Monthly Archives: April 2013

April 11, 2013 · 9:12 pm

Newburyport wins third straight downing Masconomet 4-1 in Cape Ann League softball

Lauren Singer, caught in a rundown, escaped and later scored as Coach Lori Solazzo looks on.

Victoria Allman gets congratulated by Kendra Dow after her third win of the season

(Newburyport) Last year these two teams met at Cashman Park in early April and there were thirty hits and Masconomet left with a 9-6 win in nine innings.

Not this time. The hits were scarce (eight) and the Clippers won, 4-1, in Cape Ann League action on a cold/bleak Thursday afternoon in Newburyport.

Newburyport (3-0) is off to a perfect start with Victoria Allman showing that she can handle the every-game pitching assignment.

Victoria gave up three singles and one unearned run.

This was the opener for Masconomet. They did have several scrimmages leading up to this game. The Chieftains were 17-3 last season under first-year Mike Gibeley. Mike was named coach-of-the-year for his terrific season.

Pitcher Rachel Shamon leaves the game with an injury.

Rachel Shamon (CAL D1 player-of-the-year) started for Masco but went out after 2 1/3 innings after getting a finger in the way of a ground ball. Emily Dow came on to pitch one-hit ball the rest of the way.

The Clippers picked up a run in the first, two in the second, and another in the fifth.

In the first, Lauren Singer doubled to right center and reached third after a liner by Meghan Stanton was dropped by Rachel Shamon (pitcher). Meghan took second uncontested. Kendra Dow then grounded back to Rachel. Rachel faked the throw to first then tried to get Lauren Singer off of third. She couldn’t and the bases were loaded with one out. Carley Siemasko worked Rachel for a walk and the Clippers led, 1-0.

Molly Stanton heads home with second Clipper run

In the second, Victoria Allman walked (Molly Stanton ran for her). Meghan Stanton lined a 2-out triple over the head of leftfielder (Sarah Webster) scoring her sister. Lea Tomasz singled to the right of second base driving in Meghan and giving Newburyport a 3-0 lead after two innings.

The Chieftains picked up their lone run in the fifth. Sammy Martin walked and Alex Mendelsohn reached on a single to deep short. Rachel Shamon’s grounder to third (Meghan Stanton) went through the sophomore’s legs allowing Sammy Martin to score an unearned run.

The Clippers got that run back in the bottom of the fifth. Kendra Dow doubled to right and reached third on Casey Barlow’s sacrifice grounder. Shelby O’Brien walked but on ball four the ball got away from catcher Alex Mendelsohn allowing Kendra Dow to slide in with the fourth Newburyport run.

Kendra Dow handled seven grounders flawlessly

Senior shortstop Kendra Dow had two hits, scored a hustle run, and handled seven grounders flawlessly.

Masco second baseman Erin Campbell made a terrific backhand stab of Vicki Allman’s liner to end the fifth inning.

Outfielders Lea Tomasz and Ashley Hodge collided in the fourth inning but Lea came away with the catch.

Sophomore Meghan Stanton had two hits, an RBI, and scored a run.

Sophomore Lauren Singer had three hits off pitcher Rachel Shamon last year.

The quickest feet were shown by Angus as he circled the field then raced back to obedience school for a lecture.

Masco and Newburyport will meet again on May 13th at Masco.

The Chieftains next game will be hosting Triton next Wednesday.

Newburyport will face an excellent North Reading team on the road next Wednesday.

Newburyport boxscore

Masconomet boxscore

(All of the pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Erin Campbell congratulated after making a nice play at second

Sarah Rogers sights a fly in right

Angus shows speed

Julianna Kostas steals second as Kendra Dow awaits the throw

Meghan Stanton

Casey Barlow makes a catch

pitcher Emily Dow

Lauren Singer gets ready to catch

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Filed under Masconomet, Newburyport

Tagged as Emily Dow, Erin Campbell, Kendra Dow, Lauren Singer, Meghan Stanton, Rachel Shamon, Victoria Allman

April 10, 2013 · 10:51 pm

Amesbury wins easily over Triton 12-2 in Cape Ann League softball

Amanda Boswell slides home safely

Jenna Bartley heads for home

(Byfield) Triton was in trouble even before their game with Amesbury started.

