Monthly Archives: May 2019

May 26, 2019 · 8:59 pm

Pentucket takes Spofford defeating Triton 4-2

Pentucket Sachems win the 2019 Spofford Tournament

Pentucket captains with the trophy

(Georgetown MA) If you’re looking for a star after a Pentucket win, good luck!

“Every kid has come up for us at some point this season,” said Sachems coach Mike Wendt.

Today was no exception as Pentucket was able to piece together a, 4-2, win over Triton and take the Spofford Tournament title for the first time.

“Hats off to a team that was 2-18 last season,” added Triton coach Ryan McCarthy. “They’ve made it to the tournament and clinched a share of the Cape Ann League title. Good for Coach Wendt and those guys.”

The Vikings (8-12) carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning but lost it when Pentucket (13-7) notched two runs.

Chris Husak -2 hits and an rbi

Chris Husak started the inning with a single. Both Owen Kamuda and Andrew Melone then reached on bunts that were intended to be sacrifices but became hits.

“We made some mistakes in the fifth inning,” said Coach McCarthy. “We have to make those plays and we have to get outs in those situations.”

But they didn’t and Pentucket had the bases loaded, down a run, with no outs.

Credit Triton starter Mark Glickman. He nearly pitched his way out of trouble as he struck out the next two batters. However, a two-out flair by Jordan Cane brought in two Sachems.

“I thought Mark battled,” said Coach McCarthy. “He got two of their better hitters (Gus Flaherty & Jake Etter) and then they got that ball that fell in. That was kind of it right there.”

“It felt great to get that hit,” said Jordan Cane afterwards. “I was thinking middle away for sure. I got a good pitch on the outer part.”

Sophomore Andrew Melone took the win for Pentucket striking out five and giving up only four hits in his 6+ innings of work.

Andrew Melone

“This was Andrew’s best start of the year,” said Coach Wendt. “In this one he was able to throw strikes into the 7^th inning. His command has gotten him into trouble this year but not today.”

The Sachems added their fourth run in the 6^th. Joe Lynch singled, was sacrificed to second by Kyle Stock, and scored on Chris Husak’s double to right center.

Pentucket carried a two-run lead into the bottom of the 7^th and then things got real interesting/entertaining. Just ask anyone who was there!

Jack Tummino singled and Coach Wendt brought on Jake Etter to pitch.

When Cam Gilroy thought Jake had thrown ball four, he headed for first. Jack, assuming that Cam had walked, trotted for second.

The umpire called Cam back, saying it was only ball three. As a result, Jack ended up caught in a rundown but miraculously escaped to second.

Jack Tummino (right) escapes a rundown

After Cam struck out, Tyler Godfrey walked. That put two men on, with one out, in a two-run game.

Enter 3B Chris Husak. Jared Berardino hit a flair over the infield, down the third baseline. Three fielders, including Chris converged.

Chris, at the last instance, stuck his hand out (not his glove!) and caught the ball.

Chris Husak makes a bare-handed catch in the 7th

“There wasn’t room to catch it with the glove,” Chris explained. “I didn’t want to collide with the left fielder. I kind of reached over my shoulder and got it. It was in the moment.”

If Chris doesn’t make that play, the Vikings would have had the bases loaded with one out.

Jordan Cane and Jake Etter at game’s end

But the play was made and then Jake Etter retired Kyle Odoy to end the game.

Triton picked up a run in the first inning. Jared Berardino singled and reached second on a passed ball. Kyle Odoy brought in Jared with a double to the fence in right.

Pentucket tied it in the same inning. Gus Flaherty walked, stole second and scored on Jake Etter’s single.

Two Pentucket errors (Kyle Stock & Gus Flaherty) enabled Tyler Godfrey to give Triton a 2-1 lead in their half of the third inning.

Owen Kamuda (3 hits) scores the go-ahead third run

The Sachems finished with ten hits. Junior Owen Kamuda had three of them.

Senior Jack Tummino had two of Triton’s four hits.

This was Pentucket’s third win over the Vikings this season. The other two game were shutouts.

Triton starter Mark Glickman had six strikeouts.

Coach Wendt: “This was a typical game for us. We grind it out. The kids made plays when we needed them.”

Andrew Melone: “My off speed was working. I pounded the zone with my fast ball and finished them with the off speed.”

Jordan Cane: “I was at St. Mary’s last year. This season has been a great ride. There’s something special about playing for a town.”

Andrew on the Pentucket turnaround: “We had lots of players coming back and thought we could have a good season. Our whole mentality was to win the next game. We continued to win and had fun with it.”

