ESPN

SUDBURY, Mass. -- It was a pitcher’s duel from beginning to end, and ultimately a clutch walk-off single from Lincoln-Sudbury senior Brian Carroll was the difference, giving the Warriors (6-4) a 2-1 win over third-ranked BC High (7-2).

Junior Owen Bautze, in his second start of the year, got the win for Lincoln-Sudbury, scattering three hits in seven innings pitched. BC High’s one run came by way of a home run by leadoff hitter Dan Dougherty (2-for-4) in the third inning.

“BC High--they can always swing the bats. Last year they put a quick eight runs on us. [Owen] pitched phenomenal for seven straight innings," Carroll said in praise of his teammate. "He came out against a very good team and performed well."

Lincoln-Sudbury coach Kirk Fredericks echoed his senior’s remarks on Bautze, pointing out Bautze’s gradual improvement in terms of his mentality on the mound.

“It’s all about getting better," Fredericks said. "Earlier in the year if he gives up a home run it would have affected him for the next couple batters. Here he gives up a home run, he comes right back, and he does a nice job."

Following Dougherty’s home run in the third, the Warriors come back in the fourth with a run of their own. Sid Warrenbrand hit a single up the middle to score Ian Kinney and tie the ballgame at one.

“We really worked on two strike hitting, it showed up today," Carroll said. "And working on keeping the ball on the ground, hopefully to get it through holes."

From there on out, Bautze and BC High starter Dan Cobban dominated the tempo of the game. Cobban avoided any jams until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Shane Sefton started off the inning with a base hit. Bautze bunted to the first base side soon after, and Cobban bobbled the ball before he could get a decent toss over to first.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Fredericks made the decision to pinch-hit Kieran Pathak. The move paid dividends, as Pathak’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third.

The next batter, Dylan DeFlorio, was intentionally walked—bringing up Carroll with the bases loaded. Carroll wasted no time, hitting a line drive up the middle on the first pitch he saw to win the game.

“The whole game I was seeing fastballs, so I just wanted to be aggressive at the plate and I didn’t want to get down in the count," Carroll said. "First ball I saw, I took a hack at it, and got up lucky for a single."

Fredericks added, on Carroll’s final at-bat, “That’s our best player, they put our best player at the plate. So if we’re going to beat BC High, it’s going to be with our best player. He gave us the best shot, got into one and got a nice pitch to hit.”

Fredericks admitted he was skeptical on how his team would come to perform, saying he kicked them off the field during pre-game for a lack of effort.

“There are some games we’ve executed and some games we haven’t," he said. "Today we had to kick them off the field. They came with a horrible attitude, a horrible effort [before the game]. On their own, wherever they went for a half an hour, they found it, figured it out, and came and matched BC High,” the coach said after the game."

He also sent out a challenge to his team after the game. A relatively young, but talented squad, Lincoln-Sudbury has taken its’ lumps this year, and Fredericks wants to see a more consistent effort from his squad from here on out.

“We worry about trying to get better, I tell them all the time that it’s not about the result, it’s about trying to get better. We got better today, but, we got better against Westford and then we laid an egg the next day against [Acton-Boxborough],” Fredericks said.

"So we’ll see how we do against Waltham, will we be two steps forward one step back again? Or will we take two more steps?”

MALDEN, Mass. -- As far as league openers go, you can't get much better than Ryan Tufts' night.

Beneath the lights Monday night at Maplewood Park, the Virginia Tech-bound third baseman shone his brightest for Boston College High when it mattered most, in the Eagles' Catholic Conference opener against host Malden Catholic. Facing fireballing MC sophomore reliever Austin Batchelor with one out in the top of the seventh, tied 1-1, Tufts sat fastball and didn't have to wait long to get his pitch.

Tufts blasted one deep to center, a ball that was eventually dropped but scored Dan Dougherty from third to make it 2-1. The Eagles then sealed it in the final frame with a double play, to improve to 3-0 and 1-0 in the conference.