Cape Ann League All-Star Shannon Sinton was sidelined because of a preseason injury. The Vikings shortstop will be back with the team in a couple of weeks.

In the season opener for both softball teams Amesbury came away with a decisive, 12-2, win on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon.

The Indians were 17-5 in 2012 and have plenty of that team back. They had hits and base runners in every inning.

Carolina Merrill

And while the Indians were hitting and running the bases and building up an 8-0 lead, their pitcher (senior Carolina Merrill) held Triton scoreless scattering two hits and striking out five.

Amesbury had thirteen hits (by my count) and took the extra base time after time.

Amanda Boswell was the ideal leadoff batter for Amesbury in this one. The speedy junior reached base on all five at bats and scored four runs.

Mara Spears absorbed the loss for Triton. The Viking junior walked only one but despite some pretty good speed couldn’t keep the Indians from making good contact.

Cori Simons had a 2-run single for Triton in the final inning.

This was a non-league game. The CAL league game between the teams is on April 29th.

Erin Leary circles the bases

Today’s game featured three 2012 CAL All-League players – Cori Simons, Cassie Schultz, and Erin Leary. In this game, Erin had a home run down the left field line.

Kelsey Trudel, Shannon Sinton, Carolina Merrill, and Amanda Schell made the CAL All-Star team in 2012.

Last time I saw Amesbury play they were losing a tough 2-0 game at Danvers in the post-season tournament.

Triton’s next game is hosting Pentucket on Friday. Amesbury hosts Georgetown on Thursday.

(All of the pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Amanda Boswell

Amanda Schell

Two Triton runners score

Kelsey Trudel

Lexa Reilly

Lily Anderson and Lucy Scholz

Amanda Schell tags out Lexa Reilly

Carolina Merrill and Erin Leary

Triton pitcher Mara Spears

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Filed under Amesbury, Triton

Tagged as Amanda Boswell, Amanda Schell, Carolina Merrill, Erin Leary, Jenna Bartley, Mara Spears

April 9, 2013 · 8:55 pm

Georgetown defeats Ipswich 5-2 to run winning streak to seven

Alex Amoroso out at third

Winning pitcher Patrick Slack

(Ipswich) Georgetown won its seventh straight game (including the five that earned them the Division 4 title) as they defeated Ipswich, 5-2, on a pleasant Tuesday afternoon in Ipswich.

The Royals (2-0) collected two unearned runs in the 4th inning and survived a bases loaded, no-one-out situation in the 6th inning to gain the win in their Cape Ann League opener.

Ben Noelk and Tom Pingree each had two RBI for Georgetown. CJ Ingraham had three of the Royals’ nine hits and also drove in a run.

Junior Patrick Slack was the winning pitcher. He scattered three hits and K’d seven Tigers during six innings of work. Dave Ingraham pitched the seventh and recorded a 1-2-3 final inning.

Patrick Slack (1-0) put himself into some serious trouble in the sixth but managed to escape with minimal damage. Four batters into the sixth inning Patrick had given up a single (Ryan Law), made a bad throw to second on a grounder (Josh Guertin), walked a batter (Henry Sacco), and hit another batter (Kyle Barber).

Shortstop Colby Ingraham prepares to throw home to get a key out in the fifth inning

With one run in (score now 4-2) and more a distinct possibility, the drawn in G’town infield forced a run at the plate. Then Patrick K’d pinch-hitter Jordan Thibault and got Eric Gongas to end the threat grounding out to third.

The Royals broke open a 1-1 game in the 4th inning with two unearned runs both scored with two outs. A Dave Ingraham single and a walk to Mike Goddu put runners on base. An error by Tiger shortstop Mike Savoie on sophomore Kyle Nelson’s sharp grounder extended the inning with the bases loaded. Ben Noelk made Ipswich pay as he sliced a single in front of centerfielder Ryan Law delivering Dave Ingraham and Mike Goddu.