Pentucket box

Triton box

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

Chris Husak after the catch.

Devin Parsons and Jake Etter

Gus Flaherty nears home with the first Pentucket run

Gus Flaherty tries to handle a grounder

Gus Flaherty (SS) leaps

Jack Tummino (CF) makes a catch

Ryan McCarthy

Vikings watch

Jordan Cane and Jake Etter celebrate the win

Play at second

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Filed under Pentucket, Triton

Tagged as Andrew Melone, Chris Husak, Jake Etter, Jordan Cane, Mark Glickman

May 25, 2019 · 7:26 pm

Triton reaches Spofford final with 6-1 win over Georgetown

Pitcher Devin Parsons is all smiles after a win against Georgetown

Jared Berardino (3 RBI)

(Georgetown MA) “This was fun today,” said Triton coach Ryan McCarthy after his Vikings defeated Georgetown, 6-1, on Saturday afternoon.

Triton recovered nicely after being eliminated from the post-season on Thursday.

The Vikings (8-11) may not be in the MIAA tournament but they will be in the finals tomorrow of the Spofford Tournament against Pentucket at 2PM.

The Royals (5-13) face Newburyport in the Spofford consolation game at 11AM.

Georgetown went up 1-0 in the second on an RBI double by Jake Adamsky, but Triton responded in the third inning with four runs to take the lead for good.

Senior Devin Parsons pitched a complete game, six-hitter, notching six strikeouts for the Vikings.

“My curve was real strong in the beginning,” said Devin afterwards. “I got my second wind later in the game and had a good fastball at the end.”

Jack Tummino and Brendan Willis

Devin (New England College commit) collected all of his six K’s in the final four innings. It was his second win of the season.

“We didn’t make the plays when we needed to,” said Georgetown coach Phil Desilets post-game. “Things just snowballed on us.”

Rough day in the field (3 errors) for All-CAL shortstop Brendan Willis. The senior did turn in a terrific stop (and throw) to end a Vikings’ threat in the fifth inning.

“Brendan is a 4-year starter, and no one wanted to win this weekend more than he did,” explained Coach Desilets. “Knowing him, he’ll be great tomorrow.”

Triton senior Jack Tummino’s speed played a big part in the 4-run third. Jack beat out a grounder to deep short to reach base. Later, he scored the Vikings first run by scoring from third on another grounder to short.

1B Kyle Odoy snags the final out

Cael Kohan singled in Jaren Berardino in that productive third to give Triton a 2-1 lead.

The other two Triton runs in the third were tainted; Brendan Willis error and starter Cam Martin balk.

Next inning the Vikings added two more runs against Royals reliever Patrick Sedgwick. The big hit for the team from Byfield was junior Jared Berardino’s single to center driving home teammates Shane Rooney and Cam Gilroy.

“We executed offensively,” said Triton coach McCarthy.

The Vikings finished with ten hits. Cam Gilroy, Tyler Godfrey, and Cael Kohan each had two hits.

Jared Berardino paced Triton with three RBI.

Colin Nally (3B)

Evidence that it might not be Georgetown’s day appeared the second inning. First batter Ethan Block singled but then was thrown out stealing. A single (Tim Chianca) and a double (Jake Adamsky) followed producing a run.

Triton starter Devin Parsons ended the Georgetown threat in the second getting a fly out (Justin Ziolkowski) and a ground out (Chris Swensen).

The Royals were a hit away from making things tight in the 5^th inning. They loaded the bases with two hits (Justin & Chris) and a walk (Brendan Willis) with two outs. Devin escaped again. This time he got Nick Gaeta to ground out to 2B Cam Gilroy.

Triton third baseman (Shane Rooney) started the Georgetown 6^th with an error but finished the inning with a slick backhanded stab (and throw).

The Vikings had lost seven of their last eight games before today’s victory.

Georgetown has now lost 11 of their last 13 games. They have a makeup game next Saturday plus tomorrow’s matchup against Newburyport.

Coach Phil Desilets

“We’ll come out and work hard tomorrow,” said Coach Desilets. “We lost during the season on a walk-off to Newburyport.”

Triton will have its work cut against Pentucket. The Vikings have been shut out twice (4-0, 2-0) by the Sachems. Peter Cleary, Andrew Melone, and Ethan Hunt have limited Triton to a total of three hits in those two games.

Coach McCarthy: “(Devin) Parsons pitched a great game. He’s a senior and it’s the last time he’ll pitch for us. He was in the zone today.”

