# Vermont Mountaineers

The Vermont Mountaineers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Montpelier, Vermont. The team, a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, plays their home games at Montpelier Recreation Field. In 2022, the Mountaineers broke the NECBL record for wins in a single season, with 32.

## History

In 2001, local citizens formed "Green Mountain Community Baseball", an organization formed in hopes of attracting an NECBL franchise to Montpelier, Vermont. In September of the following year the NECBL voted to expand to far-away Vermont, and to award a franchise to the group. The team's name, the Vermont Mountaineers, was chosen from more than 300 fan entries.
John Russo has been the team's manager since 2004 and has held some role with the team since its arrival in the league. General Manager Brian Gallagher spear-headed organizing the franchise and led the team since its inception.
The team's first game was on June 7, 2003, an 8-5 loss to the Manchester Silkworms. The game's attendance of 2,471 set a then-NECBL record for single game attendance. Although their inaugural season was not a success on the field (the Mountaineers had the second-worst record in the NECBL), it was in terms of attendance, with the club leading the league in average attendance per game. Nearly 35,000 fans watched the Mountaineers at Montpelier Recreation Field that season.
After reaching the playoffs in 2004, the team has enjoyed playoff success, qualifying for the playoffs in six of their first seven seasons. They have reached the NECBL Championship Series six times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2022) winning it three times (2006, 2007), 2015). Three of their six finals appearances have come against the Newport Gulls.

## Postseason appearances

| Year | Division Semi-Finals | Division Semi-Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | NECBL Championship Series | NECBL Championship Series |
| Vermont Mountaineers |||||||
| 2004 | Keene Swamp Bats | L (0-2) | | | | |
| 2005 | Holyoke Giants | W (2-0) | Keene Swamp Bats | W (2-1) | Newport Gulls | L (0-2) |
| 2006 | Holyoke Giants | W (2-0) | Sanford Mainers | W (2-1) | Torrington Twisters | W (2-0) |
| 2007 | Keene Swamp Bats | W (2-0) | Holyoke Giants | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | W (2-0) |
| 2008 | Sanford Mainers | L (1-2) | | | | |
| 2009 | North Adams SteepleCats | W (2-0) | Holyoke Blue Sox | W (2-0) | Newport Gulls | L (1-2) |
| 2011 | Holyoke Blue Sox | L (0-2) | | | | |
| 2012 | Keene Swamp Bats | L (0-2) | | | | |
| 2013 | North Adams SteepleCats | W (2-0) | Keene Swamp Bats | L (1-2) | | |
| 2014 | Laconia Muskrats | W (2-0) | Sanford Mainers | L (2-0) | | |
| 2015 | Laconia Muskrats | W (2-0) | North Adams SteepleCats | W (2-1) | Mystic Schooners | W (2-1) |
| 2022 | | | Sanford Mainers | W (2-1) | Martha's Vineyard Sharks | L (0-2) |
| 2023 | Danbury Westerners | L (0-2) | | | | |
| 2024 | Martha's Vineyard Sharks | W (2-0) | Sanford Mainers | L (2-0) | | |

## Records

Below is a list of all-time New England Collegiate Baseball League records set by the Mountaineers.

### Team

* Most triple plays in a season – 2, against the Keene Swamp Bats
* Stolen bases in a game – 11 against the Manchester Silkworms on 7/31/08.
* Stolen bases in a season – 118, 2011.
* Runs in a game – 26, 2012 (Record shared with two (2) other teams).
* Runs in a game, combined – 41, 2012
* Sacrifice Hit - 38 2017

### Individual

* Sacrifice Bunts – 11 by Matt Smith, 2004 and Zach Babitt, 2010.
* Most saves – 16 by Mark Murray, 2006.

## Awards
### End-of-season awards

* 2004 Top Relief Pitcher – McKenzie Willoughby (co-winner)
* 2005 Sportsmanship Award – Matt Rizzotti
* 2005 Manager of the Year – John Russo
* 2006 Defensive Player of the Year – Curt Smith
* 2006 Top Relief Pitcher – Mark Murray
* 2006 Sportsmanship Award – Robbie Minor
* 2006 Rookie of the Year – Chris Friedrich
* 2007 10th Player Award – A. J. Pollock
* 2008 Most Improved Player – Alejandro Balsinde
* 2014 Rookie of the Year – Blake Tiberi

### All-NECBL Team

* 2005 – First Team: 1B Matt Rizzotti; Second Team: 3B Miguel Magrass.
* 2006 – First Team: P Joe Esposito, SS Robbie Minor, P Mark Murray, 3B Curt Smith, C Zach Zaneski; Second Team: P Chris Friedrich, 2B Troy Krider.
* 2007 – First Team: 1B Mike Sheridan, DH Curt Smith; Second team OF AJ Pollock.
* 2008 – Second Team P Casey Harman.
* 2009 – First Team OF Henry Dunn, C Jayson Hernandez; Second Team P Rob Kumbatovic.

