McClelland Miscellanea

May 11, 2018 · 9:32 pm

Triton holds off Ipswich 6-5 for ninth straight win

Emily Karvielis safe at home with 6th Triton run

1B Taylor Penniman handles the final out for Triton

(Byfield MA) Triton (12-1) won their ninth straight game this afternoon but it was anything but easy.

The Ipswich Tigers (6-7) had the pitching and hitting to give the Vikings quite a battle before falling, 6-5, on Friday in Cape Ann League action.

Defense separated the two teams. The Vikings played flawless defense while the Tigers allowed three unearned runs.

“If we don’t hit, we have to be perfect in the field,” explained Triton senior Taylor Penniman afterwards.

The Vikings had been averaging over eleven runs per game but today they ran into junior Katherine Noftall. Katherine allowed three earned runs and had six strikeouts.

Equally impressive was the hitting of Katherine and her sister Erika. Katherine was a triple short of the cycle while Erika had two singles and a double.

Katherine Noftall in home run trot

Katherine’s two-run homer over the right field fence in the top of the 7^th brought the visitors to within a run with one out. “It was a nail biter for sure,” recalled Triton coach Dave Dupere. Pitcher Katherine Quigley, however, ended any further damage with a strikeout (Mya Cuevas) and a ground out (Rowan Galanis).

The streaking Vikings had single runs in the second, third, and fourth. Their game-deciding runs came in a three-run fifth.

In that fifth, Triton’s Grace McGonagle (3 hits) singled and was joined on the bases by Bridget Sheehan who was intentionally walked. Senior Emily Karvielis then singled sharply to right. Grace would certainly have scored on the hit but when the ball rolled past RF Allie Comeau to the fence, Bridget and then Emily also crossed home. Emily had actually stopped at 3^rd but when the Tigers fumbled the relay, home she went with what turned out to be the winning run. “Emily was there (home) before the throw got there,” said Coach Dupere.”

“That fifth inning was where one run turned into three and it cost us,” said Ipswich coach Brian Seabury.

Eve Paicos scores first Triton run

Triton scored a run in the second when Carisa Boyle drove in Eve Paicos with a double to left.

In the Ipswich third, junior Katherine Noftall drove in sophomore Erika Noftall with a single to center. Later it was sophomore Mya Cuevas singling Katherine home.

In the Triton 3^rd, a Grace McGonagle double was followed by a Bridget Sheehan RBI single to right.

The Vikings pulled in front, 3-2 in the fourth. An infield bobble (2B Rowan Galanis) enabled Collen McCarthy to reach. Colleen later scored on a sacrifice fly by Eve Paicos.

3B Colleen McCarthy started the Tigers 5^th with a defensive gem stabbing Cat Seaman’s liner. But Katherine Noftall followed with a double to CF and Mya Cuevas recorded her second RBI with a single.

Shortstop Erika Noftall dives for grounder

Erika Noftall reached base (single) before her sister took Katherine Quigley deep in the Ipswich 7th.

Tigers’ left fielder (Mya Cuevas) and center fielder (Cat Seaman) worked together in Triton 4^th. Cat looked as if she had a catch lined up in a tough sun with Mya nearby. At the last second the ball bounced off Cat’s glove and nearby Mya was able to snag the rebound!

Ipswich had no luck when it came to strategy. In the Triton 3^rd, Coach Seabury wanted to walk Bridget Sheehan (CAL All-Star) but pitcher Katherine Noftall had struck out Bridget in the first. So they pitched to Bridget and she had an RBI single.

Trouble in the Ipswich outfield in the fifth inning

In the fatal fifth, Bridget came up again and it was decided to walk her this time and face Emily Karvielis instead. Emily hit an RBI single that ended up scoring three runs.

“When they were going to walk Bridget, I was thinking that our next hitter (Emily) is every bit as good,” said Coach Dupere. “It sure worked out for us.”

“The Noftall sister were sure impressive,” added Coach Dupere. “We tried to pitch them in and out, but they still hit.”

Katherine Noftall

“Katherine (Noftall) usually pitches against the large teams,” said Coach Seabury. Sister Erika pitches the other ones.

“Grace (McGonagle) had three hits for us today,” said Coach Dupere. “She usually plays small ball but today she was hitting the ball clean and getting on base.”

Sophomore Katherine Quigley registered her 11^th win. She struck out eight and walked one.

I told Coach Dupere that, according to my figuring, North Reading, going into today’s games, had won 45 straight CAL games dating back to 2015. The Vikings are scheduled to play the Hornets at Triton on May 21^st. “It should be exciting if we can keep playing the way we’ve been playing.”

Taylor Penniman told me that in the fall she will be going to Mass Art in Boston to study graphic design and advertising.

Katherine Noftall also scored three runs for Ipswich. I saw her drop twenty-five points on Newburyport, including three 3’s, during the basketball season.

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

Emily Karvielis about to tag Mya Cuevas

Katherine Quigley

2B Rowan Galanis and sliding Colleen McCarthy

Trouble in the Ipswich infield

Mya Cuevas (2 rbi)

Emily Karvielis

Eve Paicos

Colleen McCarthy throws to first

Bridget Sheehan

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Filed under Ipswich, Triton

Tagged as Bridget Sheehan, Emily Karvielis, Erika Noftall, Katherine Noftball, Mya Cuevas, Taylor Penniman

May 9, 2018 · 10:52 pm

Amesbury boys/girls sweep Pentucket and Newburyport in outdoor track

Michaela Halloran quickly takes the lead for Amesbury in the 2-mile

Drew Everett and Brian Abel are 1-2 in the two-mile

(Newburyport MA) Good day for the boys/girls track teams of Amesbury.

