May 11, 2011 · 9:11 pm

Julianne Meehan K’s Thirteen in 3-1 Pentucket Win Over Newburyport

Bernadette Corrado stretches for the throw beating Cassie Davis for the final out as Julianne Meehan (#12) watches.

Julianne Meehan – thirteen strikouts/ two hits/1 run scored/1 RBI

(Newburyport) Pentucket scored three runs in the first and they held up as the Sachems defeated Newburyport, 3-1, in Cape Ann League softball on Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

Weather conditions were challenging with a steady gale blowing in from right field under a cloudy sky.  I thought I saw whitecaps on the Merrimac River in the distance!

Julianne Meehan struck out thirteen batters after she had those three runs to work with in the top of the first.

The Sachem runs were the result of two Clipper errors.  Taylor Summit’s bobble on a grounder allowed Colleen Jenkins to reach safely and she was driven home on Julianne Meehan’s double to left.  Beth Castantini had the next batter (Megan Haley) struck out but catcher Cassie Davis dropped the ball and then threw it into right field scoring Julianne with the second run.  Bernadette Corrado long triple to left scored Megan with Pentucket’s third and final run.

Megan Haley rounds third heading home as Bernadette Corrado runs out an RBI triple in the background.

Those runs didn’t seem like that many early on but as Julianne flashed the K pitch it became difficult for the Clippers to string hits together.  In fact, they didn’t get their first hit until Shannon Brunault’s infield one in the 5th.

The Clippers (8-3) didn’t lack base runners through five innings.  They stranded eight.  The key for Julianne was her ability to strike out Kendra Dow.  She did it in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th.  Each time for the last out of the inning with runners aboard.  Kendra ended up stranding seven runners.

The Clippers broke through for an unearned run in the sixth inning.  Molly Rowe, who had replaced Beth Castantini in the fifth, hit a sinking liner to right that got by right fielder Julia Torvi and Molly reached third.  Taylor Summit’s single to center drove in the run.

Molly Rowe reaches third in the sixth inning.

Newburyport didn’t get another hit or base runner over the final inning and 2/3.

Pentucket (7-5) has now won two straight.

CF Eleni Kacher and SS Kendra Dow had a near collision in the sixth chasing a pop fly.

Sarah Dickinson made several strong throws from short for Pentucket.

Pentucket stranded runners in every inning.

Julianna allowed just four hits.

Pentucket had seven hits including two infield hits by Kaci Dumas.

( I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Mistakes sometimes happen.)

Eleni Kacher and Kendra Dow converge on a pop up. They did collide but Eleni held onto the ball and neither player was injured.

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May 9, 2011 · 8:32 pm

Brett Fontaine’s Complete Game Two-Hitter Leads Newburyport Past Rockport 3-0

Newburyport first baseman Ryan O’Connor touches first to record the last out in Newburyport’s 3-0 win over Rockport.

Brett Fontaine – complete game 2-hitter

(Newburyport) It didn’t take any late-game heroics for NHS coach Bill Pettingell to get Win #601.  What it took was a 2-hit shutout from Brett Fontaine and sound fundamentals.

Newburyport (8-3) defeated Rockport, 3-0, on a drizzly Monday afternoon in Cape Ann League action.

Brett Fontaine went the route for Newburyport and retired the final eight Vikings in order.

The sound fundamentals appeared in the 5th and 6th.  The 5th inning piece kicked in after Rockport (4-5) had it’s first two batters on.  A strikeout and a force out put runners on first and third.  Rockport then sent the runner from first hoping to get the runner home from third during the attempt.  The Clipper infield reacted properly and Mike Tupper ended up getting caught between third and home for the final out.

In the sixth, Colby Morris led off with a rope past third.  The Clippers, with Ryan O’Connor at bat, executed a perfect hit-and-run play.  Ryan’s grounder toward the right-side hole could have been a double play except that Colby had taken off for second and the second baseman headed toward 2B to cover as the ball went into right field.

Colby Morris scores Newburyport’s second run in the game in the sixth inning.

