Tag Archives: Pat Slack

June 7, 2014 · 9:06 pm

Lowell Catholic defeats Georgetown 9-4 to gain D4 North title

Lowell Catholic (2014 Division 4 North champs)

runnerup Georgetown Royals

(Lowell MA) Lowell Catholic looks ready for a run at a second straight Division 4 state baseball title.

The Crusaders (21-2) defeated Georgetown, 9-4, at very warm LeLacheur Park on Saturday afternoon to get the D4 North crown and position themselves two wins away from a second championship.

Lowell Catholic was able to bunch hits/runs together in two innings and they were flawless in the field.

Georgetown (15-8), on the other hand, had eight hits but lost runners on the bases and had a deadly two-out drop of a foul popup. That drop (pitcher Alex Bornholdt) extended a 1-run fifth inning into what became a 4-run inning.

The Crusaders picked up five runs in the 4th and the Royals answered with four of their own. LC added four more in their half of the fifth and that 9-4 spread held up the rest of the way.

Kyle Rafferty

Tom Cahalane

The team from the Cape Ann League had numerous scoring opportunities but on this day the Crusaders’ pitching combo of Tom Cahalane (4 1/3) and Kyle Rafferty (2 1/3) prevailed.

Jesse Caisse led Lowell Catholic with two hits and three RBI.

Lowell Catholic had played the day before and it looked like it in the early going. Royals’ starter Pat Slack retired the first ten batters he faced. However, Pat never got another out as LC put six hits and a walk together for five runs and Alex Bornholdt came on for G’Town in relief and quieted LC.

The Royals came right back in the top of the fifth inning. They loaded the bases with no outs and had RBI by Mike Goddu and Pat Slack. Then they loaded the bases a second time and out went starter Tom Cahalane and in came Kyle Rafferty. Georgetown added two more runs (RBI by Colby Ingraham and Kyle Nelson) before that 5th was done.

Jesse Caisse looks to tag Colby Ingraham

But LC still had the lead, 5-4, going into their half of the fifth. The Crusaders loaded the bases with two outs on two walks and a single. Brandon Bursey (2 hits/2 RBI) then singled sharply to left putting LC up by two. This was where the Royals had a great chance to get out of the inning with one-run damage but Jesse Caisse’s foul popup was dropped. Given another chance, the LC junior singled, bringing home two teammates. James Sullivan would later force in the 9th Lowell Catholic run with a walk.

Georgetown had two runners aboard in the sixth but an infield single (Pat Slack) turned into the final out as pinch runner Gus Savage was picked off second.

The Royals put two more players on base in the seventh but Kyle Rafferty struck out pinch hitter Nick Correnti and got Chris Chiklakis to fly out.

Ben Noelk in a rundown

In the first inning, Ben Noelk was caught in a rundown. In the same inning, Colby Ingraham was picked off second.

Nick Cervizzi had 3 hits, 2 RBI, and scored 2 runs for Lowell Catholic.

The game started nearly thirty minutes late because of the lengthy (controversial?) first game between Methuen and Chelmsford.

Kevin Terban dives

Weather? Hotter than I like it. There are very few places at LeLacheur Park (home of the Lowell Spinners) where you could find shade. I’m betting more than a few sunburns were acquired.

Kyle Nelson, Ben Noelk, and Dan Manning each had two hits for Georgetown.

Shortstop Colby Ingraham made a next-level play on a grounder up the middle showing good range and good arm.

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

Ben Noelk (2 hits)

Aaron Crandall rounds third

Brandon Bursey (2 hits and 2 rbi)

Georgetown hit drops in

Nick Cervizzi flips to pitcher Kyle Rafferty

LC starts to celebrate

James Sullivan

Dan Manning leads Georgetown to 7-3 Division 4 North quarterfinals win over Matignon

Dan Manning had a huge part in the Georgetown win over Matignon

Duncan Hough tags out Brian Raimo for the final out of the game

(Georgetown MA) Georgetown defeated #11 seed Matignon, 7-3, in a Division 4 North quarterfinals matchup on sunny Saturday afternoon.