The undefeated Indians came away with victories over Pentucket and Newburyport on a comfortable, then chilly, Wednesday afternoon of Cape Ann League outdoor track at Fuller Field.

Division 2 Pentucket and Division 3 Amesbury have two of the best track teams in the area. Both were 7-1 last year. Be certain that when the CAL season ends, the Sachems and Indians will figure significantly in the post-season races.

Please permit a paragraph of whine: With no numbers, it is a challenge to sort out names. With no posted stats, it is a challenge to produce accurate results.

Reminds me of some Maine lore. An out-of-towner drove into a small Maine village and hit a tremendous pot hole. After coming to a stop, and checking his tire, the Flatlander expressed his displeasure to the first local he saw. “Why don’t you have a sign warning about that pot hole?” he asked. The local guy responded, “Everybody knows about it.”

Pentucket’s Keegan O’Keefe finishes the 4×100

Kind of like area outdoor track. Who needs a program when everyone knows each other!

That’s one of the things I like about outdoor track; relaxed atmosphere. There’s plenty of socializing and plenty of encouraging going on.

I thought that host Newburyport was wonderfully organized. Things ran smoothly and quickly.

Fuller Field seems to be perfectly set up for outdoor track. Are bleachers a necessity? Not on this afternoon.

Prime reason for covering today’s meet? Take a look at UNH commit Saige Tudisco. The Pentucket senior delivered. Won all four events (long jump, high jump, 100 hurdles, 200) and she was in with a next-level approach to each event. The highlight for Saige may have been beating the very fast Caroline Schissel (Amesbury) in the 200.

Saige Tudisco edges Caroline Schissel in the 200

Caroline Schissel (left) nips teammate Schuyler Snay in the 100. Kaley Enright is 3rd.

Earlier, Caroline had a win over teammate Schuyler Snay in the 100 setting an Amesbury school record (12.19) in the process.

The Amesbury girls defeated Pentucket 79-66 while the AHS boys won 78-67.

The third school in the tri-meet (Newburyport) had wins from Sam Acquaviva (800) and Donte Harmon (100 meters).

Freshman Syeira Campbell takes the 400

Pentucket’s promising freshman (Syeira Campell) cruised in the 400 (59-84).

Amesbury’s Chelsea Lynch (400 hurdles, pole vault, 800) and Michaela Halloran (mile, two mile, 4 x 100 relay) finished first in three events.

The weather today highlighted the best of spring (sunny 60s) early on and later lowlighted the worst of spring (cloudy, windy, fog, 40s). How do you dress for such conditions?

(All of the pictures, and there are plenty, will enlarge if you click on them.)

Charlie Schissel wins tight 200

Schuyler Snay finishes the 4 x 100

John Sydlowski wins 400

Amesbury’s Sydlowski twins

400 – Chelsea Lynch, Ellison Seymour, Maia Esty

Clippers Donte Harmon wins the 100

110 hurdles – Jack Clohisy wins

Saige in the 100 hurdles

Sam LaPointe, Zach Labrecque, John Nelson watch the shot put competition

Drew Everett and Chelsea Lynch

Saige in the high jump

Chelsea Lynch won the pole vault

Beverly Browne sets to pole vault

Peter Lopata takes the mile for Pentucket

Michaela Halloran cruises in the two-mile

Saige in the long jump

Saige Tudisco

Chelsea Lynch takes 400 hurdles

Newburyport senior Anastasia Hansen honored before the meet

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Filed under Amesbury, Newburyport, Pentucket

Tagged as Caroline Schissel, Charlie Schissel, Chelsea Lynch, Donte Harmon, Drew Everett, Michaela Halloran, Saige Tudisco, Sam Acquaviva, Schuyler Snay, Syeira Campbell

May 8, 2018 · 10:36 pm

Manchester-Essex holds off Amesbury 5-4 in eight innings

Robbie Sarmanian settles under the final out.

Play at second

(Amesbury MA) “We have a lot of pitching options,” said Manchester-Essex coach BJ Weed.

And those of us watching yesterday afternoon at Amesbury High School saw five of them during an eight-inning game won by ME, 5-4, over the Indians on sunny Tuesday afternoon.

The Hornets (6-5) carried a two-run lead into the bottom of the 7^th but Amesbury tied it on a sacrifice fly by Derek Beaupre.

Cosmo Pallazola escaped a 7th inning jam

Not only did the Indians tie it, but they had runners on first (Blake Bennett) and third (Logan Burrill) with only one out and a chance for a nifty comeback win. But not on this afternoon. Reliever Cosmo Pallazola retired Derek Doherty on a popup and K’d Jeremy Lopez to extend the game.

AHS coach Joel Brierly told me after their last game, that his team needed to learn to be able to make the “routine plays.”

Their inability to make those routine plays gave the Hornets two runs in their half of the eighth. A throwing error by 3B Tom Flanagan, a balk and wild pitch by pitcher Logan Burrill, and a misplayed fly ball in RF by Jeremy Lopez, were factors in the visitors collecting two runs. Senior Jackson Levendusky drove across Robbie Sarmanian to get one of the runs. Later Jackson scored, what proved to be the winning run, on the drop in right field.

