The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Cats lose final home opener

The baseball action at Centennial Field this past weekend was far more than just a few baseball games — it represented the end of an era at the University of Vermont.

In what now stands as the final home opener in program history, the baseball team fell by a narrow 7-6 margin to the Manhattan Jaspers on Friday. 

The Cats bounced back on Saturday, however, with a pair of wins over Manhattan and NJIT.

Friday’s game, which was the kick off of the annual Catamount Baseball Classic, saw the Cats go down 1-0 after the first inning, but following some clutch hitting from senior Jeff Nolet, junior Ethan Paquette, sophomore Tom Jackson and freshman Dave Soltis, Vermont bounced back to lead 3-1 after two. 

The Jaspers narrowed the lead to 3-2 with a run in the fourth, and the score held that way until the seventh inning, when Manhattan tagged Catamount starter senior Joe Serafin for three runs to take the lead 5-4. 

Vermont came back strong in the bottom of the eighth, as Paquette and Jackson each drove in a run to take a 6-5 lead. 

Manhattan recorded two runs in the top of the ninth, though, giving the team a lead it would not relinquish.

Senior pitcher Justin Albert led the Cats in the first round of the doubleheader on Saturday.

Albert led Vermont to a 3-2 victory over Manhattan with a complete game performance.

Albert allowed eight hits and struck out six, while the Catamount scoring came from sophomore Mark Mickowski, Nolet and junior Justin Milo — who was making his first appearance for the baseball team on the season following the disappointing end of the men’s hockey season on Thursday. 

Vermont defeated NJIT 6-1 in the nightcap, led by a seven inning, two-hit and career-high 12-strikeout performance from senior Keith Rakus. 

Nolet was the leading offensive contributor for the Cats on the weekend, going six-for-10 with two RBIs over the three weekend games, bringing his season average to .321. 

With the two wins on Saturday, the Catamounts brought their record on the season to 7-18.      
 

 

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Cats lose final home opener