Jacks rally to down Cosmos, 6-5

Boys Baseball at Windsor.
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Published April 11, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Jacks rally to down Cosmos, 6-5 By POODY WALSH Correspondent WINDSOR — Yogi Berra was right: “It isn’t over, ‘til it’s over.” Trailing 5-2 in the seventh inning, Windsor rallied for four runs to stun Springfield 6-5 in a surprising turn of events Wednesday in a Marble Valley League baseball game at MacLeay-Royce Field. For six innings Springfield senior right-hander Mike Muther held the Windsor bats pretty much in check after giving up two runs in the first inning. However, when the seventh inning rolled around, Muther was no longer on the hill. “It was the first game and he had already thrown 100 pitches,” explained Springfield Coach Larry Partridge. “We have to protect him for the rest of the season.” Muther gave was to T.J. Therrien who faced two batters. He walked No. 9 hitter Nate Mayo and Tyson Boudro reached on an error. At that point Partridge made another pitching change, moving his catcher, Cody Vandenburgh, to the mound. That looked like a solid move at first as Vandenburgh struck out Russell Simonds for the first out. But that was the last good thing that was going to happen for the Cosmos on this day. Vandenburgh followed the strikeout by hitting Connor Collins to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Ethan Hill followed with a two-run single to center, scoring Mayo and Boudro and making it a 5-4 game with Collins racing all the way to third. On the first pitch to Tanner Tibbits, Hill stole second. The count went to 3-0 on Tibbits who never saw another pitch as he was given a free pass. Up next was Shawn Pinsonault of whom Windsor coach Don Swinyer would later say: “It worked out just right. I was very confident. He’s our best bunter.” Pinsonault dropped the first pitch down the first base line with Collins scoring to tie the game and Pinsonault safe at first. Matt Thayer was next and he quickly ended the game by singling to left. “We just didn’t close it out,” said Partridge. “Both Therrien and Vandenburgh are new to the sport.Give Windsor credit. They kept battling. I guess we have to find a No. 2 and a No. 3 pitcher.” The Yellow Jackets were coming off a dreadful performance in losing their opener to Woodstock, 12-1 and it looked nearly as dreadful for six innings Wednesday. “I guess you have to take the good with the bad,” said Swinyer. “I thought we were getting things together in the sixth when we loaded the bases so it was nice to se us close it out in the seventh.” Muther was impressive for Springfield as pitched four-hit ball for six innings, walking three and picking up two strikeouts. Windsor also got solid pitching, especially from relief hurler Russell Simonds, who came on in the fifth inning in relief of Tyson Boudro and pitched shutout ball, giving up just two hits. He was the winning pitcher. Springfield gave early indication that it was going to be a big offensive day as the Cosmos scored five times in the first three innings. But they never scored again. Cam Blais, who hit the ball hard three times for Springfield, singled in a run in the first. In the second the Cosmos scored three more times, Muther driving in one with a single and in the third a bases loaded walk brought in Springfield’s fifth run. In Windsor’s first at bat Boudro singled, Simonds reached on an error and Collins doubled them both home. From that point until the seventh inning the Windsor bats were quiet. Springfield goes to Otter Valley on Friday. Windsor will have its third straight home game to start the season when Stevens comes to town on Monday.