Coach Desilets: “Credit Triton for coming back the way they did after getting knocked from the tournament a few days ago.”

Devin Parsons: “We were looking to have fun today. I have been playing with these boys since Little League.”

Triton box

Georgetown box

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

Royals watch

Play at second

Ethan Block about to be tagged out by Mark Glickman in the second inning

Catcher Tyler Godfrey under a popup

Tim Chianca reaches for home

Shane Rooney (3B)

Devin Parsons throws to first base

Devin Parsons pitches

Cam Martin

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Filed under Georgetown, Triton

Tagged as Brendan Willis, Devin Parsons, Jake Adamsky, Jared Berardino, Shane Rooney

May 15, 2019 · 10:27 pm

Solid hitting and pitching sends Amesbury by Rockport 11-3

Freshman Ella Bezanson (2) hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

Liv DeLong struck out seven Vikings.

(Amesbury MA) It is not unusual for even the winning coach to find something that the team could have done better.

Not today.

“I have no complaints about this game at all,” said Amesbury coach Jacqui Waters after the Indians had defeated Rockport, 11-3.

The hitting and pitching were nicely in place for the home team on this Wednesday afternoon of Cape Ann League softball.

Amesbury (10-1) scored in every inning, including four runs in their half of the first inning.

“We all hit,” said AHS starter Liv DeLong. “We made good contact.”

The Indians had thirteen hits. Alana Delisle and Ella Bezanson homered, while Olivia Lavasseur had a triple.

Emma DiPietro (3 hits) steals second

Hitting like that can win you games but when you add excellent pitching, the opponent is in trouble.

Freshman Liv DeLong held the Vikings (6-8) hitless into the sixth inning.

“She hit her spots very well today,” explained catcher Avery Hallinan. “Her inside fast ball was very effective.”

Today’s game was a rematch of an April 10^th season opener in which Amesbury won, 5-3.

“This time we weren’t ready to play,” said Rockport coach Julie Ryan. “Their pitching was amazing today.”

Rockport starter Kelsea Anderson

The Indians put four runs together in the first inning with only one hit. Two errors (2B Abby Engel) extended the inning and two wild pitches (Kelsea Anderson) allowed runs to score.

In the AHS second, Avery Hallinan was hit by a pitch, went to 2B on a wild pitch, reached 3B on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a passed ball (Kylie Wheat).

In the Amesbury third, after Olivia Lavasseur was caught stealing, Alana Delisle homered over Taylor Frost’s (CF) head.

The Indians led 6-0 after three innings while Rockport was still looking for its first hit. Kylie Schrock (walk) was the Vikings only baserunner through three innings.

Amesbury collected ten hits over their final three innings scoring five runs and leaving the bases loaded twice.

Emma DiPietro (3 hits) and Liv DeLong had RBI in the 4^th.

Zoe Lucido (shortstop) and Ella Bezanson (base stealer)

Ella Bezanson (3 hits) hit a two-run homer to right center in the 5^th.

AHS starter Liv DeLong had a string of eleven straight batters retired into the sixth inning.

Rockport broke through in the sixth. Errors by Emily O’Donnell (1B) and Ella Bezanson (CF) allowed Liz Higgins to reach third. A perfect bunt by 8^th grader Sophie Lucido scored Liz and gave the Vikings their first hit.

Amesbury got one of those runs back in their half of the 6^th inning. Olivia Lavasseur tripled off the chalk in right field and came home on a passed ball.

Rockport opened the final inning with three straight hits. Liz Higgins drove home two runs (Kylie Schrock & Kelsea Anderson) with a ground ball through the left side.

Catcher Avery Hallinan tags out Kylie Wheat in the 7th

With runners on first and third in that promising inning, the Vikings tried to steal second. However, AHS shortstop Emma DiPietro cut off the throw to second and fired home catching Kylie Wheat trying to score from third.

The Rockport coaches questioned the out call. The catcher must have the ball in order to block the plate. The ruling was that catcher Avery Hallinan did indeed have the ball when she made the tag.

“If I have the ball, and I did, I can block the plate,” said Avery afterwards.

Despite the loss, RHS coach Julie Ryan was optimistic postgame. “We stepped up to the plate at the end. We are still in contention for a playoff spot.”

Sophie Lucido had the first Rockport hit

The Vikings are currently in 3^rd place in the Baker Division with Ipswich and Amesbury ahead of them. Rockport has two games left with Ipswich. A second-place finish, even with a losing record, earns a tournament spot.

