McClelland Miscellanea

May 11, 2012 · 8:56 pm

Newburyport gets walkoff win 3-2 over North Andover in Cape Ann League softball

Lea Tomasz scores the game-winner in the 8th inning as Beth Castantini watches

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers (8-6) scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth to walk off to a 3-2 win over North Andover (4-8) on Friday afternoon in Cape Ann League softball action.

Runs were hard to come by in this one although NA had two quick ones in the first. The Clippers had a run in the first and another in the 4th.

There were plenty of base runners, thanks to seventeen hits and six walks, but both pitchers (Beth Castantini and Kim Crucioli) successfully pitched out of jams most of the afternoon.

Carley Siemasko hustles down the first base line in the 8th inning.

In the game-ending inning, Lea Tomasz led off with a single up the middle. Molly Rowe’s infield grounder got Lea to second. Carley Siemasko then hit a full-swing dribbler to pitcher Kim Crucioli’s left. Carley hustled down the line and the play was going to be close at first. However, Kim’s throw was high and went off the top of first baseman Haley Kosheff’s glove into right field allowing Lea Tomasz to come across with the winning run.

The way North Andover started the game you never would have expected such an outcome. Their first two batters (Sara McCarthy and Courtney Green) doubled and the Knights quickly had a run. Two batters later, Gwen Vozeolas blooped a two-strike single down the right field line and NA had a second run.

Sara McCarthy touches home with the first Knight run.

But thereafter the Knights would only threaten and fall short. They left runners on in every inning but the second. They had a runner (Sara McCarthy) on third with one out in the seventh and runners on second (Haley Kosheff) and third (Jaclyn Decologero) with two outs in the eighth. Newburyport pitcher Beth Castantini induced infield grounders to escape both threats.

Newburyport picked up their first run in the first inning. Kendra Dow walked, stole second on a close play, and came home on Lea Tomasz’s double to right center.

The Clippers tied the game in the fourth. Molly Rowe hit a bloop down the right field line that Jess Bramanti couldn’t quite reach. Molly ended up on third on the play and Carley Siemasko’s single to right brought in Molly with the tying run.

Newburyport nearly won the game in the bottom of the seventh. Jackie Krusemark was on first after a walk with two outs. Maddie Stanton ripped a line drive to left that leftfielder Gwen Vozeolas was able to stop at the last second. If that ball had gotten past Gwen I am quite certain that Jackie would have scored to end the game.

Maddie Stanton

Maddie Stanton made two big plays in the fourth. First the third baseman dove to snag a bunt attempt. Later she dove for third to get a force out.

NA starter Kim Crucioli feasted on the bottom third of the Clipper lineup getting all seven of her strikeouts there.

Winning pitcher Beth Castantini K’d five Knights.

CAL All-Leaguer Sara McCarthy paced NA with two hits.

Junior Lea Tomasz, senior Molly Rowe, and freshman Carley Siemasko each had two hits for the Clippers.

North Andover faces their neighborhood rival, Andover, tomorrow at home at 10AM.

Newburyport’s next game will be at Georgetown on Monday afternoon.

The weather started out cloudy (Will it rain?) and changed to warm (Why did I bring this jacket?).

Newburyport boxscore

North Andover boxscore

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

Kim Crucioli

Lea Tomasz singles in the 8th

Courtney Green scores second NA run

Gwen Vozeolas

Jess Bramanti lunges for Molly Rowe fly ball in the 4th

Angela Logomasini snow cone

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Filed under Newburyport, North Andover

Tagged as Bath Castantini, Gwen Vozeolas, Kendra Dow, Kim Crucioli, Lea Tomasz, Maddie Stanton, Sara McCarthy

May 7, 2012 · 8:12 pm

Newburyport upsets Rockport 3-2 in Cape Ann League softball

Catcher Lauren Singer handles the throw as Kayla Parisi approaches

Lauren turns to tag Kayla

Lauren tags Kayla

Winning pitcher Beth Castantini fields a bunt by Amanda Chalmers

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers (6-5) may have turned their season around with this one.

The Clippers beat a very good Rockport team, 3-2, at Cashman Park on Monday afternoon in Cape Ann League play.

(I did not arrive in time to fill out a scorebook but I did have my camera and will provide some commentary as well.)

Rockport (9-2) has already won Division 3 of the Cape Ann League but they have now lost two of their last three.

