SANFORD — Vermont pitcher Elliot Ashbeck (1-0) (Bradley University) stymied the Mainers in throwing seven innings, allowing just three hits, two walks and finishing the night with two strikeouts, as the Mountaineers took a 1-0 victory at Goodall Park on Monday.
Ben Wessell (0-1) had an outstanding night from the mound, giving up one run on five hits in eight innings pitched while fanning two and giving zero free passes on the night, with the lone run by Vermont scored in the top of the third inning. Alex Caruso singled and stole second base, and Chandler Brock drove a ball to right field that brought home Caruso for the one and only run in the game. Jonathan Chudy came in and worked a scoreless ninth inning with one strike out.
The Mainers threatened in the bottom of the eighth loading the bases against Nick Kevlin, which brought Mountaineer manager Joe Brown out of the dugout to bring in closer Jared Gasell. Gasell retired two out of the next three batters; Drake Parker (sac bunt), Sam Balzano (ground out to shortstop) and Cory Raley (strikeout) to get out of the jam.
The Moose finished with more walks than hits with five walks and four runners reaching base by way of the hit. Kendall Patrick lined one to center field in the seventh and was hit-by-pitch in the last frame. Jake Thomas reach base two out of the three times he appeared at the plate by base on balls, and Dan Hetzel finished the night 1-for-4 with a single in the fourth.
The ninth went down similar to a few spots in the game; the Mainers put a man on first via a hit-by-pitch on Kendall Patrick. Matt Pagano reached first by a half-a-step on a fielder’s choice by Gasell throwing out Patrick at second. Raley made the final out on a line-drive to second that was snagged by Bret Charbonneau and threw behind the runner at first to end the game. The Mountaineers improve to 2-1 on the season and the Mainers fall to 2-2.
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