The win puts the #3 seed Royals (14-7) into the D4 North semifinals for the second straight season. This time around they’ll face #2 seed Boston International next Wednesday.

Senior Dan Manning had a big day for the Royals scoring twice, getting three hits, stealing two bases, and driving in two runs. The Georgetown catcher also gunned out two Warriors attempting to steal.

In defeating the Warriors (6-14), the home team took liberties on the base paths (two double steals) and advantage of Matignon wildness (four hit batsmen).

Georgetown had nine hits and bunched eight of their hits into the first three innings and took a 4-1 lead.

Winning pitcher Pat Slack

The Warriors totaled eight hits and had hits in six innings and left baserunners in each of those innings. Georgetown starter Pat Slack (5 2/3 innings) allowed only two runs.

One of the baserunners gunned down by Dan Manning was JT Nichols in the first inning. The inning started with Nick Valdario walking and JT reaching on 3B Kyle Nelson’s error. Brian Raimo’s sacrifice fly got Nick to third. That was when JT tried to steal and didn’t make it. Cam Monagle followed with an RBI double to the fence in left.

Georgetown got that run back in the bottom of the first inning. Two batters (Ben Noelk and Kyle Nelson) were hit by pitches and both moved into scoring position thanks to a well-executed double steal. Pat Slack’s single to left brought Ben home to tie the score. Matignon starter Jimmy DeAngelo limited the damage to one run by retiring Ryan Slack and Chris Chiklakis to end the inning.

The Royals took the lead for good with a run in the second. Dan Manning singled to deep short and then stole second and third. Kevin Terban’s hot shot over the third base bag scored Dan.

Georgetown picked up two more runs in the third. Pat Slack, after nearly being doubled off first on his brother Ryan’s line drive to second baseman JT Nichols, was driven home on Chris Chiklakis’ shot to the fence in left. When Chris tried to steal third the throw from catcher Kevin Olsen went past third allowing Chris to cross with the Royals fourth run.

Tyler Hanlon reaches third

Matignon (Catholic Central League) cut into their 4-1 deficit with a run in the fourth. Tyler Hanlon singled to deep short and came all the way around on a double by Kevin Olsen to center. CF Mike Goddu dove after Kevin’s long shot and just missed getting it.

Georgetown collected three runs worth of insurance in the 5th inning. The first two Royals (Ryan Slack and Chris Chiklakis) reached and executed the team’s second double steal. Later LF Tyler Hanlon rushed in on Dan Manning’s sinking line drive and had the ball one-hop off of him allowing both G’Town runners to get home. Jared Fernandes came on to relieve Jimmy DeAngelo at this point. A single (Mike Goddu) and a sacrifice fly (Colby Ingraham) produced Georgetown’s seventh and final run.

Matignon put a run on the board against the relief combo (Alex Bornholdt and Duncan Hough) in the final inning. JT Nichols’ fielders choice tallied Jared Fernandes.

The ball gets past a diving Tyler Hanlon (above his foot) in the 5th inning

Weather? After getting caught in the rain at Tewksbury yesterday I was leery of the clouds I saw today but the sun dominated the quick (less than two hours) game.

Mike McPherson hit into the rare 9-6 force out when Georgetown rightfielder Ben Noelk dropped a routine fly in the sixth inning but recovered to force Cam Monagle at second.

Georgetown third baseman Kyle Nelson chased a foul ball out of my sight into the crowd in the Matignon seventh. It sounded as if Kyle introduced himself to a lawn chair but he quickly returned to the playing field.

Jared Fernandes and Cam Monagle paced Matignon with two hits each.

Mike Goddu and Pat Slack had two hits for Georgetown.

Georgetown boxscore

Matignon boxscore

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

JT Nichols steals second

Colby Ingraham

Ben Noelk heads home with the first Georgetown run

Kyle Nelson ventures into the crowd

Pat Slack tries to get back to first

Kevin Terban waits to tag out Mike McPherson

Cam Monagle (#24) gets an unassisted out

Pat Slack and Georgetown hitting attack lead to 5-0 win over Amesbury

Pat Slack and teammates celebrate his two-hit shutout

Colby Ingraham about to cross home with the first Royals run

(Amesbury MA) Now, that’s more like it! (That was a reference to the weather.)

