the lidlifter of the twin-bill (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 mostly of New Hampshire's top seniors from its Division III and IV. 

Coaches for the Green Mountain State will be Bob Lockerby of Bellows Falls, Marcel Girouard of Burlington, Mike Czok of Randolph and Roy Sargent of Missisquoi Valley. The Vermont roster will be announced soon. 

Three of the four coaches for New Hampshire are Matt LeBlanc of Belmont, Jim Gorham of Campbell and Dave Kretchmar, formerly of Somersworth.

Co-sponsor and this year's host 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.

Several Former Vermont High School Products Earn Collegiate Honors:

Several of the 70-plus former Vermont high school baseball products earned many conference and regional honors in the 2017 collegiate season. The all-conference and academic awards were earned by student-athletes representing seven different conferences.

2017 Conference Awards and Honors (as of May 30, 2017):
Commonwealth Coast Conference- All-CCC Second Team: Nick Berno (BFA St. Albans/Endicott);
Great Northern Athletic Conference- All-GNAC Second Team: Kyle Farquarson (Blue Mountain/Norwich): All-GNAC Third Team: Brandon Pedley (Northfield/Norwich); GNAC Coach of the Year: Frank Pecora, Norwich;
Liberty League-  All-LL Second Team: Will Potter; LL All-Academic Team (Champlain Valley/Skidmore): Patrick McMackin (South Burlington/RPI); Hayden Smith  (Champlain Valley/Skidmore) and Potter (Skidmore);
Little East- All-LEC Second Team: Sean Callahan (Colchester/UMass Dartmouth);
NESCAC All-Academic Team: Jake Stalcup (Burr & Burton/Middlebury);
North Atlantic Conference- : NAC Pitcher of the Year: Michael LaBeau (Bellows Falls/Castleton); NAC Rookie of the Year: Davis Mikell  (Champlain Valley/Castleton): NAC Baseball Scholar Athlete: Steven Jurkiewicz (Essex/Castleton); All-NAC First Team: Doug Avellino (Woodstock/Colby Sawyer), Devon Rollins (Winooski/Lyndon State), Devin Hayes (Vergennes/Castleton), LeBeau (Castleton); All-NAC Second Team: Dylan Bailey (Harwood/Castleton), Mikell, Castleton; NAC All-Championship Team: Zach Bahan (Mount Anthony/Castleton), Hayes (Castleton); NAC All-Sportsmanship Team: Deegan Poland, (Champlain Valley/Castleton); NAC co-Coaches of the Year: Ted Shipley (Castleton) and Tom White (Lyndon);
Northeast-10 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll; Joey Robertson (Essex/Saint Michaels), Cole Reilly (Milton/Saint Michael’s)

Regional Honors:
Doug Avellino (Colby Sawyer): All-ECAC NE D-III;
Devin Hayes (Castleton): All-New England (NEIBA D-III) first team, ABCA/Rawlings All-Region, first team; All-ECAC NE D-III;
Davis Mikell (Castleton): ECAC NE D-III Rookie of the Year, All-New England (NEIBA D-III), second team, ABCA/Rawlings All-Region, second team;
Michael LaBeau (Castleton): ECAC NE D-III Pitcher of the Year, All-ECAC New England;
Mike Phelps (Middlebury): NEIBA Kevin Burr Assistant Coach Award;
Ted Shipley, ECAC NE D-III Coach of the Year;

Many Vermonters on Collegiate Baseball Rosters During 2017 Season

Contact: Bruce Bosley (VBCA) 

Sixty-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 during the 2017 season. 

The list includes four Vermonters on NCAA Division I programs (two in the D-I NCAA tournament) and five 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 Vermont’s Castleton University, champions of the D-III North Atlantic Conference. Also the College of Saint Joseph of Rutland won its second straight USCAA Small College World Series title and five Vermonters represented the Fighting Saints roster and coaching staff.

Several Vermonters were team captains or earned all-conference or academic honors. The list of those Vermonters honored (as of May 30, 2017) follows the list of players and coaches.

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:

Iona: Henry Conroy, Fr., RHP, Rice Memorial (Shelburne);

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

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

*Wake Forest: Rayne Supple, So, RHP, Champlain Valley (Shelburne);

*program reached 2017 NCAAs

NCAA Division II:

Saint Michael's: Zach Lanzillo, Jr., LHP, Mt. St. Joseph (Rutland); Joey Robertson, So., IF/OF, Essex; Cole Reilly, So., Milton

NCAA Division III/USCAA: 

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

*Castleton: Zach Bahan, Sr., IF, Mt. Anthony (Shaftsbury); Michael LeBeau, Sr., RHP, Bellows Falls; Luke Salerno, Sr., RHP, Essex; Steve Jurkiewicz, Sr., LHP, Essex; Devin Hayes, Sr., RHP, Vergennes; Aaron Smith, Jr., LHP, Middlebury; Josh Rylant, Jr., IF, Colchester; Dylan Bailey, So., IF, Harwood (Duxbury); Skylar LaFerriere, So., C, Rutland, Pat Mumford, So., OF, Mill River (Chippenhook); Deegan Poland, So. OF, Champlain Valley (Williston); Charlie Stapleford, So., RHP, Vergennes; Henry Cunningham, Fr., C, South Burlington; Davis Mikell, Fr., RHP/1B, Champlain Valley (Williston); Andrew Graciano, Fr., OF, St. Johnsbury;

Clarkson: Mark Connor, Fr., RHP; BFA St. Albans;

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

Endicott: Nick Berno, Jr., OF, BFA St. Albans; 

FDU Florham: Jake Alercio, So., IF, Rutland; 
Hood (Md.): Riley Fitzgerald, So., RHP, Lamoille (Eden);

