In a game where runs became a minimum and pitchers from both the Essex and Colchester baseball teams got out of multiple jams, it would take one swing of momentum to decide the home opener at Ferrera Field for the host Hornets.
Catcher Oli Lawrence delivered that swing to open the bottom of the fifth inning and, with the help of miscues from the Lakers defense, score the winning run for a 4-3 victory, handing Colchester their first loss of 2026.
The score was 3-3 after 1 inning of play as a combined 17 players batted in the opening frame (8 Lakers, 9 Hornets). The first batter of the game (Colchester's Jackson Pecor) caused some concern for Essex after outfielders Chris Morgan and Jacob Laroche (who threw a no-hitter Thursday @ BBA) collided on a fly ball to left. Laroche was slow to get up with a knee injury but would stay in the game.
Both Essex's Bryce Barber and Colchester's Vinny Wagoner (and John Luter in the 4th) would keep things even through the fourth. After the Hornets got a double play to end the top of the fifth, Lawrence would start the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single. He would go first to third on a wild throw by Luter and score on an error by the catcher.
Sam Bent would come in to get the final out in the sixth and pitched a perfect 7th to close things out for the Hornets.
Other scores: SJA starts the season 0-2 with losses to South Burlington (10-7) Thursday and Rice (2-1) on Saturday...CVU starts the 2026 campaign with a 22-1 (5) win over Rutland...Mount Anthony (2025 D1 Runner-ups) fall to Burlington 2-1 on Saturday...Colchester softball scores 5 runs in the seventh to pull away from Essex 13-6.
News: Essex High School activities director Jeff Goodrich informed me today that he is retiring after the 2026 school year. During his over 30-year tenure at the school, Goodrich was a social studies teacher, assistant principal and athletic director. He also coached the boy's basketball program to two state championships: 1 as an assistant coach under Rob Reardon in 1998, then as the head coach in 2010. Goodrich will remain active in retirement, which does include continuing as chair of the VPA Bass Fishing committee.