Defensive replacement Mike Petrino rushed in on the grounder seeing that the runner from first was going to try for third.  Unfortunately for Rockport, the ball got past Mike and this allowed Colby to came all the way around and score Newburyport’s second run.  Ryan reached 2B on the play and was driven home by Matt Mottola’s single off the fence in left.

So, in one inning the Clippers prevented a run and in the next they manufactured two runs in both cases with excellent execution of baseball fundamentals.

Viking starter Tucker Meredith gave up six hits and had no walks.  He also had one of the two Rockport hits.  In the 4th inning, he flied deep to David Cusack in center.

Newburyport scored a run in the first inning with a single (David Cusack), double (Colby Morris), and an RBI fielder’s choice by Ryan O’Connor.

Colby Morris – paced Newburyport with two hits

Colby Morris paced the Clippers with two hits.

Jim Conway reached the fence in center for a double.

Matt Mottola put a ball up the screen in left but was thrown out trying to get two bases out of it.  He did drive in a run with that hit, though.

Sam Scatterday was gunned down trying to steal second in the third inning.

Keady Segel made a nice catch on a popup in front of the Clipper dugout in third.  The last time I saw him he was in goal for the Viking soccer team versus Lynnfield in tourney soccer at Manchester-Essex.  The pink shirt was gone but the sun glasses weren’t……..even on an overcast day.

There is a lot of luck involved in seeing games.  The weather can’t be trusted.  Will it rain or won’t it?

Your luck also has to extend in finding out that there even is a game.  Today the Newburyport Daily News had last week’s schedule listed, the Gloucester Times didn’t list the game at all, the Rockport schedule on High School Net had the game at 3:45, and on the same site the Newburyport schedule had it at 4:45!   How lucky do you feel??

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Mistakes are made unintentionally.)

Tucker Meredith – sophomore pitched six innings and had one of Rockport’s two hits

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May 6, 2011 · 8:07 pm

Brooke Jamison Drives in Last Inning Game Winner (4-3) for Triton Versus Masco

Cori Simons rounds third with the tying run as a Masconomet outfielder chases a wild throw in the seventh inning.

Brooke Jamison reaches second with the game winner after doubling to left in the bottom of the seventh.

(Byfield) Costly errors by Masconomet (3-5) in the final two innings opened the door for the Triton (6-6) softball team to run its win streak to four with a 4-3 victory on Friday afternoon in Cape Ann League play.

Brooke Jamison drove in the game-winner with a double in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Triton didn’t get a hit until there were two outs in the sixth.  Their first hit, however, was a double by Emily Jutras that drove in Kelsey Trudel.  Kelsey had reached when Taylor Evans misplayed her grounder.

Both of Triton’s runs to this point were unearned but Masco still carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Three Viking batters later the visitors had lost the game, 4-3.

In the seventh, the first Triton batter Cori Simons lined a single to center.  Second batter Kylie Gilroy pushed a bunt down the third base line. A hurried throw by 3B Julia O’Reilly sailed past 1B Kiki Brown down the right field line.  Cori came all the way around to score the tying run while the speedy Kylie reached third.  Third batter Brooke Jamison whacked a double to left to score Kylie with the game winner.

For Masconomet (3-5) it was just another tough loss.  They’ve lost five of their last six and each loss has been by two runs or less.  That sort of thing gets old real fast!

The Vikings’ first run (scored in the third) was one you had to see to believe.  Leadoff batter Lily Anderson walked and Kylie Gilroy ran for her.  Masco expected a bunt and for some reason, that escaped me, had every infielder except the first baseman in even with the pitcher.  Off went Kylie from first on the second pitch.  The only one around to cover second base was the Chieftain centerfielder, Samantha Martin.  Catcher Shawna DiPietro’s throw sailed over Samantha’s head into center field and there was no one out there.  Kylie came all the way around to score.  Maybe the centerfielder was supposed to take the throw?