"He's clutch, he can hit anybody," Eagles coach Norm Walsh said. "In fact, that ball might have been a little up and out of the strike zone, but he's got such talent that he just did the job for us. That was one fantastic baseball game."

Said Tufts of seeing the drop, "I was pumped. Any time you can get an extra baserunner there, it's really big, especially when we're trying push across a few runs."

BC High took the initial 1-0 lead in the top of the second with some smart baserunning from Ryan Tropeano. After reaching first on a fielder's choice and stealing second, the sophomore scampered home after the second baseman dropped the ball trying to tag out Sean Webster trying to steal second.

MC fired back in the bottom of the fifth with a dramatic shot from pinch hitter Paul Garozzo. Facing a full count with two outs and a runner at third -- Cam Lanzilli, who led the inning off with a triple -- Garozzo sliced one just inside the foul line down first base for an RBI triple and tie ball game.

McDonald grins and bears it: Clearly, there are divided schools of thought amongst MIAA coaches as to how to handle pitchers in the first month of the season, when temperatures are still cold and arms are still getting broken in after a winter with limited live throwing.

Some like to keep starters regimented around 60 to 70 pitches, approaching the subject like a faberge egg; then there are those like Walsh, who let senior righthander Tommy McDonald throw into triple-digits, watched as McDonald took a ball off his left knee trying to bare-hand a comebacker in the final frame, and said, "You can't get mad at him though, because he's just so competitive."

"He wanted to make that play," Walsh said. "I think [second baseman] Jake [Marotta] would have had it, but he's such a competitor. You can't fault him for that."

Said McDonald, "I had the adrenaline running, it didn't even faze me. I'm just glad I stopped the ball from going into centerfield."

McDonald, a UMass commit, threw close to 115 pitches in a complete-game effort, striking out seven and walking none while scattering five hits and allowing the one earned run.

"At this point, he's thrown a bunch of bullpens in the preseason," Walsh said when asked about pitch count. "He's not going to start again for eight or nine days. He was throwing strikes, he was pounding the zone. I talked to [catcher] Luke [Catarius], Luke said he was really throwing the ball well still, so at this point no. He was probably up around 115 or so, and that's reasonable for him. He's our horse."

It's easy to see why the reigns are a little looser on McDonald. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder demonstrates good command of his fastball, locating it around the zone, and doesn't labor on the mound. He generates much of his power from his legs, and is the kind of type-A personality you want as a starting pitcher -- asked how he'd characterize himself, he laughed, "I'm kind of a jerk out there...I don't want to give anything up."

Asked how he felt after racking up a high pitch count this early, McDonald said he felt fine.

"I was going into this thinking four or five innings, and leaving the rest for the bullpen," he said. "But my adrenaline was going and I felt in mid-season form. I just feel really good right now."

Seamless transition: Forgive the Eagles if they've been spoiled the previous three seasons with Bobby Melley behind the plate. The UConn freshman catcher was one of the state's most feared hitters a season ago, hitting .370/.557/.685 totals with 13 RBI and drawing 22 walks to earn a spot on ESPN Boston's All-State Team.

But it looks like the equally-bulky Catarius, bound for Princeton University as a linebacker at a burly 6-foot and 230 pounds, will keep everyone comfortable despite his limited varsity experience. Catarius batted .267 a year ago in just 17 plate appearances.

Confidence around Catarius is apparent immediately.

"We didn't lose anything, he [Catarius] picked up right where Melley was coming back from," McDonald said. "Good presence behind the plate, good presence in the dugout, good presence with everything...He knows where I like to throw [and] where, inside, outside. He knows when to go out there, when I'm having a tough time."

Said Walsh, "[Luke] is a really tough, competitive kid. He's the heart and soul. He's got that fire to him."

Velozo battles: In five complete innings of work, senior lefty Joe Velozo worked his way out of jam after jam on the mound for MC. In the third, he retired the first two batters (K, 6-4) then loaded the bases up, then put out his own flames with some high heat to Tom Russo, getting him swinging up and out of the zone.

