SOUTH BURLINGTON — The Addison County American Legion baseball team dropped three more games away from home late last week to fall to 0-6, with all the losses on the road.
AC had hoped to enjoy its home opener on the Middlebury College field on Sunday, but rain washed out a scheduled doubleheader vs. Franklin County. That twin bill has been rescheduled to July 19 at 11 a.m.
Despite the three losses, by 3-2 to Franklin County on June 18 and by 6-4 and 4-0 to South Burlington on Saturday, Coach Mike Estey said he sees signs his team is improving on the mound and in the field after experiencing more one-sided setbacks the weekend before.
“We’re coming around. We’re better than we were the first week of play,” Estey said. “We’re slowly getting better.”
Against Franklin County, Aaron Smith tossed a complete-game four-hitter, allowing just two earned runs, but took the loss. After Smith surrendered two-out earned runs in the first and second innings, Franklin County pushed across an unearned run in the fifth on a single, stolen base and an outfield error.
AC rallied in the sixth, but came up one run short. Chris Leach walked and Dylan Raymond doubled, and both scored on Sam Messenger’s double before the threat fizzled.
Kyle Combs earned the pitching win for Franklin, and Sean Hackey struck out the side in the seventh for the save.
In Saturday’s first game, Hunter O’Connor went the route and took the pitching loss, allowing nine hits and striking out four. AC’s big inning came in the third, when Messenger’s two-run double scored Devon Kimball and Leach as part of a three-run rally. James Lincoln and O’Connor also contributed hits for AC.
In the nightcap, SB starter Kyle Stanley struck out 10 batters and allowed just one hit in five innings as his team improved to 4-2 with the sweep.
Lincoln took the loss, also hurling five innings, allowing eight hits and four runs and fanning two.
Leach and Greg Whitney had hits for AC.
The local nine now finally is scheduled to host games: South Burlington is set to visit the college field on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Essex is next for a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m., and Montpelier is on tap for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.