Masco took the lead with a 2-run fourth.  Two of Triton pitcher Marion Dullea’s four walks came that inning and were combined with hits by Shawna DiPietro and Molli Marshall.  Molli’s single to left drove in one of the runs and a fielder’s choice by Shannon Beaton brought home the second.

Masco would add a third run in the fifth.  Samantha Martin singled to left and reached second on leftfielder Emily Jutras’ bobble.  Lexie Corso delivered Samantha with a double to center.  This gave Masco the 3-1 lead that evaporated in the final two innings.

Rachel Shamon – pitched well enough to win

Marion Dullea – forced eleven ground outs

Chieftain pitcher Rachel Shamon deserved a better fate.  She only struck out one batter but she had Triton hitting grounders (ten) all afternoon.  All of the runs against her were the result of defensive problems by her teammates.

Triton pitcher Marion Dullea had just one error behind her and that was in the outfield.  She struck out three and also forced groundouts (eleven).

Masco defeated Triton 4-1 at Masco in the season opener in April.  The pitcher for Masconomet that day (Lissa Rescigno) was sick for today’s game.

Kylie Gilroy scored two runs for Triton.  Her well-placed bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning had plenty to do with the hurried throw that followed.

Lexi Corso – had a hit, scored a run, and had an RBI

Molli Marshall – had two hits and an RBI

Triton defeated North Andover, 4-2, at home on Wednesday.

How nice it was to spend a warm afternoon watching a game!

( I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Mistakes happen sometimes.)

Kylie Gilroy reaches 3B in the seventh as Shannon Beaton covers.

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May 3, 2011 · 9:15 pm

Alex Ministeri Pitches Pentucket Past Amesbury 9-3

Alex Ministeri leaves the mound at game’s end after a 3-hit, 12-strikeout performance.

Alex struck out the side in three innings including the 7th.

(Amesbury) Way too much Alex Ministeri for Amesbury (5-4) as the Pentucket junior K’d twelve and scattered three hits in the Sachems, 9-3, win at AHS on Tuesday afternoon.

Pentucket defeated Amesbury, 6-2, in their first meeting at Pentucket on April 19th.

Alex Ministeri’s only struggles were in the second inning when he issued a couple of walks and then a hit to Noah Cligerman to load the bases with two outs.  Next came a grounder to third by John Fournier that bad-bounced past Corey McNamara to drive in two.  John tried to steal and a bad throw from catcher Mike Doud gave the Indians a third run.

The 3-0 lead didn’t last long as Pentucket (5-3) answered with six runs in the top of the third.  That 6-3 advantage was more than enough for the Sachems as Alex dominated Amesbury over the final five innings.

How dominating was he?  He retired the side in order in four of the five innings.  He struck out the side in the 3rd, 5th, and 7th.  He gave up just one hit.

Amesbury starter Mac Short sailed through the first two innings before getting into big trouble in the third facing ten batters.  Walks (5) and hits (3) were the deadly combo that produced six runs.  Both Josh Creamer and Zack Brut had two RBI for Pentucket during the explosion.

Chris Eiserman (#34) scored two runs and drove in two as well.

Pentucket added to their lead in the fifth off reliever Tim Williams with three more runs.  Chris Eiserman drove in a pair with a liner to center and Turner Newton sent Chris home with a infield hit.

I was impressed with Amesbury’s field.  Also, the hillside seating provided a great view of the field of play.

Third baseman Corey McNamara was victimized by a bad-hop grounder that led to Amesbury runs in the second and then it was shortstop Tyler Lay’s turn for the same fate on a similar grounder in Pentucket’s six-run third.

Alex picked Tyler Lay off first in the second inning.

(I collect my own stats and draw my own conclusions.  Mistakes are unintentional.)

Tyler Smith (#16) scores one of Amesbury’s three second inning runs.

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May 2, 2011 · 9:31 pm

Triton Softball Edges Georgetown 5-4 With 4-Run Seventh

Emily Jutras scores the winning run for Triton in the 7th.

Jenn Delaney delivered the game winner for Triton.

(Byfield)  Triton (4-6) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge Georgetown, 5-4, in Cape Ann League softball action on Monday afternoon.