3B Tom Flanagan makes a tough catch

Senior Robbie Sarmanian took over the pitching duties in the 8^th for Manchester-Essex. A walk and a fielder’s choice got Amesbury’s Tucker Molin to second. Tucker scored when shortstop Bennett O’Leary threw away a two-out grounder. Robbie, however, was able to catch the final out near the foul line to end the game and get the save.

Amesbury starter Graham Gannett gave up three runs on five hits during seven innings of work.

The Indians (5-6) flashed some pretty good defense through seven innings. CF Logan Burrill turned a running catch into a double play in the Manchester third. 2B Derek Doherty handled a hard-hit, one-hopper to end the Hornets fourth. 3B Tom Flanagan ventured back toward the outfield and make a tough running catch to close the 7^th inning. Unfortunately, for Amesbury, the 8^th inning wasn’t nearly as clean defensively and it cost the Indians dearly.

Elbow pain

Senior Mitch Paccone started for Manchester-Essex and left after three pitches to Amesbury’s second batter, complaining of elbow pain. Dylan Wilson and Mason Paccone followed before Cosmo Pallazola came on for the 7^th and Robbie Sarmanian finished for the visitors in the eighth.

ME got a run in the second inning. Bennett O’Leary doubled to the fence in left and came home on a sacrifice fly by Cosmo Pallazola.

The Indians (3-7) evened the score in the 4^th. Derek Beaupre walked leading off and later was driven across on Tom Flanagan’s flair to right.

ME put two across in the fifth. Mike Quill drove in Will Janowicz with a blooper to left field. Later, Robbie Sarmanian’s fielder’s choice brought in freshman Will Levendusky.

The Division four Hornets have now defeated Amesbury four straight times. The Hornets got by Amesbury 2-1 in April as Mitch Paccone K’d eight Indians and Jackson Levendusky drove in both runs.

Junior Mike Amundsen came off the AHS bench in the bottom of the 7^th to provide some excitement on the bases. Mike replaced Graham Gannett who had walked to start the inning. Mike was then nearly picked off first and then second as many of his teammates were insisting that he stay closer to the base he was at. Distracting a team’s defense without getting caught is probably a good thing. Mike did get the 2^nd AHS run.

3B Mike Quill battles the wind

Mike Quill and Will Janowicz each had two hits for ME. Cosmo Pallazola had two rbi.

Tom Flanagan and Derek Beaupre each had an rbi for Amesbury.

Nice afternoon for baseball. Later the shadows made it a little difficult for yours truly to see the ball.

Wondered why Mitch Paccone and his very sore elbow went from pitching to playing second base. Probably not unusual. I’ve seen pitchers throw many innings of pitches and then stop pitching and play shortstop. Are those arms fooled??

ME pitcher Dylan Wilson stopped Tucker Molin’s hot grounder in the 4^th inning with his stomach and then threw to first.

Coach BJ Weed watches from long range

ME coach BJ Weed served the last game of a two-game suspension by watching from the distant bleachers along the right-field foul line.

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

Tag applied

Reaching for the bag

Will Janowicz had two hits

Shortstop Jon LaVerde calls

Pitcher Dylan Wilson

Lars Arntsen

Graham Gannett

Cosmo Pallazola

Mike Amundsen gets to third base

Mike Amundsen scores

Jackson Levendusky

AHS trouble in the eighth

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Filed under Amesbury, Manchester-Essex

Tagged as Cosmo Pallazola, Mike Quill, Robbie Sarmanian

May 7, 2018 · 7:33 pm

Vladi Guerrero does more to encourage promotion

Vladi Guerrero heads for home after second home run

Vladi leads Eastern League in batting and RBI

(Manchester NH) When Ross Atkins calls, it’s probably for Vladi!

Ross Atkins in the general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.

To say that Vladimir Guerrero is tearing up the AA Eastern League is an understatement. Why? VG has already been twice named Player of the Week in this very young season. He also leads the EL in hitting, close to .400 and RBI (33).

Vladimir Guerrero Jr is currently in Double A with the Toronto Blue Jays farm team in Manchester (NH). The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, if you will.

I got a second look at the 19-year-old and my immediate gut feeling is for his future to soon be elsewhere did not diminish. In fact, it increased.

Bo Bichette and Vladi celebrate homer

The Fisher Cats routed the Portland Sea Dogs, 10-2, on Monday night and young Vladi highlighted the awesome NH attack with two home runs.

The first one was a laser to left that could have blown out a number on the scoreboard in Fenway. In Boston, Vladi probably would have gotten a long single or a close-play double. But this was Northeast Delta Dental Stadium with a low left field and earned a home-run trot from Vladi.

The second homer was high and deep to right center. Probably would have left Yosemite National Park!

Granted, this was against the last-place Portland Sea Dogs. The Red Sox farmhands are last in striking batters out and second in giving up homers. Tonight NH added three more (Cavan Biggio also had one) to the twenty-six already surrendered in the young season.

Vladi after 3-run homer

The game began ominously for the visitors’ starter Kevin McAvoy: walk, walk, Vladi homer.

A current bright spot is a dismal 7-19 start for Portland has been outfielder Cole Sturgeon. Cole is now batting .378 after getting two singles vs the Fisher Cats.

You would think at first look that Cole’s chances to get to Boston would be seriously blocked by Betts, Bradley, and Benintendi. Lately, however, Jackie’s lack of hitting may move the Boston brass to the “other options” level. You never know.

Saw more of Toronto’s #2 prospect Bo Bichette. (He was named after Bo Jackson) This was a game that showed he had patience; three walks.