Georgetown had everything go their way as they defeated Amesbury, 5-0, on a sunny Saturday morning of Cape Ann League baseball.

The Royals (4-1) rode the arm of senior Pat Slack (two hitter) and a non-stop hitting attack (nine hits) to the victory.

While G’Town had hits and stranded baserunners (nine) in every inning, the Indians went through 4 1/3 innings without a baserunner. Nick Hawrylciw was the first to reach for Amesbury beating out (barely!) a grounder to shortstop Colby Ingraham. Later in that fifth inning Spencer Fournier would get a no-questions-asked single to right center. But those two hits were all that Amesbury (3-3) could muster.

Spencer Fournier (#8) had one of two Amesbury hits

Spencer Fournier’s hit to right center was only one of two balls to reach the Georgetown outfield. Pat Slack was that dominating in the complete game shutout. He had four strikeouts and kept the ball down. First baseman Nick Correnti ended up with ten putouts.

Junior Sam Burnham pitched six innings for Amesbury (3-3) in his first varsity start. Levi Burrill covered the last inning for the Indians.

Sam Burnham was charged with five runs but only two of them were earned.

The first of the unearned runs opened the scoring for the visitors in the first inning. After Colby Ingraham doubled with two outs, AHS shortstop Ben Cullen booted Kyle Nelson’s grounder allowing Colby Ingraham to get home.

Three more runs came across for the Royals in the second inning. Kevin Terban singled to left and was driven home by Chris Chiklakis’s triple to right center. An infield hit to deep short by Ben Noelk enabled Chris to get G’Town’s third run. A two-out throwing error by shortstop Ben Cullen followed adding a fourth run to the Royals’ total.

Sam Burnham

Georgetown’s third unearned run came in the sixth inning. Left fielder Brad Kelleher had trouble retrieving Mike Goddu’s single and as a result Mike reached second. Sam Burnham balked Mike to third. Sam would have gotten out of the inning but another infield error (second baseman Jared Dupere) gave Georgetown its fifth run.

So despite all the Georgetown hits and baserunners, this could have been a much closer game minus the five Amesbury miscues.

The Royals, meanwhile, were flawless in the field with few tough chances. Amesbury’s hardest shot, other than Spencer Fournier’s single, was a line drive toward second by Mac Short that Kevin Terban snared about shin level in the fourth inning.

Pat Slack (three hits) had two doubles that were part of Georgetown’s four extra-base hits.

Amesbury starter Sam Burnham took a hard shot off the shin in the third inning but recovered to toss the hitter out at first.

Colby Ingraham

Cape Ann League All-League performer Colby Ingraham is back. He suffered a torn ACL in football. He has a noticeable limp but still has enough range to handle the shortstop position. Colby almost got himself into trouble with the first base umpire when he had a loud reaction to his throw in the 5th inning that didn’t result in an out at first. GHS coach Justin Spurr was quick to pay a visit to the field to cool things down.

Mac Short, Colby Ingraham, and Ben Noelk were Cape Ann League All-League players in 2013. Pat Slack was a CAL All-Star last year.

Kevin Terban had two hits and scored two runs for the Royals.

Ben Cullen showed terrific range tracking down a first inning foul popup down the third baseline.

I’m guessing on this one but I believe that Amesbury sophomore second baseman Jared Dupere is the brother of Sarah Dupere the very talented senior softball pitcher at Governor’s Academy. I saw Sarah K seven Pingree batters and get three hits herself in a 13-0 shutout against the Highlanders.

Next game for Georgetown in Tuesday (10AM) hosting Hamilton-Wenham. Amesbury will host Pentucket (3:45PM) on the same day.

The weather was terrific. There was a pretty good crowd on hand and almost all of them were over-dressed. It’s just hard to believe so far this season that sunny, breezy, and 60’s could all come together in a pleasant outdoor experience!

Georgetown box

Amesbury box

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