Late-inning hits fuel Wasp win over Windsor

Windsor catcher Tanner Moody (6) attempts to tag out Woodstock’s Josh Hough (20) as he slides into home plate while his teammate Riley O’Neal (4) gestures that he is safe during a varsity baseball game at Windsor High School in Windsor, Vt., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Woodstock won, 27-5. (Valley News / Report For America - Alex Driehaus) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Valley News / Report For America photographs — Alex Driehaus

Windsor head coach Jamie Richardson, center, gives his players a pep talk before a varsity baseball game against Woodstock at Windsor High School in Windsor, Vt., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Woodstock won, 27-5. (Valley News / Report For America - Alex Driehaus) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Windsor’s Alden Weld (4) loses his hat after throwing a pitch during a varsity baseball game against Woodstock at Windsor High School in Windsor, Vt., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Woodstock won, 27-5. (Valley News / Report For America - Alex Driehaus) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Valley News / Report For America – Alex Driehaus

Woodstock’s Keller Pauly (8) gives teammate Josh Hough (20) a tip on his batting stance during a varsity baseball game at Windsor High School in Windsor, Vt., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Woodstock won, 27-5. (Valley News / Report For America - Alex Driehaus) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Alex Driehaus

Windsor’s Nate Griffin (15) prepares for his dash to home plate while watching Lee Bevis (19) at bat during a varsity baseball game against Woodstock at Windsor High School in Windsor, Vt., on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Woodstock won, 27-5. (Valley News / Report For America - Alex Driehaus) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Alex Driehaus

By BEN HOOKE

Valley News Correspondent

Published: 05-17-2024 4:01 PM

WINDSOR — When asked what went well for his team in their 27-5 thrashing of the Windsor Yellowjackets, Woodstock baseball coach Jason Tarleton kept his answer simple: hitting.

The Wasps jumped all over the outmatched Jacks, sending 57 batters to the plate and recording 23 hits without a single strikeout in a dominant win at the McLeay-Royce athletic fields on Thursday.

The score doesn’t quite reflect the nature of the game, as Windsor trailed just 6-1 after four innings before being outscored 21-4 in the back half of the game. The Yellowjackets also staved off the mercy rule by scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend the game to the full seven innings.

Woodstock also took full advantage of a number of mistakes from Windsor, stealing bases and advancing on a number of throwing errors from the outmatched Windsor fielders.

The Wasps (7-2) move to third place in a tight Division III race with seven games to play until the playoffs. The program, who haven’t reached a state final since 1987 and finished ninth in the division last year before losing in the first round, have made a marked improvement thanks to real consistency across the roster. “Got a lot of the same guys from last year, plus a couple of freshmen and sophomores who play a lot of baseball who’ve really helped us,” said Tarleton.

While Woodstock is in a good position now, they still have work to do. The division’s top dog, defending champs Thetford, look largely unassailable, but the Wasps have two games against second-ranked Green Mountain as part of a loaded seven game stretch to close the regular season.

Windsor falls to 1-11. The Yellowjackets, who play a schedule loaded with division I and II schools, are not favored to repeat their playoff run from 2023, when they came a dropped fly ball from reaching the semifinals as the 13 seed.

Woodstock travels to Stratton Mountain on Saturday, while Windsor hosts Bellows Falls on Wednesday.

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