Coach Waters: “It was a great team effort. Avery was excellent behind the plate. Ella had three nice hits.”

Liv DeLong: “The defense behind me worked really well. The end was a little rocky. I mixed my pitches and hit my spots.”

Avery Hallinan: “I have probably caught Liv for seven years going back to Little League.”

The weather? The calendar changes but the weather doesn’t. It was cold and windy but NOT raining.

This was my first visit this year to the field at Amesbury Middle School. Attempts have been made to minimize treacherous left field. There is now a fence keeping left fielders from running onto pavement chasing foul balls out there.

Amesbury started five freshmen while Rockport started four freshmen. Both team’s pitchers and catchers were freshmen.

Amesbury box

Rockport box

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

Abby Aponas takes charge on a popup.

Abby Engel

Alana Delisle (home run) congratulated by teammates

Avery Hallinan, Liv DeLong, and Olivia Lavasseur

Catcher Avery Hallinan

Emily O’Donnell

Zoe Lucido (shortstop)

Emma DiPietro (shortstop)

Kylie Wheat (catcher) and run scorer Ella Bezanson

Lauren Hale

Lauren Ryan

Liz Higgins (3B) and base stealer Emma DiPietro

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Filed under Amesbury, Rockport

Tagged as Alana Delisle, Ella Bezanson, Emma DiPietro, Liv DeLong, Liz Higgins, Sophie Lucido

May 9, 2019 · 9:31 pm

Triton bats too much for Amesbury in 9-2 loss

Seniors Bridget Sheehan, Colleen McCarthy, and junior Katherine Quigley celebrate their 10th win

Carisa Boyle slides into 2B ahead of Emma DiPietro’s tag.

(Byfield MA) Sometimes hard work doesn’t pay off.

But it did for Triton this afternoon.

The Vikings struck Amesbury pitching for twelve hits and a 9-2 win on Thursday afternoon.

“We hit every day,” explained Triton coach Dave Dupere afterwards. “Almost an hour and twenty minutes and it shows.”

The loss dropped the Indians (8-1) from the undefeated ranks.

“To be perfectly honest, we got beat by a better team today,” said AHS coach Jacquie Waters.

Emilhy Karvielis – 2 hits, 4 rbi

The Vikings (10-1) jumped on Indians’ starter Liv DeLong for four runs on five hits in the first inning. RBI by senior Emily Karvielis (2), senior Colleen McCarthy (1), and junior Eve Paicos (1) sparked the fast start.

Junior Katherine Quigley tossed a 4-hitter and retired the Indians in order in the first, fourth, and sixth innings.

“I have been shooting the strong-hitting teams inside fastballs this season,” said Katherine. “Today Fay (catcher) was calling for outside pitches and they were hungry for them. It worked to our advantage.”

The Indians got an unearned run (3B Collen McCarthy error) in the third inning. Senior Emma DiPietro’s sacrifice fly brought across junior Meg McElaney.

Abby Aponas throws to first

The Vikings responded productively in their half of the fourth inning, putting hits together (four) and tallying three runs.

Freshman Molly Kimball’s bunt turned into an RBI (Darcie McDonough scored) and later Emily Karavielis’ shot to right center drove across two more (Carisa Boyle & Molly Kimball).

The 7-1 lead after four innings stood up for Triton.

The Vikings added two insurance runs in the 6^th. Colleen McCarthy (3 hits) drove across senior Grace McGonagle. Eve Paicos (2 hits) later brought in Emily Karvielis by singling to right center.

Sophomore Julia Campbell (2 hits) knocked in Amesbury’s 7^th inning run, scoring teammate Liv DeLong.

CF Grace McGonagle makes a running catch to save a run

Two tremendous running catches in the outfield today; Grace McGonagle for Triton and Ella Bezanson for Amesbury.

“She (Ella) has had a couple of great catches this year and today’s was certainly one of them,” said Coach Waters.

Freshman Alana Delisle pitched the last two innings for Amesbury.

The Indians started four freshman; Alana (RF), Olivia Lavasseur (3B), Liv DeLong (P), and Ella Bezanson (CF).

Coach Dupere: “It was a win we needed. Timely hitting. Our senior leadership showed. Katherine hit her spots. She really came through.”

Katherine Quigley: “We were a little nervous because they were undefeated. I knew we needed to get a good jump on them. We hit really, really well early in the game.”

SS Bridget Sheehan closes her glove on a popup

Bridget Sheehan: “We’ve got a great lineup. I am planning to go to Penn State in the fall. I visited there and it felt right.”