The next inning, he evaded trouble again thanks to a 3-2 double play from first baseman Steve Passatempo to Batchelor. Passatempo dove to his left for an unassisted out at first, then fired home to Batchelor, who made a terrific block at the plate for a tag on Tropeano. In his last go-around, the fifth, he struck out the first two batters then allowed batters to reach second and third before ringing up Russo again to end the scoring chance.

Velozo finished with six strikeouts and scattered six hits while walking three. Nick George relieved him in the sixth, followed by Batchelor in the seventh.

"Very little fazes him," MC head coach Pat Driscoll said of Velozo. "I think he likes being in the big pressure situations. He wants to be that guy in that situation, making the pitches and getting his team back in there to hit."

In this week's edition of "Roundtable", ESPN Boston High Schools Editors Scott Barboza and Brendan Hall are joined by correspondent Bruce Lerch and Brockton Enterprise staff writer John Botelho as we discuss the best hitting lineups, the best faceoff specialist in lacrosse, and whether Milford is now the team to beat in softball.

1. AFTER BEATING KING PHILIP, IS MILFORD THE FAVORITE IN DIVISION 1 FOR SOFTBALL?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Scott Barboza: In a word, yes. Shannon Smith is simply pitching out of her mind right now, but it's not as though we haven't seen this before from the University of Kentucky commit. Two years ago, Smith was named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year after recording a 0.36 ERA. This year, she's been dominant, including a 20-strikeout performance against Shrewsbury and 17 K's against KP. Not to mention, the Scarlet Hawks haven't even been playing with their opening day lineup, after All-State catcher Taylor Archer suffered a leg injury in the first week of the season. Freshman Taylor LeBrun has done a terrific job behind the plate in the interim, but MIlford will only be that much more potent with their top battery in place. I'm certainly not ruling out KP, as anything short of a rematch between the two teams in the state final would be unexpected.

Bruce Lerch, correspondent: While there are several teams with good enough pitching to shut down the Scarlet Hawks bats, how many are strong enough offensively to hit against Milford ace Shannon Smith? The only team that really comes to mind is...King Philip. The Kentucky-bound Smith two-hit the Warriors and struck out 17 Monday afternoon, so you have to think they are the lead horse in the race right now. KP has hit Smith before, however, as a 10-1 result in the state championship game two years ago proves. Of course, Smith was but a freshman then, and having faced King Philip several times since then her knowledge of that dangerous lineup has grown considerably.

Oh yeah...KP also has Meghan Rico. I've heard she's a pretty good pitcher too...something about a reigning player of the year? If both aces are on their game, then the state championship softball game may have to be scheduled for more than one day

John Botelho, Brockton Enterprise: Even with Milford knocking off K-P, it's still hard to call anyone but the Warriors - the two-time defending state champ - the favorite to win it all. This means Milford might have closed the gap, but until someone proves Meghan Rico is possible to beat in the playoffs, the Warriors remain the class of softball in this state. Keep in mind how difficult it is to beat a good team twice, and chances are Milford will have to do just that if they're to bring home the state crown.

2. SEVEN OF THE EIGHT TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE COACHES CHALLENGE CUP THIS WEEK ARE RANKED IN OUR TOP 25. WHICH OF THOSE TEAMS HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING A STATE TITLE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DIVISION?

Scott Barboza: We might have seen a Division 2 Eastern Mass final matchup preview on Thursday when Concord-Carlisle and Hingham squared off in a Coaches Challenge Cup semifinal. The Patriots beat the Harbormen, 9-4, with Jackson Finigan, Tim Badgley and Kevin Delehey scoring two goals each. If both teams take care of business hereon out, we should expect to see both of them at Harvard Stadium. Of course, none of this makes mention of Dover-Sherborn. The Raiders fell just short of an upset over Lincoln-Sudbury before falling, 12-11, but they've proven their among the elite in Division 3.

Bruce Lerch: That team would Dover-Sherborn. Lincoln-Sudbury will enter the Division 1 tournament as one of the teams best suited to make a run at Duxbury, but betting against the Dragons has been mostly a losing proposition for the past decade. The six Div. 2 teams that participated in the tournament are perennially among the last teams standing in June, so while a state champion could come from this group, picking who it will be requires a crystal ball.