Newburyport, on the other hand, has been a disappointment. Last year the 17-5 Clippers found ways to win. This year the reverse has happened more times than expected.

Mollie Rowe takes a throw to get Haley Lorden at first in the seventh.

That’s why the win over Rockport may be the signal of better days ahead. Here was a game in which pitching, hitting, and defense all clicked when needed and a game they could have been lost by Newburyport was won.

Winning pitcher Beth Castantini was several times within a pitch of walking in a run but it never happened.

The Clipper hitters put hits together early to grab a two-run lead and later came up with the game winner after Rockport had rallied to tie the score.

The Newburyport defense was also strong. There was a dropped popup but the team was mistake-free otherwise. Kendra Dow made several long/strong throws from short.

The most important Clipper play in the game was turned in by leftfielder Catherine Casellini. In one of the early innings, catcher Lauren Singer tried to nail a runner getting back to third. Her throw sailed over third baseman Maddie Stanton’s head……but there stood Catherine, where she was supposed to be, backing the play up. Catherine caught the errant throw and the run was saved.

And against a good team like Rockport, all those things had to be in place or the result would have been different.

Rockport’s Kristin Turner pitched well enough to win and the defense behind her, especially shortstop Gabby Muniz, was very good. However, with base runners all over the place Rockport never turned the makings of big innings into realities with a clutch hit or two.

And if you’re looking for just one reason for the Viking loss, pin it on base running. They made three outs on the base paths. One runner was picked off third, another was out by plenty at the plate, and the final out of the game was a failed attempt at stealing second.

Rockport pitcher Kristin Turner talks with Coach Diane Parisi after getting hit by a line drive.

A scary moment happened in the sixth inning when a sharp Lea Tomasz liner grazed off the top of the head of Rockport pitcher Kristin Turner. She and the rest of us were thankful that she was wearing a face shield.

The weather was downright pleasant at Cashman Park. What happened to the wind, mist, and temps in the 40s?

I learned at the game that Kristin Turner learned to pitch from her older sister who pitched for Beverly. The older sister now attends Salem State.

I thought that there might be some sort of on-site newspaper coverage of the game. However, when I checked the CAL schedule afterwards for today, I noticed that 10-1 Masco was playing 10-1 Amesbury at Amesbury today. I suspect that the details of that game will be extensively covered.

Rockport will host Amesbury on Wednesday, weather permitting. On the same projected rainy day, Newburyport is scheduled to visit Pentucket.

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

Shortstop Gabby Muniz

Rockport catcher Mollie Watson catches a foul pop.

Kendra Adams scores a Rockport run

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Filed under Newburyport, Rockport

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Catherine Casellini, Gabby Muniz, Kristin Turner, Lauren Singer

May 6, 2012 · 8:34 pm

Tyler Leavitt silences Triton 7-1 with a 12K, 5-hitter for North Andover in Cape Ann League baseball

Tyler Leavitt gets congratulated by catcher Brandon Walsh after striking out his 12th Viking to end the game.

Tyler Leavitt – undefeated (13-0) in his varsity career

(Byfield) It looked after four innings as if Triton might be able to do something no one else had been able to do in three seasons……defeat North Andover pitcher Tyler Leavitt.

However, the upset notion went down the drain in the fifth inning as the Knights (8-3) put up five runs and went on to defeat the Vikings, 7-1, on a surprisingly pleasant Sunday afternoon at Triton in Cape Ann League action.

Triton (3-7) scored a run in the first and threatened in the second but were limited to three base runners over the final five frames.

Tyler Leavitt escaped the jam (runners on second and third with one out) in the second with a strikeout and an infield grounder.

Tyler (12 K’s) had strikeouts in every inning including the last five batters he faced. The senior lefty will be pitching for Southern Maine next season.

I learned at the game that Tyler was 6-0 as a freshman on the junior varsity, 4-0 as a sophomore, 6-0 as a junior, and now 3-0 as a senior.

Triton starter Nick Cornoni got out of a base-loaded situation in the second and held a tenuous 1-0 lead into the fifth.

Costly Rich Fecteau bobble in the fifth

In the fifth, Dan Rivet singled in NA’s first run and an infield error (Rich Fecteau) allowed Mike Borzi to cross with the second one. Brandon Walsh delivered two more (Dan Rivet and Rick O’Connor) with a double down the leftfield line. Brandon crossed with the Knight’s fifth run of the inning on Dan Laorenza’s single to right.