This is a game that Georgetown (2-3), as a team, won’t remember fondly and I dare say pitcher Sarah Erlandson would rather forget even more so.

Sarah took over for her sister Jane in the bottom of  the fifth in a 1-1 game.  The talented senior survived a three-walk fifth with three K’s and then helped her team grab a 3-run lead (4-1) in the top of sixth with an RBI single.

Sarah had more trouble finding the strike zone in the bottom of the six and issued three more free passes.  She escaped unscathed for the second straight inning because of Viking miscues on the bases.  First, catcher Taylor Nelson gunned down Marion Dullea trying to get to third on a wild pitch.  Then Kylie Gilroy fell victim to the look back rule after walking and Sarah struck out Jenn Delaney to end that promising inning for Triton.

Unfortunately for Georgetown, the strike zone continued to elude the Royals’ pitcher in the seventh and this time there was no escape.  Three of the first four batters received walks and Emily Jutras drove in two of them with a double to center.  Another walk loaded the bases with two outs and then Kylie Gilroy walked to force in Brooke Jamison from third to tie the score.  That set the stage for Jenn Delaney, who had struck out to end the sixth,  to stroke a hit to left and score Emily with the winning run.

Marion Dullea pitched a complete game.

Winning pitcher Marion Dullea retired the last six batters in a row after giving up three runs in the 6th.  She gave up six hits to go with five strikeouts and just one walk.

Jane Erlandson pitched her first four innings this season for the varsity.  The sophomore allowed three hits and one walk to go with three strikeouts.  She is not as fast as her sister but on this day had much better control.

Georgetown picked up a run in the first on a couple of hits including Taylor Nelson’s single to left that drove in Kassie Barba.

Triton’s solo run (in the 4th) was driven in by Vanessa Eisen.  Emily Jutras was the run scorer.  She had singled and stolen second before Vanessa’s hit to left.

Both Sarah Erlandson and Emily Jutras led their team’s with two hits each.

(I collect my own stats and draw my own conclusions.  Mistakes happen unintentionally.)

Sarah Erlandson – eleven walks in 2 2/3 innings

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April 30, 2011 · 2:39 pm

Tom Ryan Returns to Newburyport

Tom Ryan reads from his upcoming book while Atticus relaxes.

Tom, holding Atticus, told stories of his days in Newburyport.

(Newburyport) My friend Tom Ryan took part in the Newburyport Literary Festival on Saturday at Jabberwocky.

Before a packed space, Tom discussed his Newburyport days as editor of The Undertoad as well as his first book, “Following Atticus,” which comes out in September.

This was an audience of mostly familiar faces for him and there were plenty of hugs and handshakes afterwards.

This was Tom’s debut in the book-promoting business but certainly not his last as he has a major publishing house (William Morrow) heavily committed to his book.  There will be numerous book-related appearances ahead for Tom/Atticus in the months ahead.

As usual, Atticus was on hand to steal the show, which wasn’t too difficult with so many dog lovers in the house.

I wrote in the last issue of The Undertoad, in jest, that I thought Atticus was the brains of that twosome.  The remarkable dog has certainly been the catalyst for much that has gone on in Tom’s post-Newburyport life.

My name surfaced in the presentation.  My recollection is that my name and “homophobe” came out pretty close to each other.  I’d rather it be said of me that my reading of the Bible has led me to the conclusion that the homosexual lifestyle is not something to be encouraged.

Later Tom talked about defending my right to present my views in his paper even when others told him he shouldn’t.  In my view, that makes him “tolerant,” and those who wanted to silence me, “intolerant.”

Further along he added, accurately, that we’ve been friends and still are.

This is what the cover of Tom's book will look like.

He told me a while ago that I appear in the book and it will be interesting to read in September in what context that might be.

My wife and I have gotten together with Tom in North Conway during the summer in previous years and that is likely to continue.  He has talked of coming our way (North Bridgton) and hiking there.  Hawk Mountain (Waterford), which I’ve climbed numerous times, would be good for such a hike in our area.