Dover-Sherborn has the talent to compete with the best teams in the state, something the Raiders proved three years running now at the Coaches Challenge Cup, and is likely going to snag one of the top four seeds in the Div. 3 tourney and will be included in the group of favorites that should also include Weston and Norwell.

3. IN BASEBALL, WHAT'S THE BEST HITTING YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Brendan Hall: I have seen both BC High and Lowell multiple times, and I don't think you can go wrong either way.

BC High can mash 1 through 9, but at the top is where they're especially dangerous. UConn signee Bob Melley is the Eagles' most powerful bat out of the No. 3 spot, but he's surrounded by plenty of college-ready talent in seniors Chuckie Connors, Justin Silvestro, Brian Hocking, and juniors Ryan Tufts and Dan Dougherty. I will put the Eagles' top six hitters against any team's top six in the state...

...Unless that top six is Lowell. The Red Raiders are only going to get stronger as the season goes on, but they're showing some real nice stuff through the first three weeks of the season. Rory O'Connor, Derek Reed and Andrew Marasa form what is regarded as the state's best outfield, but they can manufacture runs from the plate, too. Matt Tulley is headed to Virginia Tech for his low-90's fastball, but he's got a heavy swing from the cleanup spot too. My favorite hitter to watch in this lineup is senior Chad Gens, who can square up and plant it deep as good as anyone. After Lexington's Chris Shaw, he might be one of the better power hitters in Eastern Mass. I expect him to be near the top in extra base hits this year.

Also of note, take a look at Dighton-Rehoboth, which comes in this week at No. 18 this week. With a top of the order led by Bryan Rocha, Adam Benvie, Evan Mondor and Mike St. John, the Falcons are averaging 11 runs per game, including shellackings over Somerset (22-0) and Case (17-6). When it comes to manufacturing runs, you can't forget Walpole, between leadoff shortstop Johnny Adams, catcher Dan King, and brothers Cam and Craig Hanley.

John Botelho: Despite getting shutout by Marshfield for their first loss of the season on Thursday, the East Bridgewater Vikings offense is certainly among the best in southeastern Mass, and could be the class of the D3 South Sectional later this season. Even with the setback against the Rams, E-B is still averaging just over 10 runs per game.

In the Hockomock League both Oliver Ames has emerged as a team with an electric pitching staff, but the offense is plenty capable of flexing muscle too. With sweet swinging David MacKinnon - whose emerging as one of the best hitters in the Hock - hitting third and powerful Matt Harding hitting fourth, the Tigers have one of the best 3-4 combos going. Matt Mancini, Ryan O'Shea, Mike McMillan and Jim Sullivan help bolster a lineup that features plenty of hitting ability.

4. AN UNDERRATED ASPECT OF LACROSSE IS THE "FOGO" (FACE OFF, GET OFF) POSITION. WHO IS THE BEST FACEOFF SPECIALIST IN THE MIAA?

Scott Barboza: I think there's no doubt that Clay Richard of Medfield is the best true FOGO in the state, but as we saw during Wednesday's matchup against No. 1 Duxbury, Dragons midfielder Henry Narlee might be the best faceoff man in the state. Sqauring off against Richard and the Warriors, Narlee won an amazing 21 of 28 draws.

Bruce Lerch: The two best were on display Wednesday night in Duxbury as Medfield's Clay Richard went to work against the Dragons Henry Narlee. Richard more than held his own against Narlee in their individual battle, but in addition to the Duxbury junior's elite skill, he also has the advantage of having James Burke and Reilly Naton flying off the wings to grab every loose ball in sight. Not only is Narlee at winning the draws to himself, but is deadly accurate when shooting the ball into space for his two LSM's to chase it down.