Those five were more than enough the way Tyler Leavitt was pitching.

The Knights collected solo runs in the sixth and seventh. Tyler Whitley homered over the leftfield fence off reliever Jack Germinara in the 6th. Brandon Walsh doubled in the 7th, stole third, and came home on Tyler Leavitt’s sacrifice fly.

The Triton run was scored by Rich Fecteau on a sacrifice fly by Mike Fish in the first inning.

Tyler Whitley in home run trot after clearing the left field fence in the sixth.

Brandon Walsh and Dan Rivet each had two hits in NA’s 10-hit attack.

Dmitri Hunt had two of Triton’s five hits.

The Knights Dan Laorenza appeared to injure his hand sliding into second in the fifth inning on an attempted steal.

I was prepared for “typical” Triton weather and was pleasantly surprised.

Triton is halfway through the 4-games-in-4-days part of their schedule. They face Masco at home on Monday.

North Andover travels to Ipswich on Tuesday afternoon.

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

Rick OConnor heads for home in the fifth

Rich Fecteau

Triton coach Rich Dube

Nick Cornoni

Brandon Walsh ruled safe at third despite visual evidence that might suggest otherwise.

Blais Whitman eyes a popup

Brandon Walsh

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Filed under North Andover, Triton

Tagged as Brandon Walsh, Dan Rivet, Rich Fecteau, Tyler Leavitt, Tyler Whitley

May 3, 2012 · 6:36 am

Pictures from the North Andover Ipswich Amesbury outdoor track meet at Amesbury (May 2)

Julia Mehlman of North Andover sinks in after high jump

Dan McCuish – 100

Hannah Steele and Julia Mehlman discuss high jump

Max Almono – 800

Axel Loughbo – long jump

mile winners

Sam Brown and Emily Martin – 400 hurdles

Sarah Keiran mile

Katie McManus – shot put

Sydney Hardie – pole vault

Tina Keiran 2 mile

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Filed under Amesbury, Ipswich, North Andover

Tagged as 2012 Amesbury outdoor track, 2012 Ipswich outdoor track, 2012 North Andover outdoor track, Axel Lougbo, Dan McCuish, Hannah Steele, Julia Mehlman, Katie McManus, Max Almono, Sam Brown, Sarah Keiran, Sydney Hardie, Tina Keiran

April 27, 2012 · 9:02 pm

Undefeated Rockport breezes by Triton, 9-0, in Cape Ann League softball

Hannah Lorden scores on a Triton passed ball

Kristen Turner pitched a four-hit shutout

(Byfield) Memo to the rest of the Cape Ann League softball teams: Rockport is good….very good.

Undefeated Rockport (8-0) shut out Triton, 9-0, on a windy Friday afternoon in Cape Ann League action at Triton.

(Since both teams are the Vikings, I’ll limit my use of the name.)

Senior Kristen Turner allowed Triton (2-6) only four singles and walked no one earning the win.

Triton’s lone threat was in the sixth. They loaded the bases on two singles (Mara Spears & Cori Simons) and an error (Kendra Adams) with no outs. However, a force at home, a popup, and an infield grounder ended the one and only potentially big inning for Triton.

Triton’s starter (Cori Simons) didn’t fare as well when Rockport loaded the bases against her in the first inning with no outs. Passed balls brought in two runs (Hannah Lorden & Mollie Watson) and a fielder’s choice RBI by Kendra Adams scored Gabby Muniz with Rockport’s third tally.

Mara Spears reaches third

That was more than enough runs for Rockport as Kristen locked down Triton with only two singles through the first five innings.

Rockport had runners on in every inning and it was a credit to pitcher Cori Simons and her teammates that they recovered from the first inning (three runs) and held Rockport scoreless over the next three innings.

Rockport collected their fourth run in the fifth inning. Kendra Adams reached on an error (Kylie Gilroy), went to third on a Kayla Parisi single, and scored on a passed ball.

A walk (Hannah Lorden), an RBI double (Mollie Watson), and an RBI triple (Gabby Muniz) and Rockport had two more runs in the sixth. A passed ball allowed Gabby to score Rockport’s seventh run.

Two more runs were added in the seventh. After two outs, Hannah Lorden walked, went to second on a passed ball, and scored on Lily Anderson’s (first baseman) drop. Gabby Muniz (single) drove in Mollie Watson with the final run.