Bo Bichette

One sequence impressed me. Bo swings with all his might every time. I have no doubt that opponents aren’t enamored by his approach. Sure enough, one of the Portland pitchers buzzed Bo and back he lurched. Bo finished the at-bat with a double!

Bo also made a nice stop at short to set up a final-out force out.

More hits for the Blue Jays non-prospect Cavan Biggio. I will predict that Cavan’s status within the BJ’s system is going to change. The young man can hit (two more vs Portland) and plays 2B comfortably. He is now batting .310.

Sean Reid-Foley (#10 Toronto prospect) continues undefeated (5-0) with his win tonight. He throws strikes and had been blessed with tons of run support.

Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio

I found room to take pictures in the Fisher Cats dugout as well as in the area behind the backstop. I was skeptical about shooting through a net, but it works. The lighting was better. Last time it was misty. The players were on the field in the daylight before the 6:35PM start.

Getting to and from Manchester was an adventure this time. Heading up 93 there had been an accident backing up and slowing traffic north. Heading home afterwards, there was construction on 93 heading south narrowing that busy road to one lane. I may try coming over 101 from the Hampton Tolls next time just to compare it.

More thanks to Tyler Murray for arranging the visit.

Plenty of good players at New Hampshire for the time being. See them while you can before GM Ross Atkins calls to tell various players to report to AAA Buffalo!

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

Vladi swings

Portland’s Conrad Gregor breaks a long hitless stretch

Pink clouds beyond Seas Reid-Foley

Play at third

Sean Reid-Foley

What dugout will these two be sitting in before this season is over?

Vladi checks out the crowd

Vladi at bat

Cole Sturgeon is 2nd in EL in hitting. Long overdue to move up in the Red Sox system.

Fooling around pregame

Jonathan Davis

Cavan Biggio

Bo Bichette

Some players have families

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Filed under New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Portland Sea Dogs

Tagged as Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Cole Sturgeon, Conor Gregor, Sean Reid-Foley, vladi Guerrero

May 5, 2018 · 8:43 pm

Luke Lagos leads Amesbury past Rockport 10-7 in CAL baseball

Luke Lagos struck out eight Vikings in today’s win

Luke Lagos on second after driving in three with a fifth inning double

(Amesbury MA) A losing streak had to end.

Today Amesbury’s two-game slide ended as they defeated Rockport, 10-7, on a sunny Saturday of Cape Ann League baseball.

The Indians’ Luke Lagos led the way for Amesbury with solid pitching and timely hitting. The AHS senior lefty recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work while at the bat Luke had two hits, including a bases-clearing double. He drove across five teammates.

Amesbury coach Joel Brierley was pleased with the result: “It’s nice to win a home game but we have a lot of work to do especially defensively.”

Neither team was solid in the field with each squad erring three times. “We made some costly errors,” said Rockport coach John Parisi afterwards. “It was two young teams trying to get better.”

Noah Rawson had three hits and scored three runs for Rockport

Amesbury had a tenuous 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning before gaining separation with a five-spot. The resulting 10-3 lead was too much for the Vikings (1-10) to overcome, although they did rally for two in the 6^th off Luke Lagos and got two more in the seventh inning off AHS reliever Thomas Flanagan.

The breakaway fifth saw AHS get runs on wild pitches (Sean Reardon) and Luke Lagos’s double to the fence in right that drove three Indians across.

“I was tired by then,” said Luke afterwards about his double, “and hoping it would clear the fence. But it did clear the bases. I had been 0-for-7 coming into today’s game so it was nice to start hitting again.”

Senior Charlie MacDowell made his first start today

Despite the 4-game losing streak Coach Parisi saw some good things in today’s game: “This was pitcher Charlie MacDowell’s first start and I thought he did pretty well.”

The big stat collector for Rockport was senior Noah Rawson. The Vikings’ catcher had three of his team’s eight hits and scored three runs.

For Amesbury (3-6), Logan Burrill was on base three times and drove in two runs.

Both Tucker Molin and Graham Gannett had two hits, and each scored twice.

“Our pattern has been to play well for five or six innings and then have a bad inning,” explained Coach Brierley. “Just consistently making the routine plays will help us.”

Luke Lagos struck out the side in fifth with a nice mix of fastballs and sliders. “I had a good slider at times. Just need to be more consistent with it.”

Luke ended the Rockport 6^th catching Cal Twombly off the base and seeing Cal erased in a rundown.

Looking for the handle

Nice weather. All the rain we’ve had, now mixed with sunshine, will cause the grass to grow in a hurry. A couple of times the ball rolled toward the backstop and disappeared from sight!

In the last twelve meetings between the two teams, the Indians hold a 7-5 edge. The two teams will meet again this Thursday in Rockport.

The Vikings had been averaging 3 runs a game and giving up 10 runs per game. “When you score seven runs in a high school game like we did today, you should win,” said Coach Parisi.

The Vikings were 14-9 last season and reached the Division 4 North finals.

The Vikings will not be able to use the Sullivan Rule to get into the postseason because Ipswich and Hamilton-Wenham have moved to Division 4.