Anyhow, it was good to see Tom again and watch him continue forward, in what I like to call, “The Year of the Book.”

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April 29, 2011 · 8:06 pm

Pitching and Defense Send Pentucket Softball Past Georgetown 6-1

Julianne Meehan gets some well-deserved congratulations from her Pentucket teammates.

Sarah Dickinson – two hits, two RBI, and two defensive gems

(Georgetown)  Pentucket (4-3) erupted for five runs in the sixth inning and defeated Georgetown, 6-1, in a CAL league game on Friday afternoon.

The pitching of Pentucket’s Julianne Meehan and Georgetown’s Sarah Erlandson was impressive.  About the only swatting was of the ever-friendly gnat population by everyone in attendance.

Julianne had eleven strikeouts while Sarah collected fifteen.  Each pitcher allowed only four hits.

The difference between them was walks.  Julianne gave up just one (in the first inning) while Sarah gave eight free passes.

A deadly combination of walks (4) and wild pitches (3) along with an error and two hits did in the Royals in the sixth inning.  Sydney Snow and Colleen Jenkins were home on wild pitches before Sarah Dickinson’s single to left brought in two more.  Sarah would score the fifth run on an error by Kassi Barba at third.

The tough part for the Royals was that all this happened with two outs.

Sarah Erlandson – 15 strikeouts for Georgetown

Georgetown (2-2) had trouble mounting any sort of attack against the Sachems because of Julianne’s pitching plus some extraordinary defense.

The Sachem centerfielder set the tone in the first inning by running in and snagging a low line drive by Taylor Nelson.  If that ball gets by her, with two outs, the runner on base and possibly Taylor herself may have scored.

Later it was shortstop Sarah Dickinson’s chance to impress.  She ended the fifth with a diving stop to her left of Amy Cronin’s base-hit-in-the-making and got up and made the play to first.  She ended the 6th inning by again going left and taking a hit away from line-drive hitting Shannon O’Brien with a runner on.

Julianne closed things out in the seventh by fanning the side.

Georgetown got its only run in the fourth.  What looked like bad running by Sarah Erlandson (who had doubled) turned into a run.  After Shannon O’Brien struck out for the second out, Sarah broke for third.  A good throw by catcher MK Corrado gets Sarah out easily but the throw sailed into left and Sarah scored.

Pentucket also picked up a run in the fourth.  Second baseman Shannon Killian dropped Julieanne Meehan’s pop up and then the ball was thrown away (right to where I was sitting) and Julianne was awarded third.  A wild pitch brought her home on a close play at the plate.

I was introduced to something called the “look back” rule.  It led to Pentucket’s final out in the 6th inning.  The drift of it seems to be that if the pitcher has the ball in the circle, a runner has to continue in the direction she’s going.  Sounds like one of those dreaded judgment calls.

Shannon O’Brien – tripled to lead off the second inning

Shannon O’Brien led off the second with a triple for Georgetown to deep center but was stranded there.

Sarah Dickinson scored a run, had two hits including a double, and drove in a pair for Pentucket.

If you want to see a Georgetown softball game you have to be able to climb a hill.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  Errors are unintentional.)

Sydney Snow slides home in the 6th on a wild pitch with Pentucket’s second run of the game.

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April 27, 2011 · 8:29 pm

Newburyport Takes Triton 2-1 in Softball

Cori Simons slides in under Cassie Davis while Molly Rowe backs up the play.

(Newburyport)  I hoped to take in/write about the Newburyport/Triton softball game this afternoon but was misguided by the online edition of the Newburyport Daily News to Byfield rather than Cashman Park.

Beth Castantini catches the final out for Newburyport

I did end up seeing almost all of the game and watched Newburyport (4-2) prevail, 2-1, in a Cape Ann League contest on Wednesday afternoon that was undecided until Beth Castantini, playing first, latched onto a last-out popup in the top of the 7th.