Hannah Lorden – three runs, two hits, three walks

The top three in the Rockport batting order were extremely productive. Leadoff hitter Hannah Lorden was 2-for-2 plus three walks and three runs scored. Mollie Watson was 2-for-5 including a double, scored three runs, and had an RBI. Gabby Muniz was 2-for-4 including a triple, scored two runs, and had two RBI. These three girls are all sophomores! Last year Gabby was Player-of-the-Year in CAL D3 while Mollie was a CAL All-Star.

Kayla Parisi had two hits for Rockport and Cori Simons had two for Triton.

Rockport went 9-11 last season and lost in the first round of the state tournament. I can’t guess how they’ll do in the 2012 state tournament but I am quite certain, from what I saw today, that they will be a high seed in the tourney.

Triton pitching (Cori Simons & Mara Spears) gave up six walks and nine hits. The mix of base runners and passed balls was not a good one for Triton.

Rockport’s next game is home against Masco on Monday afternoon. Masco lost its first game today versus Lynnfield.

Third baseman Casey Ross fields a grounder.

Triton travels to Georgetown on Monday.

It is easy to pick the Triton fans from others. On a sunny afternoon with temperatures in the 50s elsewhere, they show up wearing what could pass as winter gear – warm hats, gloves, etc.. And as they know from experience, by the time the game ended that gear made perfect sense.

Kristen Turner has pitched four years for Rockport. Coach Diane Parisi told me that her freshman daughter (Kayla) can pitch.

Triton coach Jim Hounam sent up three pinch hitters in the bottom of the seventh and Kristen struck out all of them. She had six K’s for the game.

According to the Gloucester Times, Rockport’s 7-0 start was the best ever for the softball program. That was topped today with an 8-0 start.

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

Kristen Turner throws out Cara Orlandi

Gabby Muniz – two hits, two runs, two RBI

Coach Diane Parisi

Kendra Adams

Kayla Parisi – two hits

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Filed under Rockport, Triton

Tagged as Coach Diane Parisi, Cori Simons, Gabby Munoz, Hannah Lorden, Kristen Turner, Mara Spears, Mollie Watson

April 26, 2012 · 9:40 pm

Manchester-Essex ends Newburyport’s 18-game win streak with 5-2 shocker in Cape Ann League baseball

Joe Burgess rounds first. The Hornet senior had three hits and scored two runs in the ME upset.

Complete game winner Adrian Frattini scattered seven hits and assisted on the last out of the game.

(Newburyport) Who saw this coming?

Undefeated Newburyport was riding an 18-game winning streak going back into last season. They’re the defending Division 3 state champs.

Manchester-Essex was 2-16 last year and 2-3 this season with losses to Georgetown, Rockport, and Amesbury.

But at the end of this Thursday afternoon game the Hornets (3-3) were jumping up and down after a 5-2 upset over the Clippers (5-1) at cold and cloudy Pettingell Field in a Cape Ann League contest.

Winning pitcher Adrian Frattini had run support early (up 4-0 after 2 ½ innings) and scattered seven hits over seven innings.

For 6 ½ innings the Hornets played like they were the defending state champs showing strong pitching, timely hitting and flawless fielding, but in the bottom of the seventh, with a 5-2 lead, they started to unravel.

Clipper pinch hitter Ryan Short reached first after a passed ball on a strikeout with one out. After a back-to-the-fence flyout by Colby Morris, shortstop Joe Burgess fell down trying to field Ian Michaels grounder putting two runners on with two outs. Up stepped CAL All-Leaguer Brett Fontaine. He hit a grounder to the right of first baseman Max Nesbit that had “routine out” written all over it. However, pitcher Adrian Frattini was late coming over to cover and the hustling Brett Fontaine beat the throw.

But then ME got the game-ending break as Ryan Short tried to score from second on Brett’s grounder and Adrian’s throw to Dom Cirone nailed him by plenty to secure the Hornet upset.

Newburyport had another basepath blunder in the 4th inning when Connor MacRae strayed too far off second base on a sacrifice fly and was picked off.

Evan Habib – hit hard early

First-time Clipper starter Evan Habib gave up a double to Joe Burgess on the first pitch he threw and was down 2-0 after three batters. John Browning delivered the first run with a double over leftfielder Mike Sweeney’s head. John scored on Matt Corwin’s single to right.