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

Tucker Molin, Graham Gannett, Thomas Flanagan

Umpire Mike Sullivan

Hillside crowd

Sean Reardon

Jeremy Lopez ready to apply the tag

Reaching for third

3B Austin Matus chases a grounder

Logan Burrill tags out Cal Twombly

Blake Bennett stretches for third

Holding the runner

Blake Bennett

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Filed under 2011 Division 3A Super Bowl, Amesbury, Rockport

Tagged as Graham Gannett, Logan Burrill, Luke Lagos, Noah Rawson

May 4, 2018 · 9:25 pm

Triton defeats Amesbury 4-1 to gain tourney

Eve Paicos reaches 3B as the throw comes to Sydney Daileanes

Emma DiPietro homered in the first inning for Amesbury

(Amesbury MA) The Triton softball team keeps rolling along. That’s six straight for the team from Byfield.

This afternoon the Vikings (9-1) got themselves into the post-season with a tight 4-1 win over Amesbury.

“This was a big win for Triton,” explained 3^rd year coach Dave Dupere afterwards. “We qualified for the tournament and we did it against two of the best pitchers (Emily O’Donnell & Hayley Catania) in the Cape Ann League.”

Amesbury (4-5) jumped ahead quickly in the first inning as junior Emma DiPietro took advantage of fenceless Perry Field and homered down the left field line.

Katherine Quigley tossed a 4-hitter for the Vikings

“That first-batter homer was a shock,” said Vikings shortstop Bridget Sheehan, “but we are good at bouncing back.”

The immediate 1-0 deficit was a wake-up call for Triton pitcher Katherine Quiqley. “Amesbury is a very good hitting team and I knew that I wanted to keep the ball inside and low on them. That home run pitch got way too much of the strike zone.”

Lesson learned. Thereafter, with better pitch spotting, the Indians were limited to only three hits over the final 6 2/3 innings.

The Vikings broke through on AHS starter Emily O’Donnell in the 3^rd inning. Dani West singled to left before Eve Paicos duplicated Emma DiPietro’s homer with a liner/roller to left.

Now ahead 2-1, the Vikings put three hits together in a row in the 4^th inning to collect another pair of runs. A single by Bridget Sheehan was followed by a triple to left center by Emily Karvielis scoring Bridget. “I thought that the left fielder was going to catch it but then it went into the gap,”said Emily afterwards.” A Colleen McCarthy single on the ground up the middle drove in Triton’s 4^th run.

Eve Paicos rounds second as Amesbury sets up a relay

Sophomore Eve Paicos

The Eve Paicos homer was a big surprise to me. Why? I did the Triton game on Tuesday at Newburyport and never saw Eve play at all. Today, batting 9^th, I wasn’t prepared for her shot to left. Coach Dupere and Bridget Sheehan both insisted afterwards, however, that the sophomore hits for power.

The Vikings had only six hits and Eve had two of them today. Next time I won’t be as surprised.

Not surprising to Coach Dupere was the play of his infield. “In my opinion, we have the best infield in the league.” Hard not to agree. With Katherine Quigley keeping the ball down, there were plenty (fourteen) of infield grounders.

3B Colleen McCarthy was busy with seven of them.

2B Emily Karvielis made a diving stop and threw from her knees to end the Amesbury first.

In the 4^th inning shortstop Bridget Sheehan made a nice running catch in left. Later, in the same inning, she was able to handle a two-out grounder despite having baserunner Abby Aponas go in front of her just before the ball got to her.

Senior Hayley Catania retired eight straight Vikings

The Vikings needed all the pitching and defense they could find on this afternoon because Amesbury was on its game. There were no unearned runs. No walks. In five of today’s innings the Vikings totaled just one baserunner! Relief pitcher Hayley Catania retired the last eight Vikings in a row.

But the four runs were enough for Triton to run their win streak to six. Their only loss has been to undefeated North Reading, 6-2. There is a rematch ahead this month. Might want to see that one!

The Indians haven’t won a game in two weeks. Today’s performance should be a source of encouragement for their games ahead. The defense made plays and the pitching was solid. Now if they can get some hits. Despite the two-week slide, Amesbury still leads the Baker Division of the CAL.

The Indians had won five straight versus Triton. Last Vikings win was in 2013.

Triton has six games before they face North Reading. Four of the teams they face they have already beaten once. The other two opponents have losing records. Never good to count your chickens before they’re hatched, however.

Scary moment in the first inning. A Hayley Catania foul ball curved into the bleachers and caught a lady on the side of the head. There was immediate attention and ice packs and hopefully she is okay.

RF Dani West settles under the final out

Triton nearly had the bases loaded in the 5^th inning but the home plate umpire reversed a walk to Zoe Cesati after owning up to his mistake on the count. Zoe then popped up and Bridget lined out stranding the two runners on 2^nd and 3^rd.

Hayley Catania started the game for AHS at 3B and immediately successfully handled two Triton bunt attempts. Hayley will attend UMass Boston in the fall to study nursing and play softball.

The weather was overcast and in the low 60s.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably.)

3B Colleen McCarthy throws to first

One that got away

Taylor Penniman

Sydney Daileanes

Abby Aponas screens Bridget

Bridget locates the ball

Catcher Hanniah Burdick looks for a sign

Pitcher Katherine Quigley makes a play to first

3B Colleen McCarthy had six assists

Kaylie Cloutier makes a play at first

Shortstop Emma DiPietro

First inning scare

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Filed under Amesbury, Triton

Tagged as Bridget Sheehan, Emily Karvielis, Emma DiPietro, Eve Paicos, Katherine Quigley

May 2, 2018 · 9:21 pm

Newburyport rebounds with 9-2 win over Georgetown

Paige Gouldthorpe leaves the field after a big hitting/pitching afternoon

Paige throws to first

(Newburyport MA) Back in the day there was a popular song with lyrics that started, “What a difference a day makes, twenty-four little hours.”

