http://www.vnews.com/home/17051988-95/late-charging-windsor-gets-big-assist-from-simonds
Late-Charging Windsor Gets Big Assist From Simonds
A pop-up fly behind home plate lands just beyond the reach of Windsor catcher Jake Meagher in the fifth inning against Springfield, Vt., on May 26, 2015. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen)Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
A pop-up fly behind home plate lands just beyond the reach of Windsor catcher Jake Meagher in the fifth inning against Springfield, Vt., on May 26, 2015. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen) Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. A pop-up fly behind home plate lands just beyond the reach of Windsor catcher Jake Meagher in the fifth inning against Springfield, Vt., on May 26, 2015. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen)Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Windsor's Nick Lebeau (14) and Russell Simonds (12) high-five teammate Connor Gould at home after Jacob Garnjost's single scored two runs in the fifth inning against Springfield, Vt., on May 26, 2015. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen)Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Windsor's Nick Lebeau lays down a bunt early in the fifth inning in Springfield, Vt., on May 26,2015, moving a runner into scoring position. At left is Springfield catcher Kyle White. (Valley News - Geoff Hansen)Copyright © Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
By Poody Walsh Valley News Correspondent Wednesday, May 27, 2015 (Published in print: Wednesday, May 27, 2015) Springfield, Vt. — Russell Simonds is an all-state football player, and that will always be his favorite sport. However, he has proved that he can also do a lot of damage on the baseball diamond as well. During Windsor’s 11-7 win over Springfield on Tuesday, Simonds had a double, two singles, a base on balls, scored four times and stole five bases. In the first inning, Simonds singled on the first pitch he saw, stole second on the first pitch to No. 2 hitter Nick Kapuscinski, stole third on the second pitch and scored when the throw to get him went into left field. On three pitches, he circled the diamond. Simonds deflected conversation about himself, citing a resurgence of the team as the regular season winds down. “Everybody is making a contribution,” he said. “Including the guys coming off the bench.” The Windsor baseball story, which has not had many happy chapters this season until recently, has seen a late-season charge with a win last week and a one-run loss to Division II leader Mill River. “The bats are coming alive,” said Windsor coach Jamie Richardson. Simonds doubled in the third, stole third base and scored on Connor Gould’s base hit. Simonds walked to lead off the fifth inning, and the Cosmos were so worried about him that the next batter, Kapusincki, walked on four pitches. Both runners eventually came around to score in the inning. In the sixth Simonds singled, stole second and scored on an error. “Running is easy,” he said. “He’s leading our team right now,” said Richardson. Windsor is 4-10 with a game at Fair Haven on Friday. The Yellowjackets also have a tentative game completion with Otter Valley on Saturday. During the regular season, the Jacks and Otters played a game that had to be stopped at 4-4, and it will not be completed unless it affects the standings. Male sports in Springfield have been sluggish for several years, but the 9-6 Cosmos are looking at the possibility of a home playoff game for the first time in 15-20 years. “I don’t know exactly how long it’s been, but I was an assistant coach to Richie Wyman the last time we had a home playoff game,” said Springfield coach Rich Saypack. “I’m guessing it was 1999 of 2000.” However, what is most important to Saypack is having a good season for the seniors. “We have seniors on this team who have not been on a winning team in any sport,” he said. While Simonds may have gotten the No. 1 star, relief pitcher Jake Meagher was close behind. Windsor entered the last of the seventh with an 11-6 lead, but Springfield got three consecutive singles off tiring Windsor starter Kapuscinski (103 pitches) with no outs. Meagher’s first pitch hit Ed Shambo to make it an 11-7 game, still with the bases loaded and no outs. But Meagher got two strikeouts and a pop up to end the game. “We made some silly mistakes,” Saypack said. “We went to Poultney on Friday and beat them on senior day, and today was senior day here. I think there may be a focus problem.” One Springfield player who was focused in for one at-bat was Ben Tubbs. A junior, Tubbs hit a tremendous first-inning home run to center field that carried nearly all the way to an adjacent youth field. He crossed the plate while the ball was still being relayed in from the outfield. Kapuscinski went six-plus inning and was the winning pitcher. He gave up 10 hits with five strikeouts and walked nobody. Springfield used two pitchers, with Ed Shambo going the first four and Mike Kollman the final three. Windsor had only seven hits, but there were four walks and four errors and seven stolen bases. Gould had two of the Windsor hits and three RBIs. Kapuscinski, who walked twice and reach on an error, scored three times. Springfield got three hits, two singles and a triple, and three runs scored from No. 9 batter Zach Tubbs. Tanner Shumski also had three hits and Kyle White a single and double. Springfield entered the game in seventh place in Vermont Division II, requiring a top-eight finish needed to get a home game in the first round of the postseason. The Cosmos conclude the regular season at Leland and Gray on Thursday.
No comments :
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments polite and on-topic. No profanity