Ipswich starter Alex Amoroso

Alex Amoroso went the first four innings for Ipswich (0-1) and Sean Whooley the final three.

Georgetown touched Alex for a run in the first. A single and steal by leadoff batter Patrick Slack was followed by a run-scoring double by CJ Ingraham (3 hits).

Ipswich answered right back in the bottom of the first. Alex Amoroso reached on an infield hit and took second on a wild pitch. The Tiger senior reached third thanks to Ryan Law’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Kyle Barber’s rip off third baseman Tom Pingree’s glove.

The Royals picked up the two unearned runs in the fourth to lead 3-1 before adding another score in the fifth off of Sean Whooley. Colby Ingraham reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, and was sent home by Tom Pingree’s single to right center.

Up 4-1, the Royals survived the Tiger threat in the sixth allowing just one run. Georgetown pushed across its 5th run in the seventh. CJ Ingraham singled, stole second, and was delivered with two outs by Tom Pingree.

CJ Ingraham (3 hits) takes a big cut

The two teams will meet again in two weeks at Georgetown. The Royals next game will be hosting Manchester-Essex on Thursday. The Tigers will entertain Amesbury next Tuesday at 10AM.

Division 3 Ipswich was 6-13 last season but lost eight of those game by one run.

GHS coach Justin Spurr has thirteen players back from last season’s championship team. Star Ryan Browner is now at Southern Maine but there is still plenty of talent on the roster. It is not hard to imagine Georgetown still playing games in June.

Kyle Barber drove in both Ipswich runs

Kyle Barber was hit by pitches twice and drove in both Ipswich runs.

Sophomore catcher Kyle Nelson made his Georgetown varsity debut today.

Three times Georgetown put themselves into scoring position with steals that led to runs.

Georgetown box

Ipswich box

(The pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Colby Ingraham rounds third in the 5th inning

Royals reliever Dave Ingraham

Tiger reliever Sean Whooley

Ben Noelk (two RBI)

Tom Pingree (two RBI)

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Filed under Georgetown, Ipswich

Tagged as Alex Amoroso, Ben Noelk, CJ Ingraham, Coach Justin Spurr, Colby Ingraham, Kyle Barber, Patrick Slack, Tom Pingree

April 9, 2013 · 11:53 am

Newburyport gets two wins over Lynnfield in outdoor track

Steve Preston won the shot put, discus, and finished 2nd in the 100

DJ DeGeorge finished 2nd in the shot put and discus

(Newburyport) Plenty of sunshine and plenty of success for Newburyport in outdoor track competition with Lynnfield on Monday afternoon.

The Clippers (1-1) recovered nicely from last week’s losses to North Reading in their Cape Ann League opener.

The Newburyport boys defeated the Pioneers, 92-51, while the Clipper girls came out ahead, 90 ½ – 54 ½.

On a bright day (I’m making excuses for the pictures already!) I took a number of pictures of the participants.

I prepped for the race by taking a look at the 2012 CAL outdoor track championships at North Andover. That research alerted me to the best matchup in this meet – Steve Preston (Nbpt) versus DJ DeGeorge (Lynnfield).

The event was the shot put. In the CAL championships DJ was the winner with a put of 48’11”. Steve was third with 46’4”.

On Monday afternoon Steve turned out the winner reaching 49’. I don’t know DJ’s distance this time around but he ended up second.

Steve also won the discus with a throw of 142’ 5”. That length would have won last year’s CAL meet in which Steve ended up second throwing 138’ 1”. DJ was second today in the discus.

Tom Graham wins the 100

Steve also had a second in the 100 behind teammate junior Tom Graham.

Watching the Newburyport distance runners is always entertaining. You go into having no idea what the “script” will be.

In the two-mile, the “script” was determined by how long Lynnfield’s Chase Davidson could stay in contention. When he dropped back the front four orchestrated the way the race would go, in conversion as the race went along. In the final stretch, Max Vye “pulled away) from Joe Santo, Nick Carleo, and Chris Orlando to get the win.