## Attendance

From their inception the Mountaineers have had some of the league's largest attendance figures. In their inaugural season the Mountaineers enjoyed the highest average attendance in the league and have consistently been near the top of the league in this category since.

### Attendance figures

| Season | Game Avg. | League Rk. |
| 2003 | 1,666 | 1st |
| 2004 | 1,643 | 3rd |
| 2005 | 1,707 | 2nd |
| 2006 | 1,754 | 2nd |
| 2007 | 1,518 | 3rd |
| 2008 | 1,720 | 3rd |
| 2009 | 1,350 | 3rd |
| 2010 | 1,038 | 4th |
| 2011 | 1,743 | 3rd |
| 2012 | 1,498 | 2nd |

### 2004 All-Star Game

The 2004 NECBL All-Star Game drew 4,127 fans to Montpelier Recreation Field, which set a then-NECBL record for All-Star Game attendance. Vermont's Northern Division squad was defeated by the Southern Division 7-4. The record has since been broken at the 2009 NECBL All-Star Game hosted by the Holyoke Blue Sox. The 2009 game attracted 4,906 fans to Mackenzie Stadium in Holyoke, Massachusetts. However, the mark set in 2004 remains a Montpelier Recreation Field record.

## Pro alumni

Below is a list of Mountaineers alumni who have gone on to play professional baseball. In total, over 103 former Mountaineers have signed professional contracts after playing for Vermont. 13 have reached the majors, with two players currently on active MLB rosters.
As of August 1, 2018.

### Reached the Majors

| Player | Year w/ VER | Current/Most recent team | Active |
| A.J. Pollock | 2007 | San Francisco Giants | Yes |
| Rob Delaney | 2005 | Tampa Bay Rays | No |
| David Carpenter | 2005 | Texas Rangers | No |
| Darin Mastroianni | 2004-05 | Minnesota Twins | No |
| Blake Lalli | 2004 | Arizona Diamondbacks | No |
| Christian Friedrich | 2006 | San Diego Padres | No |
| Michael Brady | 2006-07 | Oakland Athletics | No |
| Nick Greenwood | 2008 | Minnesota Twins | No |
| Nick Martinez | 2009-10 | San Diego Padres | Yes |
| Micah Johnson | 2010 | Atlanta Braves | No |
| Matt Duffy | 2010 | Texas Rangers | No |
| Cody Ege | 2011 | Los Angeles Angels | No |
| Troy Scribner | 2011 | Arizona Diamondbacks | No |
| Brian O'Grady | 2012 | San Diego Padres | No |
| Tyler Rogers | 2012 | San Francisco Giants | Yes |
| Danny Mendick | 2013 | New York Mets | Yes |
| Nick Solak | 2014 | Detroit Tigers | Yes (AAA) |
| Trey Amburgey | 2014 | Cincinnati Reds | Yes (AAA) |
| Joe Jacques | 2016 | Boston Red Sox | Yes (AAA) |
| Jonathan Stiever | 2016 | Chicago White Sox | Yes (AAA) |

### National teams

* Simon Rosenbaum, 2015, active with Team Israel.

### Broadcasting

The following former Mountaineer broadcasters have gone on to broadcast in professional baseball: Tim Hagerty-AAA (Mountaineers 2003), Kyle Berger-A (2004), Scott Montesano -Ind. (2005), Jonathan Barr-Ind. (2006), Paul Roper-Ind. (2007, currently broadcasting in the OHL), Carmine Vetrano -AHL/FHL/CanAm. (2010, currently broadcasting in American Hockey League, Federal Hockey League, and Can-Am League),

## Media

Wcax.com, an area online news website run by WCAX-TV, produces reports and video highlights of Mountaineers games. The Barre Montpelier Times Argus, a local newspaper, also provides press coverage of games. The games are broadcast on the NECBL Broadcast Network.