Evan faced the top of the order again in the third inning and surrendered two more runs. Another double by Joe Burgess (he was 3-for-3), started things and a single to right center by John Browning moved Joe to third. Joe registered the Hornets’ third run of the game on a wild pitch. John would come home with Run #4 on a Max Nesbit sacrifice fly.

Stephen Singer came on to pitch to the Hornets in the 4th. His problem was wildness. Three walks, one of them intentional to Joe Burgess, and a hit batsman (John Browning) gave ME a 5-0 advantage after 3 ½ innings.

John Browning misjudges a foul fly

It looked as if the Clipper fortunes were changing for the better in the bottom of the 4th after Colton Fontaine got an extra swing because John Browning misjudged his foul fly. Sure enough, Colton ripped the next pitch to left for a single. Jimmy Conway followed with a walk before Connor MacRae laced a high fastball to left center for a double driving in Colton and sending Jimmy to third.

So there it was nicely set up for Newburyport; a run in, two runners in scoring position, and no one out. But instead of a really big 4th inning the Clippers sacrifice flied into a double play and Ben Greene grounded out to short. The Clippers got two runs but the chance for more escaped them.

Stephen Singer pitched his way out of a base loaded, nobody out, big-time jam in the fifth with a force at home surrounded by two strikeouts.

That escape kept the deficit at three runs (5-2) but the Clippers couldn’t rally back over the last two innings and get their first loss of the season.

Brett Fontaine and Joe Burgess

This was Adrian Frattini’s first start of the season. It certainly shouldn’t be his last!

Noah Brown and freshman John Browning each had two hits for ME.

Centerfielder Ian Michaels had two hits for the Clippers.

Manchester-Essex faces Ipswich at home on Saturday afternoon (1PM).

Newburyport rematches with North Reading on the same day at home at 10AM. The Clippers won the first meeting, 1-0, on April 13th.

As the Hornets carried the lead into the late innings someone on the ME bench said, “This is like the US against Russia,” recalling the Lake Placid upset by the American Olympians.

(All of the pictures enlarge significantly if you click on them.)

Matt Corwin

Clipper coach Steve Malenfant

Matt Corwin tagged out by Colby Morris

Joe Burgess

Colton Fontaine

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Filed under Manchester-Essex, Newburyport

Tagged as Adrian Frattini, Brett Fontaine, Evan Habib, Joe Burgess, John Browning, Matt Corwin

April 25, 2012 · 11:26 pm

Triton plays well in softball win (6-3) over Newburyport

Amy Sullivan tries for third as Kelsey Trudel prepares to throw her out.

Cori Simons struck out four and had two hits.

(Newburyport) Triton combined flawless fielding with a Cori Simons six-hitter and started the Cape Ann League regular season with a 6-3 win over Newburyport on Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

The senior-less Vikings (2-5) tallied three runs in the first and never trailed. The Clippers (3-4) got within a run in the fourth but a collection of loud outs with runners in scoring position, and base running gaffes, kept them from getting closer.

Newburyport ended three innings with loud outs to the outfield with runners aboard. They also ran into a double play in the seventh on a rope to shortstop Shannon Sinton.

Triton had nine hits off of Molly Rowe including four in the first and another three in the fifth. Bunching those hits produced five Viking runs.

In the Triton first, Shannon Sinton and Jeanne Martin had singles off second baseman Amy Sullivan’s glove. An inch or two either way and they would have been outs but on this day Shannon eventually scored (passed ball) and Jeanne drove in Kelsey Trudel with the third Viking run.

Lea Tomasz slides under the tag of Rose Gaffins.

Newburyport got two back in their half of the fourth. Lea Tomasz delivered Carley Siemasko with a long double to left. Lea took third on the throw to the plate and came home on a passed ball.

Triton came right back with two in the fifth. A perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Shannon Sinton put Mara Spears in scoring position. Cori Simons’ single to right brought Mara in with Run #4. Cori then stole second, reached 3rd on a fielder’s choice and came in on a controversial (was it fair?) flair near the right field line.

Several bad throws gave the Vikings a gift run in the 7th with pinch runner Ashley Shute scoring on Lily Anderson’s single to deep short.

Down by four in their last at-bats, the Clippers had the makings of a big rally after a double (Molly Rowe) and a single (Beth Castantini) turned up a run with no outs. But Sam Wahlgren’s line drive was right at shortstop Shannon Sinton and she turned it into a double play. Cori Simons finished the game recording her fourth strikeout.