Nick Carleo cruises in the one mile

The one mile event was run without scripting and Nick Carleo won decisively. His time was 4:47 which is quite a ways from his 4:29.8 at the CAL championships last May.

Lexi Buonfiglio was a decisive winner for Lynnfield in the 800. The senior was 4th in the CAL championships and all of the girls who finished ahead of her have graduated.

Next for Newburyport will be hosting undefeated Masco (2-0) on Thursday. For Lynnfield, it will be a trip to Ipswich (1-0) on the same day.

(All of the pictures above and below enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

sophomore Lily Eagan won the 400 hurdle

Max Vye leaves the pack in the two mile

Sam Stansel takes the 400

Liza Twomey took the 100 and the 200

Lexi Buonfiglio captures the 800

Erin Carroll wins the two mile

DJ DeGeorge tosses the discus

Becca Speak in the triple jump

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Filed under Lynnfield, Newburyport

Tagged as DJ DeGeorge, Lexi Buonfiglio, Max Vye, Nick Carleo, Steve Preston

April 3, 2013 · 9:28 pm

Casey Barlow and Victoria Allman lead Newburyport past North Andover 3-1 in softball opener

Victoria Allman – complete game six-hitter with ten strikeouts

Casey Barlow (#13) gets congratulated after her two-run blast

(Newburyport) The white caps were not on the players’ heads but on the Merrimack River in the background at Cashman Park Wednesday afternoon.

But I doubt the Newburyport Clippers softball team minded the cold, windy setting as they defeated North Andover, 3-1, in a non-league season opener for both squads.

Senior Casey Barlow (three hits and three RBI) was the hitting star for NHS. Last time I saw Casey in action it was in basketball and the lefty was shooting free throws right-handed because of an injury. She’s fully recovered!

Casey’s wind-effected, two-out blooper in front of North Andover third baseman Paige Alholm delivered a run for the Clippers in the first inning.

Later, in the fifth inning, Casey put a charge into a liner over right fielder Jess Bramanti’s head and circled the bases successfully despite slowing up rounding third. Kendra Dow scored on the play and Newburyport had the two runs that would make the difference in this game.

Dahlia DeCologero had two hits and scored the only NA run

The Knights got their lone run in the third. Kim Crucioli singled Dahlia DeCologero to third and the senior scored on catcher Lauren Bean’s passed ball.

Victoria Allman had a strong outing for Newburyport. The junior gave up six hits but struck out ten. Victoria had five K’s in the first two innings.

NA threatened in the fourth as Jess Bramanti and Paige Alholm both singled with no outs. But Victoria served up a fly ball out to Lea Tomasz and two infield grounders handled by second baseman Jackie Krusemark to end the scoring chance.

The Knights put together a more serious threat in the seventh inning down two runs. Danielle Wilson beat out an infield hit past the pitcher and later leadoff batter Dahlia DeCologero doubled over Ashley Hodge’s head in left. That put two runs in scoring position with two outs. But Victoria got Kim Crucioli to ground out to second to end the game.

Dahlia DeCologero had two of NA’s six hits.

Pitcher Kim Crucioli is congratulated after getting out of a jam in the second inning

Knights’ pitcher Kim Crucioli (6 hits/4 K’s) came up big in the bottom of the second. Meghan Stanton belted a triple over the head of leftfielder Sarah Lemerise with no outs but Kim struck out two and induced a popup to escape.

Shortstop Kendra Dow erased a Knights scoring attempt at the plate in the first inning. Dahlia DeCologero had reached third after singling, stealing second, and getting third on an errant throw by catcher Lauren Bean. Kendra was playing in and Courtney Green’s grounder reached her quickly and her strong throw to Lauren Bean was there in plenty of time.

Another key to the Newburyport win? Keeping Courtney Green under wraps. Courtney was the Player-of-Year in Division 2 of the Cape Ann League last season. Victoria Allman held her hitless in three plate appearances.

North Andover has moved to the Merrimack Valley Conference and they are certain to find the level of competition quite different than in the CAL with plenty of Division 1 teams on their schedule.