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By Bruce Bosley
PBR NE Scout

PBR New England is eagerly anticipating bringing the New England states the best high school coverage throughout the region.

We will have the 2016 Scout Blog, Spotlight Games, Inside the Recruitment Articles, Unsigned Senior Spotlights, The Recruiting Trail, All-State Selections, Full Coverage of the State Tournaments as well as numerous other articles throughout the spring.

To view the Regions Preseason All-State Teams, click below:
+ Connecticut
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ New Hampshire
+ Rhode Island
+ Vermont

To view the Team Power Rankings, click below:
+ Connecticut
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ New Hampshire
+ Rhode Island
+ Vermont

To view the full list of 2016 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

For insider information and scouting notes from the PBR staff during the 2016 spring season visit the 2016 New England Scout Blog by clicking here.

Interested in attending a PBR New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

PBR New England Spotlight Game: Burr and Burton vs BFA St. Albans

ST. ALBANS, Vt. --  A clutch two-run double and strong relief pitching by junior Griffin Stalcup (2017 SS/RHP) lifted fifth-seeded Burr and Burton to a 4-2 upset of top-seeded BFA St. Albans,  in the semifinals of the Vermont Division I State Tournament Wednesday at the Collins-Perley Athletic Complex. The Bulldogs (16-3) move on to Saturday's  title game to face second-seeded St. Johnsbury in the 7:30 p.m. nightcap at historic Centennial Field in Burlington.

The Bobwhites broke through with an unearned run in the third when Tyler Tatro (2016 SS) reached on an error, stole second and raced home on a line single to center by Levi Stanley (2016  IF) off B&B starter Jay McCoy (2018 RHP/IF).

Burr and Burton answered in the top of the fifth off BFA starter Mark Connor (2016 RHP/IF), the Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year, who had cruised through the first four frames allowing two singles along with four strikeouts. Samuel Cotrell (2018 IF) led with a single down the right field line and moved to second on a sacrifice. Dan Hatheway reached on an infield nubber to the left side with Cotrell having to hold at second. Connor induced a grounder for a force out but hit Tyler Kraehling (2017 1B) to load the bases. Stalcup, a lefty hitter, laced an outside pitch down the left field line to plate both James Reilly (2017 IF) and Hatheway. An infield error allowed Kraehling to score to make it 3-1.

Stalcup took over on the mound to start the fifth. After a 1-2-3 fifth, BFA St. Albans tallied an unearned run in the sixth when Stanley reached on an infield hit when his grounder up the middle was deflected off Stalcup wide of shortstop. Connor moved him to second on a smash to Kraehling at first. Stanley went to third on a short wild pitch and came into score when an ill-advised throw by the catcher went into left field.

Burr and Burton answered in the top of the seventh when Jon Iris (2016 OF/LHP) led with an infield single, was sacrificed to second by Hatheway, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single to left by Reilly.

The Bobwhites made it interesting in the seventh as Ben Lovelette (2016 1B) led with a walk and after a strikeout, Stalcup walked Isaac Cioffi (2017 C/DH) on four pitches. Stalcup induced a grounder back to the box and nearly started a double play to knock down the runner at second with Cioffi moving to third. Pinch-runner Kyle Cioffi (2016 OF) was allowed to advance to second before Stalcup struck out Tatro with a 3-2 fastball with the tying runs in scoring position to end the game.

The Clarkson-bound Connor was the tough luck loser for the Bobwhites in his final high school game. He went the route allowing four hits, three earned runs striking out six and he did not walk a batter. BFA St. Albans finished its season at 1702.

McCoy, a sophomore, picked up the win for the Bulldogs going the first four innings allowing just two hits, one walk and striking out three. Stalcup nailed down the save, his second straight in the tourney, with the three innings of one-hit relief allowing the two walks in the seventh and struck out three. Both runs allowed were unearned.

Below are the Vermont State Championship pairings and schedule for all four divisions. All games to be held at Centennial Field in Burlington:

Friday, June 10, 2016:

D4 - #2 South Royalton vs. #8 Danville, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 11, 2016:

D3 - #3 Randolph vs. #5 Windsor, 1:00 p.m.
D2 - #6 Bellows Falls vs. #8 Mt. Abraham, 4:00 p.m.
D1 - #2 St. Johnsbury vs. #5 Burr & Burton, 7:00 p.m.