AUSTIN DANFORTH

Assistant Sports Editor

BENNINGTON -- A Saturday doubleheader already behind him, Bennington catcher Cameron Bow truly hit his stride against Hartford on Sunday.

The good news for Post 13? He wasn’t alone.

Bow’s 3-for-3 day at the plate anchored key bottom-of-the-order production as Bennington claimed a smooth, 6-3 victory over Post 26 at Spinelli Field to wrap up a three-win weekend and keep pace atop the Southern Division standings.

"The same thing happened in the second game yesterday, the bottom of the order came through for us," Post 13 coach Walt Parmenter said.

While the top three batters in the Bennington (14-3 overall, 13-2 league) lineup went hitless against Hartford (2-12), the No. 4 through 9 batters collected nine hits and scored five of the club’s six runs.

Bow, the team’s back-up catcher and No. 6 hitter, led the charge, while No. 9 hitter Nick Solari went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI.

"When we need them, they’re there," he said. "They’re coming through in the clutch for us and it’s big."

Post 13 starter Wade Green found himself behind early after Hartford lead-off man Connor Brooks reached on an error and scored on a groundout to go up 1-0 in the top of the first.

But Green remained steady throughout, scattering six hits and striking out six in seven innings. Another error contributed to his final run.

"Wade was able to stay calm and throw strikes, which was what he needed to do," Bow said. "They weren’t swinging at anything that was really right down the pipe. Most of what they were swinging at was off the plate."

All six of Green’s strikeouts were called.

"Lately my curveball hasn’t worked a lot. But thankfully today it did," Green said. "There were some points where I didn’t know if I could throw a curveball, so I through a fastball and I think it caught them off guard."

Cody LaFlamme (2-for-3) leveled the score in the bottom of the first, his bloop single to right scoring Tanner Williams from third. In the next frame, Bow rapped a double to deep right-center that scored Zach Bahan for a 2-1 edge.

"I haven’t played much -- I’ve been playing off and on -- and finally I’ve played three games in a row and been able to get into a rhythm," Bow said.

Hartford squared the score in the fourth, 2-2, but Bennington answered with a game-busting four runs on four hits. Green plated two runs with a double and Solari pushed the lead to 6-2 with a double of his own two batters later.

Hartford starter Steve Cerrone went the distance in the loss, walking one batter and hitting two to go along with the nine hits.

Saturday sweep at B.F.

Bennington began the weekend with a doubleheader sweep of Bellows Falls on the road. Post 13 claimed Game 1, 12-4, and Game 2, 6-5.

Tyler Kunzmann provided crucial firepower in the twinbill, blasting two home runs in the opener and a game-winning solo homer in the nightcap.

"They were all pretty good bombs," Parmenter said. "He was on the ball."

LaFlamme earned the win in Game 1, allowing two runs, striking out four and walking two. Kunzmann and Noah Carroll each pitched an inning of relief.

Kunzmann was 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs and four runs scored. Williams was 2-for-4, LaFlamme 2-for-5 and Weston Lozier 2-for-4.

In Game 2, Williams went the distance for the win, scattering nine hits. Bailey O’Neill, Kunzmann, LaFlamme and Bahan each had two hits.