Those words certainly applied to the Newburyport softball team as they recovered from a 17-1 pounding by Triton to come back the next day and defeat Georgetown, 9-2, on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.

“We did everything we needed to do to win today,” explained senior Paige Gouldthorpe afterwards. “Everyone hit more, and our fielding was definitely cleaner than yesterday.”

Who could argue with any of that? The Clippers (5-3) whacked fourteen hits, had baserunners galore, and committed one error.

The Royals (1-6) jumped out to a 2 zip lead in the opening frame as some of the bad vibes from the Triton game lingered for a half inning. Two walks, a wild pitch, and a misread in left (Cali Caponigro) turned into two Georgetown runs. Caitlyn Donoghue and Maeve McNeil had the RBIs.

After that shaky start, however, the Clippers changed from poor to excellent led by senior Paige Gouldthorpe.

Kate Irons slides as 2B Madi Duford reaches for the ball

After giving up two hits in the first inning, Paige surrendered just one (Kate Irons) the final six innings. Today Paige also had the strikeout pitch working and set down eleven Royals via the K route. During one stretch during the 2^nd and 3^rd innings, she fanned five of six batters. Impressive!

Newburyport hit from top to bottom. Everyone contributed. Annie Siemasko was the only Clipper held hitless, but she did have a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

The Clippers tied things in the first. Courtney Walsh’s single not only scored Meg Winn but got past LF Caitlin Donoghue allowing the tying run (Liv Salvatore) to cross.

Kate Irons reached base four times

Newburyport took the lead, 4-2, in the second thanks to two G’Town errors (3B Alyssa Gaeta & C Maeve McNeil).

Paige got out of a mini-jam (runner on third) in the Royals third, ending that inning with a strikeout and an assist.

The Clippers most productive inning was the 4^th when they pushed across three runs. Annie Siemasko, Liv Salvatore, and Sarah Linehan had runs batted in.

Georgetown starter Colleen O’Connor walked in a run in the 5^th (Paige Gouldthorpe) and then Paige tripled and drove in NHS’s final run in the sixth.

The numbers certainly didn’t lie: eleven strikeouts, four hits, three runs scored, and an RBI. Terrific game for the Keene State commit.

Anyone on hand at Pioneer Park today was also impressed with the defense of Georgetown CF Kate Irons. “She saved them a lot of runs,” recalled NHS coach Bob Gillespie. “We probably would have had the ten-run rule except for her.”

CF Kate Irons stretches out for a remarkable catch

Every regular fly ball in her direction was routine for her. Some of the “routine” ones were well hit. In the second she made a lunging catch on a sinking line drive. In the third she fielded a shot in short center and combined with shortstop Brenna Donoghue to get a force out. I was told that she is also an excellent hockey player. In today’s game, Kate reached base four times. Good athlete!

Meg Winn had three hits and scored two runs

Junior Meg Winn had three hits for the Clippers and scored twice.

NHS catcher Sarah Linehan is planning to attend UM Amherst and study astro-physics.

The weather was remarkable; 80’s with a breeze. Don’t expect it to last!

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

RF Eleni Goddu chases a fly ball

Royals pitcher Colleen O’Connor straps on gear

Colleen O’Connor ready to tag Madi Duford at home

3B Liv Salvatore had two hits and scored two runs

Catcher Maeve McNeil fields Madi Duford’s roller

Julie Guyer battles the sun

Brenna Donaghue

Tough chance at second

Pitcher Colleen O’Connor catches a popup

RF Mikayla Vincent

Catcher Maeve McNeil

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Filed under Georgetown, Newburyport

Tagged as Kate Irons, Liv Salvatore, Meg Winn, Paige Gouldthorpe

May 1, 2018 · 10:21 pm

Triton wins 5th straight 17-1 over Newburyport

Pitcher Katherine Quigley on her way to her 7th win as Coach Dave Dupere watches

Grace McGonagle scores after a wild pitch

(Newburyport MA) It may be time to start taking the 2018 edition of the Triton girls softball team seriously.

The Vikings (8-1) dominated Newburyport 17-1 in five innings on Tuesday afternoon.

“We did everything right today,” said Triton coach Dave Dupere afterwards. And who could argue?

Want hitting? The Vikings had sixteen hits including four by senior Olivia Doane. The visitors scored in every inning and jumped off to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

How about defense? No errors on this afternoon.

Pitching? Sophomore Katherine Quigley scattered seven hits with only one walk.

Olivia Doane had four hits for Triton

Katherine (7-1) was quick to defer credit after the game. “I had awesome defense behind me.”

It was a rough afternoon to say the least for the Clippers (4-3). Pitchers Paige Gouldthorpe and Annie Siemasko struggled with control (eight walks). Viking runners flooded the bases and were quick to take advantage of numerous wild pitches and passed balls.

The Clippers hadn’t played a game in a week and that could well explain an off afternoon for them.

The Vikings have now won five straight and have evened their series at 6 with NHS since the 2012 season.

The home team was able to push across a run in the 4^th inning as freshman Cali Caponigro drove in senior teammate Courtney Walsh.

Cali also made a nice play in left on a sinking line drive.

Meg Winn talks with new pitcher Annie Siemasko

The two Division 2 opponents will meet again at Triton on May 16^th.

“After losing to Newburyport twice last season our girls came ready to play today,” added Coach Dupere.