Emily Karielis: “The hits just kept coming in the early inning. I will be enlisting in the Navy after I graduate. I have been interested in doing that since middle school. I want to get into law enforcement eventually.”

Colleen McCarthy: “Coming in we knew it would be a big game. That they had to change their pitcher out was a good sign for us. Our goals are to hit and play defense. I will be going to Roger Williams (Bristol RI). I plan to try out for softball and maybe volleyball. I am interested in criminal justice.”

The Vikings have now won five straight. Only loss was to North Reading, 10-7, on April 24^th.

Amesbury’s last loss, before today, was back on June 16^th in 2018 to Austin Prep in the Division 3 North finals.

Busy afternoon at Triton with tennis, lacrosse, baseball, and softball all going on at the same time.

Triton box

Amesbury box

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

Watching the action

Meg McElaney

Liv DeLong

Liv DeLong sets to pitch

Katherine Quigley pitched a 4-hitter

Play at second

Molly Kimball

Grace McGonagle slides into 2B

Eve Paicos – 2 hits, 2 rbi

RF Eve Paicos in on a line drive

Emily Karvielis tries to turn two

Darcie McDonough

Colleen McCarthy rounds third

Carisa Boyle scores

Alana Delisle pitched two innings

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Filed under Amesbury, Triton

Tagged as Colleen McCarthy, Emily Karvielis, Emma DiPietro, Katherine Quigley, Liv DeLong

May 5, 2019 · 12:30 am

Triton wins 5th straight defeating Amesbury 6-4

Catcher Tyler Godfrey and pitcher Jared Berardino celebrate a win

Drew Parsons tagged out by pitcher Blake Bennett in the first inning

(Amesbury MA) Triton pushed their winning streak to five with a 6-4 win over Amesbury on Saturday afternoon in Cape Ann League baseball.

The Vikings (5-4) tallied four runs in the sixth inning to erase a 4-2 deficit.

Triton batted around in that decisive 6^th inning. Cael Kohan tied the game with a two-run single to left center. Later in the inning, Kyle Odoy delivered the go-ahead runs with a double to left.

Blake Bennett drove in all four of the Indians’ runs. Three crossed on his long home run to center in the third inning. A two-out error by Drew Parsons extended that inning and gave Blake the chance to bat with two on.

Cael Kohan

Blake came up in Amesbury’s final inning with a runner (Logan Burrill) on base. This time around Triton centerfielder Jack Tummino looked to be playing back somewhere in New Hampshire and was able to catch Blake’s long blast in his direction.

Cael Kohan started for Triton. After Cael loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning, Coach Ryan McCarthy brought in Jared Berardino. In a turning-point moment, Jared got Tucker Molin to ground into a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play to keep Amesbury from enlarging a 3-2 advantage.

Amesbury (5-5) was at times its own worst enemy. Starter Blake Bennett yielded six walks and four of them scored. Triton’s first two runs scored on wild pitches. Twice innings ended for the Indians on the bases. In the third, Derek Doherty was picked off first by Cael Kohan. In the fifth, catcher Tyler Godfrey threw out Blake trying to steal third.

The Vikings scored a run in the second. Cam Gilroy walked, stole second, and reached third on a fielder’s choice. A wild pitch brought him home and gave Triton a 1-0 lead.

Blake Bennett rounds third

Amesbury took a 3-1 advantage in the third with Blake Bennett’s homer. At first it looked as if Blake would only get a ground-rule double but the umpires gathered with the coaches and it was ruled to be a home run.

Triton got a run back in the fourth. The Vikings loaded the bases with two outs before a wild pitch scored Tyler Godfrey to make it 3-2.

In the fifth inning a Logan Burrill double into the left field trees was followed by a Blake Bennett single to left producing a run and a 4-2 lead.

Triton won the game in the sixth. The Vikings were helped along by three walks and a wild pitch. Cam Gilroy, Tyler Godfrey, Jared Berardino, and Cael Kohan were the run scorers.

The Indians have played all their home games at Town Park because the high school field is water logged. Amesbury is fortunate to have an alternate field. I read today that some of the schools in Maine have only been able to play two games so far because of the weather.

Left field at Town Park

What could go wrong in left field at Town Park? In the picture you can see trees, branches, folks in lawn chairs, a car, and a dog all in the playing area.

Both coaches, before the game, considered me bad luck because I’ve only seen them lose this season. I’m flattered to think that I have such an influence!

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