ADDISON COUNTY — In local high school sports competitions played after the rain ended last Wednesday night and nightfall on Saturday, the Mount Abraham and Vergennes softball teams both tallied wins, Middlebury boys’ lax put up two victories, and Mount Abe and Vergennes baseball each won a game then faced each other on Saturday.
Bother Middlebury tennis teams were active on the courts.
SOFTBALL
On Thursday, May 6, Vergennes retired Rice after six innings with a 16-3 score. Four Commodores tallied two hits apiece: Karrie Ayer (RBI), Ema Gernander (2 RBIs), Audrey Tembruell (2 RBIs) and Sydney Jewell (3 RBIs). Felicia Poirier tapped a two-run triple, and winning pitcher Sierra Bertrand struck out four.
But the Commodores were on the short end of a Saturday contest with BFA-Fairfax, 15-9. Winning pitcher Taylor Mitchell struck out 16 Commodore batters and smacked a two-run homer to tie the game at 5 in the fourth inning. Fairfax then plated seven runs in the seventh.
Tembruell and Gernander led the VUHS offense with Tembruell earning 2 RBIs, Gernander hitting three times and both players tallying two stolen bases.
Also on Thursday, Mount Abraham pummeled Spaulding, 18-5, with six Eagles swatting hits: Karissa Livingston (3 hits), Camilia Masse (2 hit and 2 RBIs), Cami Willsey (2 hits, 3 RBIs), Eve McCormick (1 hit with an RBI), Dakota Laroque (1 hit, 2 RBIs), and Payton Vincent (2 hits). Vincent also earned the win on the mound with 7 strikeouts.
For their part, the Tigers fell to BFA-Fairfax, 7-3, on Thursday. Olivia Audet took the pitching loss.
On Saturday, Mount Abe visited the Middlebury diamond and left with an 8-2 win. Winning pitcher Eve McCormick fanned nine and gave up no bases on balls. Vincent (three hits) and Willsey (homer) led the Eagles.
Tiger Patience Hanley went two for three at the plate and Audet pitched 12 strikeouts, but also allowed three walks and 8 hits.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Middlebury boys’ lacrosse improved their record with a pair of wins. On Friday, the Tigers defeated Mount Mansfield, 13-2. The offensive firepower came from Bode Rubright (5 goals, 2 assists), Owen Lawton (5G, 3A) and Willem Berry (1G, 2A).
The next day, MUHS took Woodstock to ovetime and then prevailed, 7-6. Lawton was the Tigers’ high scorer with five goals, including the overtime game-winner. Goalie Jack Rizzo marked 21 saves.
For its part, Mount Abe boys’ lax fell to Colchester, 9-5, on Friday. Henry Anderson and Griff Paradee got two goals each, and Iain Olsen got one. Eagle goalkeeper Aidan Danyow made seven saves.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Both local girls’ lacrosse teams lost this weekend. On Thursday, the Vergennes-Mount Abe combine went to Hartford and returned on the wrong end of an 8-6 decision between two Division-II title contenders.
The Commodores spread out their scoring with a goal and an assist each credited to Hannah Kelly and Marley Keith, one goal each going to Molly Laurent, Ava Doherty-Konczal and Ryley Olsen.
On Saturday, South Burlington girls’ lax topped MUHS, 12-4. Alanna Trudeau led Middlebury with goals and Elle Tucker and Ivy Dorian got one goal each. Lydia Deppman made six saves in the Tiger goal.
BASEBALL
On the baseball diamond host Mount Abe sent Otter Valley home after five innings Thursday when the Eagles earned a 15-2 win, in a game postponed from the day before.
Mount Abe plated six runs in the third and eight runs in the fourth.
Neil Guy earned the pitching win with eight strikeouts. Smacking two hits apiece were Colby Lathrop, Adam Mansfield and Ryan Whitcomb.
Fraser Pierpont provided a highlight for Otter Valley by hitting a home run.
The same day, VUHS travelled to Missisquoi and came home a 9-4 winner.
Tucker Stearns stuck out six on the way to winning the game, and helped his own effort with a two-run homer.
Jarret Muzzy tallied two doubles among his four hit, Elijah Dupree got two his and 2 RBS, and Jake Russell hit two and one was an RBI.
Then on Saturday the Eagles and the Commodores faced each other in Vergennes. Mount Abe won, 4-1, behind seven-strikeout pitching by Mansfield. At the plate, Lathrop got a hit and an RBI, and three Eagles hit doubles: Guy, Whitcomb and Ethan Thompson
Commodore pitcher Jarrett Muzzy couldn’t pull out the win despite nine strikeouts. Timothy Ashley earned two hits for Vergennes.
TENNIS
Middlebury girls’ tennis scored two convincing wins late last week. First, the Tigers blanked BFA-St. Albans, 7-0.
In singles play, the winning Tigers were Scarlett Carrara, Julia Bartlett, Abby Bailey, Elizabeth Bright and Paige Hescock. The duo of Lois Alberts and Emma Franklin also prevailed.
On Friday, Harwood showed a little more fight, with their No. 1 player, Julia Befmann defeating Middlebury’s Scarlett Carrara, 6-1, 6-1. The other Tigers won, resulting in a 6-1 final score. The winners were Bartlett, Bailey and Bright, Hescock in singles, and the doubles duos of Franklin/ Alberts and Gwen Trombley/Bridget Graham.
TRACK AND FIELD
At the 48th BURLINGTON INVITATIONAL on Saturday, organizers combined girls’ and boys’ team scores. VUHS netted the highest local finish in 18th place with 23 points.
The Mount Abe girls’ and boys’ teams combined for 13 points and 21st place. Middlebury was 22nd with nine points.
Look for race details in Thursday’s paper.