Ahead for the Vikings is Amesbury on Friday at Amesbury. “That will be a big test for us,” said Coach Dupere, “in my three years coaching at Triton we’ve never beaten them.”

I talked pitching with Katherine Quigley afterwards. She told me that she was “100% more comfortable over last season.” She has been training almost year round and has added a couple of pitches (screwball and curve). “I still need to spot the ball better and improve on my speed.”

The only game that Katherine didn’t pitch (she was sick) was the 25-15 slugfest the Vikings survived with Pentucket.

Today’s game featured two of the Cape Ann League’s best players; juniors Bridget Sheehan (shortstop) and Annie Siemasko (centerfield). They were CAL All-Stars in 2017.

Pitcher Paige Gouldthorpe tries to get Taylor Penniman at first

Triton batted around in the first inning (five runs) and the fourth inning (six runs). In the five innings this game lasted the Vikings left twelve runners stranded.

I was at the NH Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays AA team) game last night in Manchester. All I do at those games is take pictures. High school games? Add scorebook keeping and digital recording to the mix. I’m lucky to get the score right with all that going on! However, there was a working scoreboard in use at today’s game, so I know that the final was 17-1.

Nice weather today. 80’s tomorrow? Why not!

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

Catcher Olivia Doane throws to first over baserunner Maddy Duford

Fae Pecos

3B Colleen McCarthy threw out a runner at the plate

Paige Gouldthorpe tagged out at the plate

Cape Ann League All-Star Bridget Sheehan

Cape Ann League All-Star Annie Siemasko

Emily Karvielis

Grace McGonagle

Dani West

Zoe Cesati

Grace McGonagle blocks a throw with her back

Mikayla Vincent

Olivia Salvatore

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Filed under Newburyport, Triton

Tagged as Annie Siemasko, Bridget Sheehan, Katherine Quigley, Olivia Doane

April 30, 2018 · 11:38 pm

Baseball’s #1 prospect is playing in New Hampshire

Vladi Guerrero at third and Bo Bichette at short…..catch them while you can!

Cold night of baseball for 19-year-old Vladi

(Manchester NH) The best player in minor league baseball plays for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

Mlb.com’s 2018 Prospect Watch confirms it.

If you look online at their list of the top prospects you will see that 19-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is listed third. Above him? Shoehei Ohtani (LA Angels) and Ronald Acuna (Atlanta Braves). Both of those players are now with the parent club. Acuna may bounce back to the minors but Ohtani certainly won’t because he was never there in the first place! That leaves Vladi as the top player still in the minors.

I visited the Fisher Cats last night for a look at the young phenom and liked what I saw.

I chose a night (Monday) with rain in the forecast for Manchester (NH), as well as a night with several other stay-home options for fans and media. The other things going on? Bruins and Celtics with playoff games and the Red Sox with a home game. There certainly were plenty of reasons to stay away from Northeast Delta Dental Stadium on an overcast, 40 degrees night, don’t you think!

Bo Bichette was never cheated on a swing

And stay away they did. Announced attendance of over 2,000? If you counted the arms and legs of those in attendance you wouldn’t have reached that number!

But I was in the house and glad I was.

I knew that Vladi was there but that is hardly what the current edition of the NH Fisher Cats is all about. By my count, eight of Toronto’s top thirty prospects are at New Hampshire. I got to see five of them (Vladi, Bo Bichette, Jordan Romano, Jonathan Davis, and Max Pentecost).

The large collection of prospects has helped NH to get off to a nice Eastern League start (14-7) to lead their division.

The Fisher Cats won tonight’s game, 7-2, and had nine hits.

Cavan Biggio (2B) had a triple and an RBI

Vladi had a triple and a single and is currently batting .380. This type of information is what hastens my urge to see top Eastern League prospects early in the season. Why? There is absolutely no assurance that top prospects will stay with their current minor league team.

I had that happen with Mookie Betts. He was at Portland to start a season and quickly he was on to Pawtucket. I caught Mookie in April and was fortunate I did because he wasn’t there for very long.

I was led to believe, by someone connected to the Fisher Cats, that Vladi may spend the season in NH. I now have an example to recite when someone asks me what “wishful thinking” sounds like!

That is why I tell you, that if you want a close-up look at a future star you need to get to Manchester (NH) before too long.

In major league parks you can only dream about getting close enough to players to get a good picture or autograph. In the minors the chances are very good.

Getting to Manchester, for me, was quick. I was on 495, 93, and then 293 and there from Massachusetts in less than an hour.

While you’re watching 3B Vladi Guerrero, you might want to zone in on shortstop Bo Bichette. Bo (son of Dante Bichette) just turned twenty in March. Baseball America rates him the #8 prospect in the minor leagues.

Bo Bichette is Toronto’s 2nd best prospect

One thing I had read about Bo was that he takes a hard swing. In person? No question, he does! The first player that came to mind was Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and his swing-from-the-heels approach. Bo’s swing had me preparing for the worst as I stood semi-protected at the edge of the Phil’s dugout: “Please don’t throw him a changeup!”

Not a prospect? That’s Craig Biggio’s son Cavan. He might be one to remember. Plays second base and on this evening was 2-for-5 with a triple and an RBI.

Cavan and Vladi had back-to-back triples. Both were high flies to deep center that were nearly out of the park.

CF Jonathan Davis (Toronto’s 28^th prospect) had a double and beautifully executed a safety squeeze to get an RBI.

