RUMFORD — Marcus Palmer performed double duty by driving home the eventual winning runs in the fourth inning and also throwing a complete game as the Mountain Valley rallied for a 7-5 triumph over Monmouth to capture the MVC championship at Hosmer Field.
“A key today was to get on track for the playoffs,” Falcon shortstop Korey Stairs said. “This was a big game for us, and also for the school because we haven’t won (MVC championship) in a while. This gave us confidence and I know, because I pitched when we lost to Jay 6-1 last year.”
Mountain Valley (13-2) had taken a 5-3 lead in the third after teeing off on Monmouth starter Ben Seefeldt. The key blows were an RBI triple by Pat Knapp, a Ben Madigan RBI double and Andy Shorey’s run-scoring single. The Falcons manufactured a run when Stairs scored after Kevin Capponi deliberately got caught in a rundown.
The Falcons, who have won 10 games by three runs or less this season, benefited from Palmer’s long single to go up 7-3. Jeremy Sterling reached on error and Madigan (two hits) walked, before Palmer drilled Andy Bellmore’s offering to center field.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Mountain Valley coach Steve LaPointe said. “But, this team does what it takes to win. We hit the ball today the hardest we’ve hit all season. A few things have happened, but the kids have stepped it up. We’ll need to shore up our defense before the playoffs”
Monmouth (12-2-1) scored two runs in the first on infield hits by Sean Holbrook, catch Shane Kibler (three hits) and Bellmore. Kyle Pelletier had a two-run single. The Mustangs had a big threat in the fifth, but only scored two runs on Seefeldt’s single. Josh Parsons hit a rising line drive, but Stairs caught the ball, fully extended.
“That first inning was interesting,” Monmouth coach Eric Palleschi said. “The kids came in here relaxed and had some fun. We showed some speed and hit the ball well, but Mountain Valley is a good team and you can’t afford to give them any thing.”
The Mustangs had two base runners on in the seventh, but third baseman Corey Devoe snared a ball, while diving , tagged third and threw across the diamond for the final out.
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