Aggressive base running was good news/bad news for Amy Sullivan. The sophomore second baseman stole second in the six inning but got caught easily trying to take third on the overthrow.

Newburyport has played six of its first seven games at home. They will play at Manchester-Essex on Friday.

Triton will face Rockport at home on Friday.

Had the weather trifecta at Cashman – cloudy, rainy, and sunny.

Kendra Dow makes a running catch as teammate Sam Wahlgren looks for a deflection.

Amy Sullivan and Kendra Dow had nice catches on popups.

Cori Simons, Lily Anderson, and Kelsey Trudel each had two hits for Triton. Beth Castantini had two for Newburyport.

On the controversial (Is it fair?) fly to right in the Triton sixth inning, the home plate umpire had to make the call. The problem was that he was looking over/around several players to do it. Where was the other ump? Because there were runners on base, he wasn’t on the first base line.

Triton boxscore

Newburyport boxscore

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

Triton coach Jim Hounam

Mara Spears

Carley Siemasko chases controversial fly ball

Molly Rowe

Lauren Singer & Cori Simons

Maddie Stanton

Kelsey Trudel

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Filed under Newburyport, Triton

Tagged as Cori Simons, Kelsey Trudel, Lea Tomasz, Molly Rowe

April 15, 2012 · 3:10 pm

Violent weather in the Midwest and how to pray (Deuteronomy 9:19-20)

It interests me the way Scripture, written so long ago, can relate to nowadays.

I was reflecting on the deadly weather in the Midwest and thinking of it in relation to how to pray about it. A Moses story came to mind.

Moses was up on Mount Sinai for forty days with God, receiving the Ten Commandments. During the end of the visit God gave Moses a disastrous report about the people he had left behind.

God reported that during the brief absence the Israelites had constructed an idol (golden calf) to worship. God cannot tolerate other gods.

God told Moses to go away and that He was going to wipe out the Israelites entirely. God added that He would create a new group of followers with Moses as the starter. (Sounded to me a bit like what happened during Noah’s time.)

Moses headed back down the mountain, possibly believing that things couldn’t be as the Lord had told him. But they were……..and what was Moses’ reaction? (Check Deuteronomy 9)

Moses fell on his face before God fasting for forty days as he interceded for the Israelites.

The interceding worked and the Israelites were spared. Here is the great Scriptural summary by Moses of the incident.

“I feared the wrath and anger of the Lord. For God was angry enough with you to destroy you. BUT again God listened to me. And He was angry enough to destroy Aaron BUT at that time I prayed for him too.” Deuteronomy 9:19-20

Reconnecting to the weather in the Midwest. I wanted to pray for those in the area as well as pray for some individuals I know who live in that part of the country. Moses covered both “bases.”

Moses interceded for the Israelites, in general, and for Aaron specifically. God answered both prayers.

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Tagged as Aaron, Deuteronomy 9:19-20, Midwest weather, Moses, Ten Commandments

April 13, 2012 · 10:15 pm

Masconomet defeats Newburyport (9-6) in nine innings in softball

Lauren Singer tagged out at third by Julia OReilly.

Rachel Shamon pitched nine innings and had three RBI

(Newburyport) A lot of, “Where have you been’s,” were probably heard after the Masco/Newburyport softball game at Cashman Park on Friday afternoon.

Why? Those on hand saw nine innings and thirty hits (fifteen apiece) before Masconomet (4-0) defeated Newburyport, 9-6, and some of those attending may have gotten home a little late for supper.

The Clippers (1-2) tied the score in the sixth on a Lauren Singer RBI single and had promising opportunities in the seventh and eighth to get a walk-off win.

Masco pitcher Rachel Shamon, however, escaped a 2-on situation in the 7th by getting Molly Rowe to ground out. In the 8th, Carley Siemasko led off with a single and reached second on a wild pitch but Rachel got Lea Tomasz to fly to right to end that threat.

Maddie Stanton – three hits and two RBI

The Chieftains won this game with three runs in the ninth. Rachel Shamon drilled a shot to center that brought home two of the runs. Later, Alexandra Mendelsohn would deliver the third run with a single to right.

That was more than enough runs for Rachel to work with in the bottom of the ninth. She gave up a hit to Beth Castantini to lead off the inning but retired the next three batters in order to end the game.

Rachel (junior) ended up with three RBI and five strikeouts.

Masco took a 1-0 lead in the second when Shannon Beaton’s bloop single over the drawn in Clipper infield scored Alexandra Mendelsohn.

