Catamounts Win Streak Reaches 10

Vermont 11, Siena 1

Game One: BOX SCORE

Vermont 4, Siena 0

Game One: BOX SCORE

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Jared Slater came within one out of a no-hitter in the nightcap and Barry Chamberland homered in both games as Vermont swept a pair from Siena, 11-1 and 4-0, in collegiate baseball at Centennial Field on Tuesday.

It was first two games of the season at Centennial Field for the Catamounts (15-4)who extended their winning streak to ten games. Vermont pitching allowed just one unearned run in the sweep to lower their team ERA to 2.41. The Cats bats also came alive on the warm afternoon as they belted four homers in the two games.

Slater, in just his second start of the season, allowed just a first pitch line single to left field by Tony Cipolla with two outs in the seventh inning. In six and two-third innings he struck out seven, walked just three and retired 11 straight in one stretch. He also induced seven ground ball outs in improving to 2-1 this year. Brett Dobens came on with two on and recorded the last out for his second save of the season.

“It could have very easily been a four-hitter but my defense really helped me out,” commented Slater on the shutout, Vermont’s third of the year.

Chamberland gave him all the offense he needed with a two-out homer to right field in the first. The Cats also scored three in the fourth with Bobby Tewksbary driving in one and Jeff Barry and Chamberland executing a double-steal to set up the other two. Also, Jason Carey went 3-for-3 in the nightcap.

In the opener, Vermont’s 1-2-3 hitters, Barry (2-for-3), Tewksbary (3-for-4) and Chamberland (3-for-3, 4 RBI), combined to go 8-for-10 with nine runs scored and five RBI. Tewksbary had a pair of doubles and Chamberland hit a mammoth homer into the soccer bleachers in the sixth. Leif Ekelund and Kyle Brault also went deep for Vermont and Jay Iannoni drove in two runs. For Ekelund, it was his first career HR while Brault, in his first collegiate game at Centennial Field, hit his team-high fifth, a two-run shot in the fifth inning.

On the mound, Jeff Dixon scattered six hits, walked just one and struck out four in six innings to improve to 5-0 and lower his ERA to 0.79. Chris Blazek came on in the seventh and stuck out the side.

Kevin Roberts had two of the six hits including a double for the Saints, who fall to 7-24 with the two losses.

In the two games, Chamberland went 5-for-5 with 5 RBI to lift his average to .414. Iannoni went 3-for-5 in his Centennial debut and now he is hitting .413.

The Catamounts open America East play hosting Stony Brook with a pair of twin bills on Friday and Saturday.