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May 4, 2014 · 8:38 pm

Newburyport holds off Amesbury 5-4 in Cape Ann League baseball

Scott Webster congratulated after recording the final out

Spencer Fournier takes the final swing of the game

(Amesbury MA) Amesbury changed dugouts, uniforms and even had some help from the sun but it wasn’t enough as Newburyport defeated the Indians, 5-4, on a sunny/cloudy Sunday afternoon.

With the victory Newburyport (4-7) ended a three-game winless streak. The Clippers claimed four runs in the first inning and the eventual game-winner in the fourth inning.

Amesbury (3-9) saw its losing streak reach eight. The Indians tallied twice in the first and sixth innings.

After the 4-run first, AHS starter Zack Fitzgerald yielded just a run and three hits the rest of the way.

Travis Wile flips the ball to pitcher James Nutter covering first

James Nutter (5 1/3 innings) and Scott Webster (1 2/3 innings) handled the pitching for Newburyport. They allowed only five hits and two walks. Scott struck out the last two Indians to preserve the win.

Newburyport loaded the bases in the first inning with no outs. Scott Webster drove in two of the baserunners (Caleb Stott and Chance Carpenter) with a single to left center. An Amesbury attempt to get the second runner at home allowed the other two NHS runners to end up in scoring position. Later in the inning Dan Baribeault’s two-out, two-strike single to right delivered both Ryan Furlong and Scott Webster.

Ben Cullen heads for home

Amesbury came back in the bottom of the first to load the bases with one out. Spencer Fournier’s fly ball scored Ben Cullen from third. On that play the NHS throw from the outfield came home but the throw (catcher Scott Webster) back to second was wild and the two runners ended up in scoring position. A passed ball (Scott Webster) allowed Pat Scanlon to cross with Amesbury’s second run.

So after one inning both teams, in my opinion, had given up an extra run. At that point I envisioned a lot of runs the rest of the way. But it didn’t go that way thanks to good pitching and sound defense.

The Clippers collected their important fifth run in fourth inning. Caleb Stott reached on a perfect bunt and then stole second. Caleb took third on Chance Carpenter’s fielder’s choice and scored on Ryan Furlong’s single to deep short.

Ryan Furlong and catcher Mac Short collide at the plate

Newburyport came close to a second run in that fourth inning but a good throw by shortstop Ben Cullen to catcher Mac Short nailed Ryan Furlong at the plate.

Amesbury entered their sixth down 5-2 but added two runs with help from the sun. After NHS starter James Nutter put two batters on with a hit batsman and a single, Scott Webster came on in relief. After a strikeout, a wild pitch put two Indians in scoring position with two outs. Then on an afternoon in which the sun was in and out, it popped out on a routine Brad Kelleher fly ball to centerfielder Chance Carpenter. The result was that the two-out, routine fly ball turned into a two-run single. Both Jared Dupere and Zack Fitzgerald came across. Ben Cullen lined to Dan Baribeault to end the sixth but the Indians were within one run, 5-4.

Mac Short walked with one out in the Amesbury seventh but then Scott Webster caught Nick Hawrylciw looking and Spencer Fournier swinging to give NHS their 4th win.

Caleb Stott steals second

Caleb Stott and Chance Carpenter paced Newburyport with two hits apiece.

Mac Short singled twice for Amesbury.

Third baseman Dan Baribeault played his second game with the Newburyport varsity and drove in two runs.

Weather? Plenty of sun and plenty of clouds with a couple of sprinkles.

Amesbury was 11-9 last year while Newburyport was 15-8.

Amesbury’s next game is Tuesday at North Reading. Newburyport will be at Masconomet on Monday.

Newburyport box

Amesbury box

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

Scott Webster

Pat Scanlon

Dan Baribeault

Zack Fitzgerald

Mac Short prepares to throw to first

Opportunistic Ipswich defeats Amesbury 2-0 in Cape Ann League baseball

The Ipswich Tigers congratulate leftfielder Dan DAgostino on his game-ending catch

Winning pitcher Alex Amoroso tossed a 3-hitter.

(Ipswich) Ipswich made two unearned runs stand up as they defeated Amesbury, 2-0, on a sunny Tuesday morning in Cape Ann League baseball action.

The Tigers (1-2) were limited to three hits by Amesbury’s Andy Reidy but took advantage of extra at-bats, due to errors, in the third and fifth innings to get the runs they needed.

Ipswich starter Alex Amoroso was the MVP (in my opinion) for the Tigers. The IHS senior scattered three singles over six innings, scored the first Ipswich run, and drove in the second run.

Although Alex scattered three singles there are other ways to get on base and Amesbury used them. In five different innings the Indians had runners in scoring position but a clutch hit never surfaced.

Amesbury had their best scoring chance in the fourth inning. Devlin Gobiel reached on Ipswich shortstop Mike Savoie’s error and Zack Fitzgerald (two hits) followed with a walk. A fielder’s choice by Jack Fortin left runners on first and third with one out. Jack then stole second but Alex Amoroso escaped without any damage as he got both Adam Ivancic and Ben Cullen to pop out.

Ipswich took the lead in the third inning. Alex Amoroso reached first when third baseman Zack Fitzgerald couldn’t field his grounder with two outs. Two pitcher/catcher problems allowed Alex to get to third. Henry Sacco lined a single to left driving home the first Tigers run.

Sean Whooley leads off third

In the fifth, Ipswich got a second tainted run. Sean Whooley started the inning doubling over Adam Ivancic’s head in left. Dan D’Agostino followed with a bunt attempt. Catcher Mac Short’s throw to first was dropped by second baseman Tommy Connors. (Runners were now on first and third with no outs.) Ipswich coach Gardy O’Flynn put both runners in motion and Alex Amoroso’s grounder to short delivered Sean Whooley from third with the second run.

Sophomore shortstop Mike Savoie had three assists in the second inning. Senior Josh Guertin had three assists in the fifth inning.

Ryan Law earned a save with a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The final out, however, was a bit of an adventure. Mac Short hit a fly ball down the left field line and the combination of a tough sun, and a long way to run, spelled potential trouble for Ipswich. Shortstop Mike Savoie and left fielder Dan D’Agostino came full-speed into the same area and at the last second Dan made the catch to end the game.