Husson: Alex Chapman, So., OF/LHP, BFA Fairfax (Westford); Dylan Covey, So., OF, Milton; Matt Graziano, Fr., OF, St. Johnsbury

Keene State: Noah Rizio, Jr., RHP, Burr and Burton (Manchester Center); Evan McGregor, Fr., OF/LHP, BFA Fairfax; 

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

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

Lyndon State: Nate Stewart, Sr., C, North Country (Newport); Devon Rollins, Sr., IF, Winooski; Ian Machia, Jr., IF, Enosburg (Montgomery); Davis Guyer, Jr., RHP, Lyndon Institute; David Laroche, Jr., C, Missisquoi Valley (Franklin); Zachary Hale, Jr., IF/RHP, St. Johnsbury; Tyler Davis, So., RHP, Blue Mountain (Groton); Logan Bean, Fr., OF, Milton; Sam Ongenoff, Fr., IF/RHP, Brattleboro; Matt Page, Fr., RHP, Blue Mountain (Groton); Jake Perkins, Fr., RHP/OF, Hartford; Codi Smith, Fr., OF/RHP, Hartford; 

Mass. Coll. Of Liberal Arts (MCLA): Brody Farnum, Fr., RHP, Mount Anthony (Bennington)

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

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

Middlebury: Jake Stalcup, Sr., RHP, Burr & Burton (Manchester);

New England College; Colby Howe, So., LHP, Bellows Falls;

Norwich: Billy Whaley, Sr., RHP/1B, Northfield; Brandon Pedley, Sr., C, Northfield; Kyle Farquharson, Sr., RHP, Blue Mountain (South Ryegate); Leland Goodenough, Jr, 1B, Randolph; Chris Leach, So., C, Vergennes; Connor Baker, C, Fr., Randolph; Eric Gerdes, Fr., RHP, Northfield;

Plattsburgh State: Jordan Godfrey, So., IF, Rutland; Kyle Combs, So., IF, BFA Fairfax; 

Rensselaer (RPI): Patrick McMackin, So., RHP, South Burlington; Noah Normyle, Fr., IF, Mount Anthony (Bennington);

U. Rochester: Will Conroy, Sr., OF., Rice Memorial (Shelburne); 

+College of St. Joseph (USCAA): Tyler Kunzmann, Sr., RHP/1B, Mt. Anthony (Bennington); Russ Krebs, Sr., RHP, Mt. Anthony (Bennington);  Derek Sanderson, Fr., RHP, Colchester; 

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

Union: Sam Mikell, Fr., RHP, Champlain Valley (Williston);

Utica: Jacob Gaboriault, So., C/OF, Essex;

Worcester Poly (WPI): Rob Chase, So., RHP, Colchester (Grand Isle);

*program reached 2017 NCAAs  +program won 2017 USCAA national title

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, former Northfield High coach; 

Wentworth: Steve Studley, head coach (Castleton);

Assistant Coaches: 

Castleton: George Buteau, Burlington (Saint Michael’s); Matt Ravey, Colchester (Castleton); Colby Sawyer: Mat Pause, Hartford (Castleton); Fairfield: Mike Cole, (UVM); Dan Gasparino, (UVM);  Johnson & Wales (R.I.): Eric Degre, North Country/ former Lake Region coach; Keene State: Cagney Brigham, Enosburg (Castleton);

Lyndon State: Greg Mehuron, Harwood (Colby Sawyer); Sam Matthews, St. Johnsbury (Lyndon St.); Middlebury: Mike Phelps (Castleton); Norwich: John Rhoades, Woodstock (UNH); College of St. Joseph: Cam Curler, Vergennes (Castleton); Aaron Bloomer, Rutland (Castleton); Saint Michael's, Aaron Plunkett, Essex (UMass); Southern New Hampshire: Zach Labarron, Mt. Anthony (SNHU)

Sixth Annual Junior Showcase On Tap For Thursday June 22, 2017 in Castleton

2017 VBCA Junior Showcase To Be Held Thursday June 22 at Castleton U.  

The sixth annual Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Castleton University's Spartan Field in Castleton, Vermont. Vermont high school baseball student-athletes who are in the 11th grade in 2016-17 will have the opportunity to display their skills and participate in a controlled game for New England and Northeast region collegiate baseball coaches. The first five showcases have widened exposure for many Vermont high school underclass student-athletes.

 Juniors will have first priority for the 50 spots available in the showcase. If spots open up for sophomores (grade 10 in 2016-17), 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. Have players dressed and ready to play. T-shirts and batting helmets will be provided. Also have catchers bring their gear and all student-athletes should bring a water bottle.

Other questions- and 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 20, 2017. Sorry, no walk-ins, pre-registration is required to print a roster.

The fifth annual VBCA Showcase was held in June 2016 with 50 underclass student-athletes displaying their skills in front of coaches from 24 collegiate baseball programs at all levels from throughout the Northeast.

Over 70 former Vermont high school players were represented on 2017 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.

2017 VBCA Annual Meeting/Clinic On Tap for February 12 at Norwich

2017 VBCA Annual Meeting/Clinic On Tap for February 12 at Norwich

The 2017 Vermont Baseball Coaches Association Clinic and State Association Meeting will be held Sunday, February 12, 2017 at the Andrews Hall gymnasium on the campus of Norwich University in Northfield. Baseball coaches at all levels are invited to attend. The clinic fee is $25 per person and registration starts at 8:45 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 Andrews Hall gym. Speakers and clinicians are three of the state's collegiate head coaches, Frank Pecora of Norwich, Mike Leonard of Middlebury and Tom White of Lyndon State. A panel discussion regarding baseball drills is also on the schedule.

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

Directions To Norwich University and Andrews Hall:

http://www.norwichathletics.com/information/directions