Undefeated pitcher Jordan Romano picked up his 4^th win going five innings and giving up three hits to the 8-13 Phils. He had seven K’s to go with five walks.

Bunt attempt

The start of tonight’s game was delayed an hour. Not a good thing for someone like myself. Put me anywhere near food for an extra hour and my nutritarian diet is in jeopardy. Did I need the extra fried chicken, fries, and soda? You bet not!

Winning pitcher Jordan Romano with Vladi Guerrero

I realized that I hadn’t been to see a Fisher Cats’ game in Manchester for a while when I noticed that a 5-story apartment complex had been built to the left of the media parking. I checked my blog (McClelland Miscellanea) and the last time I was at NDD Stadium was in May of 2014. I saw Toronto’s #1 prospect at the time, Aaron Sanchez, pitch on that visit.

Cavan Biggio in the Fisher Cats dugout

Tyler Murray (voice of the Fisher Cats) was very helpful in arranging tonight’s visit. He took me on a tour of where I could be to take pictures and I needed the review since it had been nearly four years since my last visit. A new vantage point would have been behind the backstop through the netting. I never got there but did use the two dugouts.

I am a fan of the between-innings entertainment. If you read my coverage of the Portland Sea Dogs, there is always something about Slugger’s ongoing quest to win a round-the-bases footrace against young opponents. At Manchester I was kind of intrigued by a sumo wrestling contest. I also watched a race of various condiments (?) that included one racer clocking an opponent as the race went on.

The Fisher Cats have the current buzz of being a very good team. They have hitters. They have pitchers. They are a good take. Let me one more time assure you, they won’t all be together for the entire season. If you’re thinking of visiting on a sunny afternoon in July, there will be a game to watch, but don’t be surprised if Vladi and Bo are no longer there.

Vladimir Guerrero warms up

Picture taking for me is a work in progress. I faced an overcast night under stadium lights. Raise the ISO to get light and you add noise. Widen the aperture and you lose speed and get blur. Certainly, a better photographer with better equipment would have found a way. The “better equipment” is not an option but getting smarter, with the equipment I have, should be.

Again, thanks to Tyler Murray for arranging the terrific visit.

My non-specific plans are to get to Manchester several times in May…………before Vladi and Bo leave.

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

Cornelius Randolph

Bo Bichette

Undefeated Jordan Romano

Bo Bichette

Cornelius Randolph scores for the Fightin Phils

Vladi and Bo locate a popup

Between innings sumo

Cavan Biggio reaches third

Cavan Biggio out at the plate

Bo Bichette in the NH dugout

Bo Bichette in the dugout

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Filed under New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Reading Phillies

Tagged as Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Jonathan Davis, Jordan Romano, vladi Guerrero

April 21, 2018 · 3:53 pm

Concord-Carlisle routs Amesbury 16-6 in nonleague softball

Ashlee Porcaro out at the plate as catcher Virginia Ryan applies the tag

Maeve Devlin had one of Concord-Carlisle’s two homers

(Amesbury MA) The undefeated Concord-Carlisle Patriots crushed Amesbury, 16-6, on Saturday morning in a non-league game.

The Patriots (3-0) batted around in two different innings and rapped out twelve hits including two homers in an impressive display.

Amesbury pitchers (Hayley Catania & Emily O’Donnell) were hit hard and surrendered twelve walks. Seven of those walkers scored.

Senior Nicole Small went the distance for the team from the Dual County League. Nicole gave up seven hits, two each to Hayley Catania and Karleigh Walker.

Fenceless Perry Field is not the easiest place to hit a home run but there were three in this game. All three shots (Maeve Devlin, Virginia Ryan, Emma Catania) were to the right side and probably would have left a fenced field. All three homers were so well hit that there wasn’t a play at the plate in any of them.

The Patriots had their two-run homers within the first three innings and jumped ahead 8-0.

Pitcher Nicole Small fields Emma DiPietro’s bunt

The Indians came back with two runs in the fourth inning. Emma Catania drove in the first on a fielder’s choice while the other one came in on an infield error (3B Alyssa Attonito).

The visitors took the outcome doubt out of this one in the 6^th inning. A bad combination (for Amesbury) of four CC hits and four Amesbury walks resulted in a seven-run frame and substitutions that I won’t even attempt to describe.

The Indians put four runs up in their half of the 6^th. A two-out infield blooper by Hayley Catania brought in one run (Julia Campbell). Sophomore Emma Catania went deep right to deliver the other three runs.

Against a good team like Division 1 Concord-Carlisle, the chances for a Division 3 teams like Amesbury to win would necessitate a lot of things going right. Not on this morning. Besides the hits and walks, the Indians twice ran into outs at home plate. Credit CC on one of them: A Julia Campbell bunt, with Ashlee Porcaro on 3B, turned into a double play; pitcher to first to home.

Emma Catania’s home run celebrated

I have seen a few softball games, but I saw something happen in this game that was new to me. During the 7^th inning, CC coach Lisa McGloin visited with batter Nicole Seeley. The conversation ended with Nicole being given a different bat. Sure enough, Nicole would use the different bat to drive in the Patriots 16^th run. That’s what I call coaching!

Amesbury has now lost four straight to CC.

Amesbury was 17-7 last season while Concord-Carlisle was 18-3. Two very successful programs. Amesbury has won the Cape Ann League Baker division four straight years.

The sun was out but the breeze was too. At least there weren’t snow flurries like yesterday. One of the pictures I look today looked like there were ice-glazed trees in the background.

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