5. LOOK AT THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF SPRING. CALL AN UPSET. AND FEEL FREE TO GO BIG.

Scott Barboza: Don't really know if this would count as such, but I'm calling Duxbury's take down of Garden City (N.Y.) this weekend. Looks like the Dragons' regained their top form in the last week. In softball, I have a feeling about Hudson taking down Shrewsbury this weekend.

Brendan Hall: Boston Latin has a two-game swing at the beginning of next month that could have big implications in the Dual County League: May 4 at Lincoln-Sudbury, and May 7 at Acton-Boxborough. The Wolfpack seem to be everyone's favorite little underdog in the league (no pun intended), but I wouldn't be surprised to see them take one of two here. L-S has some talent, but has been searching for that staff ace; meanwhile A-B has had a knack for the dramatic so far, twice winning one-run games, the latest a 1-0 decision over Waltham on Wednesday. Can Latin pull 1 of 2 here? It might depend on who's pitching.

Elsewhere, I've got May 10's matchup between No. 14 Burncoat and No. 3 St. John's of Shrewsbury circled on the calendar. The Patriots just lost their first game to Danvers the other day, while St. John's sits at 7-0 with a nice win over St. John's Prep. This is building into one of the best regular-season matchups in Central Mass., but I'm going to go with Burncoat in the upset.

John Botelho: On April 26, when No. 16 Barnstable comes to town, Bridgewater-Raynham will take a big step toward winning the Old Colony League by knocking them off in a pitcher's duel. The Trojans have to deal with league foe Dartmouth just two days before, and if the rotation stays the path it's on lefty Pat Chalmers will be throwing that game. That means fellow southpaw Shane Holmes, who has been piling up strikeouts and shutting offenses down, will take the mound against the Red Raiders. The lefty is one of the toughest in the area and B-R could come away with this one without needing much in the way of run support.

ACTON, Mass. -- It was what one could expect from an early-season baseball game: two teams still working out some kinks, while at the same time showing flashes of what each can be when everything comes together for them.

As dark rain clouds rolled over the field, No. 1 BC High was able to record the final out and fend off a potential seventh-inning rally from No. 10 Acton-Boxborough. The Eagles won on the scoreboard, 15-11, but it left the team feeling like it has a ways to go now that the games count.

“Obviously I’m really happy with the offense,” said BC High (1-0) coach Norm Walsh. “We weren’t swinging the bat well the past few days, so we had a little chat about pitch selection and approach at the plate and I think we re-focused and did what we needed to do offensively.

“We had a couple of defensive lapses, which were uncharacteristic. That was a little bothersome. It’s tough to get on my pitchers at this point, but the big thing is we have to throw strikes. In the last couple of innings, we didn’t throw strikes. It’s not that we don’t have the ability to get people out, because we do. When we threw the ball well through the strike zone, we got outs. It was just giving them free base runners that we can’t afford to have.”

The run production started right from the beginning of the game for BC High. After leadoff hitter Dan Dougherty worked the count full against A-B (0-2) starter Reid Jordan, he belted the payoff pitch over the right field fence to give his team the early lead.

Ryan Tufts, the very next batter, was hit by a pitch. Next, senior catcher Bobby Melley hit a rocket double all the way to the fence, which allowed Tufts to score all the way from first. A-B was already playing from behind before it got a chance to bat.

Jordan left the game after four innings, giving up nine runs. The A-B relief pitchers did not fare much better. The Eagles scored at least one run in each inning besides the last.

Conversely, BC High’s Tommy McDonald gave up seven runs, lasting five innings, giving up eight hits and three walks.

Colonials keep it close: It was not all smooth for BC High, however. Over the course of the game, defensive lapses allowed A-B to prolong innings, and ultimately generate runs.

In the third inning, a hit batsman and a single put runners on first and second with one out. A-B’s Ryan McDonald hit a grounder at Tufts, who fielded it cleanly on the edge of the grass. Rather than throwing over to first to get the sure out, Tufts turned around and tried to tag out Billy Jackman. He was too late, as Jackman beat him to the bag by several steps. He still threw over to try to get the out at first, but McDonald beat out the throw, thus loading the bases.

That turned into a three-run inning for A-B, making it a 5-4 game.

