Edd’s Sports Report: May 3

Edd Merritt

CVU baseball has it on the mound and at the plate
Looking at reports of its last three ball games, one notices a variety of leading hitters and winning pitchers, something traditionally found in strong teams. In its most recent victory, Charlotte’s George Davis doubled in the winning run with a bender to right field in the fifth inning to make it 2-1 for the Redhawks. Hunter Anderson went the distance on the mound, allowing last year’s state champions a lone run in the third inning. CVU coach Tim Albertson said that his pitcher “really competed–that’s what it came down to at the end.”

The three previous games were also wins, one over Milton 21-5, one over North Country 19-7 and the closest an 8-2 victory over Middlebury. Liam Reiner pitched against North Country, Kyle Rivers shut down Milton, and Colin Vincent struck out seven while driving in two runs himself against the Mids. Jacob Murphy, Storm Rushford and Chris O’Brien had multiple hits as they led the way at the plate in the two lopsided victories.

Gorman leads women’s track to a second place finish at St. Jay
Sophia Gorman’s first place at 3,000 meters and third at 1,500 were handles on CVU’s second place team slot behind winner St. Johnsbury Academy. Allison Kloeckner won both shot put and discus, and Sierra Morton won the 200-meter dash.

The men’s team also finished in second place behind the hometown Hilltoppers. As he has been doing much of the early season, Tyler Marshall captured first place at 800 and 1,500 meters. Max Rieley won the discus and Elliot Eastman the pole-vault.

At the Essex Vacational Meet later in April, Kloeckner and Murphy won the two CVU first places, Murphy at 1,500 meters, Kloeckner in the shot put.

Tennis teams both top the nets in wins over St. Johnsbury
Both men’s and women’s tennis teams continued their winning ways against St. Johnsbury Academy, the men at Davis Park, Shelburne, the women on the Academy courts. Redhawk women continued undefeated in individual matches with lone Charlotter, Meara Heininger shutting out her Hilltopper opponent 7-0, 7-0. Playing on home courts, the men took their opponents by three individual matches, 5-2. There were no Charlotters serving this time.

The women stand at three wins, no losses for the season; the men are two and zero.

Men’s lacrosse stands four and one
Middlebury and CVU have always produced close lacrosse games. Middlebury seems to feed on its collegiate ally in town. CVU has built up a strong feeder program, with even its principal a former Vermont high school All American. Last Friday’s game was no different as the Redhawks traveled down the road, took advantage of Middlebury penalties by getting goals on three different men-up situations and topped the Tigers 8-7. Attack man Jake Schaefer hit the net twice with his colleague up front, Charlotter Walter Braun adding a goal and an assist. Charley Bernicke duplicated Braun’s efforts, and Johnny Gay was called upon for five saves. The ball stayed in the Redhawks’ offensive end much of the game with the Middlebury goalie stopping 15 shots.

Another Braun, Will, helped CVU top Cape Elizabeth, Maine, in an out-of-state contest on April 21 by an identical 8-7 score.

The Brauns have been active around the net much of the season. In mid-April Walter led the hawks over Essex with two goals and an assist to flesh out Bernicke’s four goals to lead the Hawks over one of their top in-state rival Hornets, 10-7.

Women’s lacrosse gets back on the pitch
Having had two games cancelled because of wet fields, CVU women LAXers lost to Mt. Mansfield 11-8 on Saturday. Lydia Maitland scored half of the CVU goals with Gabby Provost hitting the net twice. The team stands at two wins and two losses for the season.

Softball brings its record up to three and three
After being down by nine runs to the visitors from St. Johnsbury, CVU’s softball team scored three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to top its comeback victory at 14-13. The Hilltoppers had scored 10 runs in the third inning before CVU started to eat away at their lead, and the two final innings provided the real dessert. Josie Sinopoli came home on a passed ball for the winning run. Natalie Gagnon pitched and hit for the victory, knocking in three RBIs.

One Charlotter in the list of Vermonters who finished the Boston Marathon
Congratulations to Sara Moses who was the lone Charlotte resident to finish the Boston Marathon. She was one of 80 Vermont residents to run the full race.