Beth at first base was a bit of a novelty by her account.  “I haven’t played there since, like, seventh grade,” I overheard her say during between-innings practice after she had taken over first.  She did fine there.  She handled a low throw from Maddie Stanton (3B) and later took in the final out.

Before that final out, the Vikings (2-5) had runners on second and third and were in excellent position to tie or even go ahead, but it didn’t happen.

Molly Rowe (six strikeouts) was the complete-game winner for the Clippers.  Marion Dullea (eight strikeouts) went the distance for Triton.

Rachel Webster heads for third after a long triple to center. Her pinch runner (Molly Sullivan) would later score what turned out to be the winning run with Eleni Kacher getting the RBI.

A long triple by Rachel Webster set up Newburyport’s winning run in the 4th.

Cori Simons scored Triton’s only run in the 6th.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own stats……as best I can.)

Taylor Summit takes the throw as Cori Simons slides into 2B

Everyone wanted to play!

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April 26, 2011 · 9:36 pm

Blaise Whitman Leads Triton Past Newburyport 8-2

Winning pitcher Blaise Whitman scores a run in the decisive sixth inning.

(Newburyport) The visiting Triton Vikings did their part to slow the Clipper march to Coach Bill Pettingell’s 600th win by defeating Newburyport, 8-2, at chilly NHS on Tuesday in Cape Ann League play.

The NHS coach holds at 598 wins thanks in a large part to the pitching and hitting of 2010 CAL All-Leaguer Blaise Whitman.

Blaise pitched a complete game five-hitter with seven strikeouts.  He also hustled to cover first in the last inning to record the last out.

At the bat, Blaise was part of a seven-hit attack, going two-for-four, scoring a couple of runs, and driving in a run in the 4-run sixth.

That 4-run sixth pushed this game into the comfort zone for Triton as their lead increased to 7-1.

The Vikings (3-2) put up three runs in the first on Newburyport (5-2) as a walk by starter Brett Fontaine  and a string of errors turned into three runs.  Mike Fish drove in two of the runs with a double to left center.

The Clippers got a run back in the second as Sam Barlow’s single drove in Colby Morris.  However, NHS ran themselves out of possibly a bigger inning when CF Mike Fish gunned down Sam, for the final out, at second trying to stretch that single.

Triton left the bases loaded in the third as Brett caught Tim Cashman looking to end it.

Newburyport stranded two in the fourth as Blaise got a fly-out to left by Colby Morris for the final out.

The Vikings took a tenuous 3-1 lead into the sixth inning and came out of that inning with breathing room.

In that sixth with two outs, Triton put together two singles (Rich Fecteau & Blaise Whitman) and two doubles (Cam D’Agostino & Mike Fish) to collect four cushion-providing runs.

Coach Pettingell and the home plate umpire did not always see eye-to-eye on balls and strikes.

Now down 7-1, the Clippers got a couple of base runners before Blaise retired the very dangerous Ryan O’Connor on a ground out to end the threat in the bottom of the sixth.

Triton capitalized on reliever Drew Carter’s wildness (two walks and two wild pitches) in the seventh to get their 8th run scored by Ace Knowles.

A couple of walks by tiring Blaise Whitman led to an RBI single by Colton Fontaine in the last of the seventh.Weather conditions continue to be tough to take.

No rain but the faithful experienced a persistent breeze with temps in the low 50s.  Winter clothing would have made perfect sense.

The Clippers were probably convinced that it wasn’t their day in the bottom of the 6th.  David Cusack hit a very high popup in front of the Newburyport dugout.  Tim Cashman raced in from third and had the ball bounce off his glove into the hands of the Viking’s hustling catcher Cote Wolcik.

Blaise Whitman and Mike Fish had two hits apiece.

Drew Carter led the Clippers with two hits.

The wind may have kept a deep fly to center in the first in the park hit by leadoff batter David Cusack.  Also in the first, Ace Knowles’ popup, that fell between fielders for an error, appeared to be wind influenced.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures and try very hard to be accurate.)

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April 25, 2011 · 10:36 pm

Undefeated Amesbury Softball Hangs on in Newburyport 10-9