In the fifth, A-B had the bases loaded and already scored a run. Brendan Phelan hit a line drive at shortstop Jake Marotta, but the ball hit off his glove and into the outfield. What could have ended the inning lead to A-B to two more runs.

“We made mistakes, errors, judgment stuff, stuff that probably could have put four or five more runs on the board for them,” said Melley. “We could cut down on that. In close games, we’re going to need stuff like that to win ball games.”

Walsh credited those mistakes to where his team is in the season, believing they aren’t emblematic of the team as a whole.

“I think those are early season jitters,” he said. “Over the process here, I don’t think that’s going to continue by any means. I think we’re going to be a very good defensive team.”

Melley Mashes: In the fifth, Melley came to bat with a runner on second. The left-handed hitting catcher took the first two pitches, making the count 2-0.

Earlier in the game, he had hit the ball well against Jordan, but this time, he was up against junior Andrew Sweet. In what can only be characterized as a hitters count, Melley got a chest-high fastball and was able to get under it and get a good enough part of the bat on it to muscle it out of the park for a two-run home run. It was an impressive fete of strength for the senior captain.

“I was looking for a fastball, and I was comfortable against (Sweet) and what he was throwing to me,” he said. “I saw the fastball, probably about head-level. I really did get under it but I had enough to get it in the wind and get it out of there.”

Courtesy of Bay State Games media relations director Peter Cohenno:

BASEBALL
Bentley University – Waltham, MA

Metro 15, Central 7

In an offensive showcase, Metro earned a decisive 15-7 victory against Central in the opening game on Thursday.

Metro scored six runs on six hits in the top of the first inning to help propel the squad to an early lead, however, Central retaliated in the bottom of the inning, plating five to pull within one.

Metro pulled ahead, 7-5, in the second, as sophomore leftfielder Malcolm Nachmanoff (Boston, Boston Latin) drilled a RBI single, which scored junior right fielder Bartley Regan (Boston, Boston College HS), who had singled up the middle.

In the bottom of the third, sophomore first baseman Zackary Tower (Auburn, Auburn HS) nailed a RBI single and sophomore leftfielder Jake Ryan (Northbridge, Northbridge HS) drew a walk for a RBI to help Central knot the game at 7-7.

Metro put the game out of reach with seven runs in the fourth inning and added one more in the fifth to earn the 15-7 victory.

Nachmanoff and junior second baseman Austin Teal (Malden, Malden HS) led the offensive effort for Metro, going 2-for-2 with one RBI apiece. Sophomore shortstop Michael Woll (Milbury, Holy Name Central Catholic HS) was 1-for-1 at the dish with two RBI for Central.

Junior pitcher James Mulry (West Roxbury, Boston Latin) registered the win for Metro, hurling 21/3 scoreless innings, while tallying four strikeouts and allowing just one hit.

Northeast 8, West 0

A complete game shutout from junior pitcher Ryan McDonald (Boxboro, Acton-Boxboro Reg. HS) propelled Northeast to an 8-0 victory against West in game two on Thursday. McDonald tallied seven strikeouts and allowed just one hit in the solid outing.

Northeast jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, thanks to RBI from junior designated hitter Peter Franchi (Lynnfield, Lynnfield HS) and junior right fielder Sean Glabicky (Peabody, Malden Catholic HS).

The only hit of the game for West came in the fourth, when junior centerfielder John Kinne (Great Barrington, Monument Mountain HS) sent a leadoff single to left field.

The Northeast squad never looked backed, adding six insurance runs on seven hits in the sixth to secure the victory.

Southeast 5, Coastal 5

In the third game on Thursday afternoon, Southeast and Coastal played a hard fought, back-and-forth contest that ended in a 5-5 draw.

Southeast broke the game open in the second inning, when junior first baseman Sean Greene (Hingham, Hingham HS), junior third baseman Mark Pomella (Marshfield, Marshfield HS), and junior centerfielder Jake O’Rouke (Medway, Medway HS) recorded consecutive singles to put their squad up, 1-0. Pomella scored on a wild pitch, giving Southeast an early 2-0 lead.

