Robbie Sarmanian | McClelland Miscellanea

Ryan O’Connell heads for third as SS Tommy Lapham and 3B Marc Wood chase a grounder

Robbie Sarmanian rounds third after a first-inning homer

(Byfield MA) There were so many baserunners in this game that at least twice they had to delay the game while the bases themselves were repaired!

Not really, although two of the bases needed help.

Triton rallied for two runs in their last at-bats to overtake Manchester-Essex, 12-11, on a sunny/breezy Thursday afternoon of Cape Ann League baseball.

This game radically changed complexions three different times. “You talk about highs and lows,” said Triton coach Ryan McCarthy afterwards.

The Vikings (11-6) were down 3-0 after three Hornets (12-6) had batted. However, by the end of the fifth inning Triton led “comfortably” 9-3. The next three outs saw thirteen Hornets bat and unleash an 8-run inning that pushed them ahead 11-9 after six innings. The Vikings got a run back in the bottom of the 6^th to get within one and then grabbed the W in the final inning.

Kyle Odoy homered in the Triton 5th

“You can see that we can swing the bats,” said ME coach BJ Weed reflecting on his team’s eleven runs, which included two homers. “Our problems all year have been defensive miscues and pitching.”

ME’s Mitch Paccone (2B) threw past second in the 3^rd inning allowing two runs to score. In the final inning a bad throw to first set up, in scoring position, the tying run and the winning run.

The Triton defense had its problems too. Errors by 1B Kyle Odoy and SS Tommy Lapham enabled the Hornets to get some extra at-bats during their eight-run sixth inning.

Vikings starter Tommy Lapham was victimized by Robbie Sarmanian’s 3-run shot in the first. “He’s a very good player,” said Tommy afterwards. “I told myself after the homer to keep going. It’s a long game.”

Tommy Lapham reached base five times and scored three runs

Tommy did settle down allowing just three hits into the sixth inning. Meanwhile, after a scoreless first inning, the Vikings began to put on runners and put up runs.

The Hornets used five different pitchers (Dylan Wilson, Will Janowicz, Casey Fackre, Gavin Glass, and Cosmo Pallazola) during the game. None of them pitched longer that two innings. “We’ve got injuries and we’re trying to find out what we will have for pitching in the playoffs,” said Coach Weed.

The ME pitching struggled during innings 2-5. In the second, two hit batsmen started a one-run inning. In the third, an error paved the way for four runs. In the fourth, a wild pitch scored one of Triton’s two runs. And then there was freshman Kyle Odoy’s homer in the Vikings’ two-run fifth inning. It looked all downhill for the visitors after five innings down 9-3.

“Manchester-Essex stuck around, and fought, and then went up,” recalled Coach McCarthy.

You wouldn’t have guessed that it would happen after watching five innings of this game.

“We’re a really good hitting team so I knew that we weren’t entirely out of it when we were down 9-3,” said Coach Weed. And right he was.

Bennett O’Leary (10) homered to left starting the 8-run Hornets sixth inning

The Hornets started that productive sixth inning with a Bennett O’Leary homer. Then ME put three singles and a walk together for another run. Out went Tommy Lapham and in came Mark Glickman. Two errors, two hits, and another walk and the Hornets caught the lead. Cosmo Pallazola’s sacrifice fly padded the lead to two runs heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

More pitching problems developed for ME. Gavin Glass gave up a single to Tyler Godfrey. Max McKenzie was the pinchrunner. Max took second on one wild pitch and third on another. Ross Lojek’s fielder’s choice brought Max across to make this a one-run game.

After a 1-2-3 top of the 7^th, the Hornets brought on Cosmo Pallazola to attempt to hold onto that one-run lead. A single, an infield error, and a sacrifice fly (Cam Gilroy) tied the score. With Marc Wood (reached on the error) on second the Hornets intentionally walked Tommy Lapham. A wild pitch moved the runners to 2B and 3B. Another intentional walk loaded the bases with one out. Another wild pitch brought Marc Wood home with the winning run.

Ross Lojek drove in three runs and scored two

Plenty of hits. Triton had twelve including two doubles and a single from Tommy Lapham. ME collected ten hits including two each from Robbie Sarmanian, Cosmo Pallazola, and Will Janowicz.

Ross Lojek had three RBI for the winners.

Kyle Odoy (1B), Dylan Shute (2B) and Cole Lojek (RF) had solid defensive plays in the first three innings.

Shortstop Tommy Lapham showed good range to get to a ball in the 7^th inning and a strong arm to toss out the runner.

The Hornets have now lost four straight to Triton.

The Hornets were 19-4 last season reaching the Division 4 North finals.

The Hornets hadn’t lost in three weeks until today when their 8-game streak ended. “I would rather lose now than in the playoffs,” said Coach Weed. “We’ve got some work to do.”

The Vikings had lost 3-of-4 before today’s win. “We’ve been down lately,” said Coach McCarthy. “We needed this one and we fought back to get it.”

“Mark Glickman came into a tight situation in relief and did a great job,” said Coach McCarthy.

Sunny day with the wind definitely blowing toward left. Three homers (Robbie Sarmanian, Bennett O’Leary, and Kyle Odoy) went that way.

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

Tommy Lapham jumps over 3B Marc Wood charging a grounder

Senior Marc Wood (4) mobbed after scoring the winning run

Kyle Odoy scores to tie the game in the 7th

Mitch Paccone ties the score at nine in the 6th inning

Dylan Shute avoids the tag of Cosmo Pallazola

2B Mitch Paccone in the middle of a 6-4-3 double play

Robbie Sarmanian greeted at home after a 3-run blast

Dylan Shute retrieves an infield bobble

Sophomore Mark Glickman was the winning pitcher

Cole Lojek out stealing

Ball drops in short right among three Hornets

Tommy Lapham and Bennett O’Leary

Finding the handle

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.