Vicki Allman came across in the second for Newburyport on Kendra Dow’s single to right to tie the score.

RBI’s by Molli Marshall and Rachel Shamon put Masco in front 3-1 after 2 ½ innings but the Clippers came right back with three runs of their own to get ahead, 4-3. Lauren Singer drove in the first of the three runs with a single past first and later Maddie Stanton’s single up the middle brought in two more.

The Clippers handed out two gifts in the fourth. After Julia O’Reilly reached on an infield single, Shannon Beaton dropped down a bunt. The Clippers tried to get the runner going to second. The throw was wild and by the time Newburyport recovered, Julia had scored and Shannon was on third. So instead of an out and a runner on, Masco had a run in and a runner on third. A wild pitch enabled Shannon to score Masco’s third run of the inning and sixth run of the game.

Carley Siemasko nailed at third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Newburyport ran into an out. Molly Rowe reached on an infield single. Carley Siemasko hit a long triple scoring Molly but was picked off after putting on the brakes too far beyond third. As luck would have it, two batters later Lauren Singer hit a single that would have scored Carley. The Clippers had to settle for only one run in that inning but they had tied the score at five.

Masco went ahead once more in the fifth as Julia O’Reilly’s sacrifice fly scored Alexandra Mendelsohn.

Newburyport would rally to tie the game in the 6th and have chances to end it in the 7th and 8th. Masco, however, held on and put this one away in the ninth.

Shortstop Taylor Evans had three hits for Masco and made several strong throws in the field.

Freshman Lauren Singer and Senior Maddie Stanton each had three hits for Newburyport. Lauren took a ball on the thigh (she’s the catcher) that was painful.

Beth Castantini pitched the first five for the Clippers and Molly Rowe the last four.

Shortstop Kendra Dow made a complete recovery in the field from the adventure she had against North Reading.

Masco boxscore

Newburyport boxscore

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

Taylor Evans reaches second

Alexandra Mendelsohn slides home

Kendra Dow tries to get runner going to third

Carley Siemasko – triple, single, two walks, and two runs scored

Masco mound conference

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Filed under Masconomet, Newburyport

Tagged as Carley Siemasko, Julia O'Reilly, Lauren Singer, Maddie Stanton, Rachel Shamon, Taylor Evans

April 11, 2012 · 8:02 pm

Newburyport gets “mercy ruled” (16-4) by North Reading in softball

Close play at third involving Maddie Stanton and Jess Eisenhaure.

NR pitcher Terri Ferrazzani – eight strikeouts

(Newburyport) You know that things haven’t gone well in a softball game for one team when the topic of conversation after the game is the Mercy Rule.

And it was Newburyport (1-1) on the wrong side of the Mercy Rule as they were wiped out, 16-4, by North Reading (3-0) in a rule-shortened, 5 ½ inning game at Cashman Park on Wednesday afternoon.

As it was the game should have ended during the top of the 6th instead of after it because the Hornets had reached the 12-run margin necessary during the inning to be awarded the win.

And believe me, this was a game worthy of being ended early. The Clippers are a good team but on this day……not so good. The Hornets were a very good team on this day.

The only (?) positive takeaway for Newburyport from this one was their hitting in the bottom of the fifth. The Clippers needed four runs to extend the game and they got them. The key hit was a long triple by sophomore Victoria Allman that drove in two of the four runs.

Victoria Allman reaches third on a two-run triple in the 5th inning.

Winning pitcher Terri Ferrazzani (CAL All-Leaguer) yielded just five hits and had eight strikeouts during her five innings of work. The junior threw heat and didn’t walk anyone.

And while Terri shut out the Clippers during the first four innings, the Hornets hit the servings of Molly Rowe and Victoria Allman hard. North Reading rolled up twelve runs on thirteen hits during the first four. The Clipper defense struggled with the difficult plays as well as several routine chances and gave NR way too many bonus at-bats.

There were plenty of heroes for North Reading. Here is what their first six batters did:
Shelby Carney – single/double/stolen base/four runs scored.
Tarah Reilly – double/stolen base/two runs scored.
Merri Moise – two singles/triple/two runs scored.
Alicia McCauley – two singles/run scored.
Terri Ferrazzani – four singles/stolen base/run scored.
Courtney Brosnan – three singles/run scored.

Lower in their order Jess Eisenhaure had a triple, double, and scored a run.