Southeast added a third run in the third, but Coastal would not go quietly. Sophomore centerfielder Dan Dougherty (Pembroke, Boston College HS), who singled to right field, set up a rundown, which allowed sophomore leftfielder Spencer McCaffrey (South Dennis, Dennis-Yarmouth HS) to score in the bottom of the third. In the squad’s next at bat, Coastal registered three runs on four hits to take a 4-3 lead through four innings of play.

Southeast tied the game at four in the fifth on a RBI triple from junior designated hitter Phil Sciretta (Duxbury, Nobles & Greenough HS), but Coastal pulled ahead in the following inning, as junior leftfielder Aaron Chouinard (Swansea, Joseph Case HS) tallied a sacrifice fly to score junior catcher Brian Hocking (Duxbury, Boston College HS).

Southeast plated the tying run in the top of the seventh, when Sciretta lifted a RBI sacrifice fly to right field. The squad then shutdown Coastal in the bottom of the inning to end the game deadlocked at five a side.

West 3, Central 1

West used a seventh-inning rally to defeat Central, 3-1, in a defensive showdown on Thursday afternoon.

The squads were deadlocked at zero until the fourth inning, when junior centerfielder Steve Moyers (East Longmeadow, East Longmeadow HS), drew a walk to get on and scored on a throwing error by the Central pitcher to break the game open for West.

Central retaliated in the fifth, as junior first baseman Adam Goldstein (Worcester, Doherty Mem HS) knocked in junior leftfielder Matt Lavin (Worcester, Burncoat HS) with a single to center, knotting the game at 1-1.

West earned the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh, as junior first baseman Brenden Geary (South Hadley, Tabor HS) and Moyers registered RBIs to put the squad on top. The West then retired the Central side in the home half of the inning to take the 3-1 victory.

The squads were led by outstanding showings from their pitchers, who each turned in complete game performances. West’s junior Rory Ziomek (Amherst, Phillips Andover) allowed just two hits and one run, while striking out six in seven innings of work. Junior Tyler Wager (Uxbridge, Uxbridge HS) struck out seven for Central.

ICE HOCKEY
New England Sports Center – Marlboro, MA

Boys Scholastic

Northeast 5, West 1

Junior forward Joe Czarnota (Reading, Reading HS) tallied two goals and an assist to lead Northeast over West, 5-1. Pat Flanagan (Westford, Westford Academy), Brett Buckley (Wakefield, Wakefield HS) and Blaise Heally (Melrose, Tilton School) also potted scores for the winners. Sophomore David Senecal (North Adams, Drury HS) lit the lantern for West’s only goal.

Southeast 9, Central 7

Southeast’s Dean Chandler (Hanover, Hanover HS) and Jason Riley (Dedham, Dedham HS) each scored a pair of goals to help their team fend off Central, 9-7. Junior Paul Curran (Milton, Milton HS) chipped in with a goal and three assists. For Central, Tyler Kirby (Hudson, Hudson HS) and Brett Lawson (Milford, St. Mark’s School) potted two goals apiece with Kirby also dishing out an assist.

Metro 4, Coastal 1

Junior forward Conal Lynch (Charlestown, Boston Latin) had a hat trick and Kevin Cotrone (West Roxbury, Boston Latin) tallied four points with a goal and three assists to lift Metro over Coastal, 4-1. Defenseman Max Sherman (Rochester, Old Rochester Reg HS) potted the lone goal for Coastal. In net, Peter Cronin (Norwell, Boston College HS) and Ryan Ciavette (Medford, Matignon) combined to 43 saves for the winners. Sean Cleary (Centerville, Barnstable HS) came on in relief for Coastal to make 18 saves while allowing a single goal.

Northeast 5, Southeast 2

Northeast jumped out to a three-goal lead in the first half and held on to defeat Southeast, 5-2. Forward Kevin Doherty (Wakefield, Wakefield HS) potted Northeast’s second and third goals. Also chipping in on the Northeast attack was Blaise Heally (Melrose, Tilton School) who registered a goal and an assist. Southeast came out storming in the second half and began its comeback with two quick strikes by David Consigle (Medway, Catholic Memorial) and Brian Higgins (Milton, Milton HS) in the fourth and ninth minute, respectively. Southeast goaltender Stephen Jenner (Abington, Archbishop Williams) made 19 saves including two spectacular diving saves.

Girls Scholastic

Southeast/Coastal 4, Central/West 4

Southeast/Coastal scored twice in the final three minutes to salvage a 4-4 tie with Central/West. Southeast/Coastal got two goals apiece from freshmen Emily Kelly (Norwood, Norwood HS) and Brooke Matherson (Walpole, Walpole HS) including a score from each in the critical final minutes. Kelly also added an assist. Central/West had a balanced offensive attack that was lead by Shannon Reynolds (Belmont, Belmont HS) who had an assist on Colleen Lynch’s (Worcester, South High Community School) strike in the first period, and scored in the third period to push the score to 4-2.

SOCCER
Waltham High School – Waltham, MA

Boys Scholastic

Northeast 0, Southeast 0
Great two way game by both teams.

Metro 8, Central 1
Dumbuya (ME) (unassisted) at 2min
Nichole (CE) from Lajoie at 12min
Chajon (ME) from Desouza at 15min
Chajon (ME) from Lo at 17min
B. Pires (ME) from Rolim at 24min
Dumbuya (ME) from Chajon at 45min
B. Pires (ME) from Teixeira at 55min
Murrill (ME) from Irazo at 66min
Murrill (ME) from Irazo at 68min

West 2, Coastal 1
Oupka (WE) unassisted at 33min
Thompson (CO) from Phillips at 55min
Merdcer (WE) from Friedman at 62min

Girls Scholastic

Northeast 2, Metro 0
Havelinan (NE) on assist from McDonough at 20min
McDonough(NE) from DesRosiers at 27min

Central 2, Southeast 0
Miele (CE) from Costa at 6min
Kane(CE) from Adams at 18min

West 3, Metro 0
Delasco0 (WE) from Caney at 22min
Caney (WE) from Bates at 27min
Bovat(WE) at 60min unassisted

Northeast 3, Southeast 0
McDonough(NE) from Cunnerty 10min
May(NE) from Newhall 30min
Digiacomo (NE) from McDonough 44 min

SOFTBALL
Regis College – Weston, MA

Coastal 4, West 3
Northeast 8, Central 1
Southeast 7, Metro 4
Metro 7, Central 0

Northeast v Southeast
Results not available

The Bay State Games are finally here, and we've got today's baseball scores.

Courtesy Bay State Games media relations director Peter Cohenno:

Baseball
Bentley University - Waltham, MA

Southeast 10, Northeast 1
Southeast scored nine runs in the third inning and never looked back to knock off Northeast, 10-1, in the 2011 Bay State Summer Games baseball tournament opener. Nine consecutive Southeast batters reached and scored in the third, highlighted by junior first baseman Phil Sciretta's (Duxbury, Noble and Greenough School) bases-loaded double to right-center field that brought home all three runners. Sophomore left fielder Cameron Hanley (Walpole, Walpole HS) and junior pitcher Nick Ahearn (Norfolk, Xaverian Bros HS) also doubled in the frame to knock in a pair of RBI. It was Ahearn's second double of the inning as he finished as the only batter to record multiple hits in the contest. The squads traded runs in the sixth inning as Northeast avoided the shutout. For Southeast, junior right fielder Jake Petruzzelli (Abington, South Shore Voc Tech) knocked in junior pitcher Ben Amate (Hanover, Hanover HS) with a single. Northeast followed up in the bottom of the frame, as junior designated hitter Sean Glabicky (Peabody, Malden Catholic) crossed the plate on a double by junior first baseman Peter Franchi (Lynnfield, Lynnfield HS). Ahearn also earned the win on the mound as he started and went the first two innings. He faced the minimum number of batters over his perfect two frames while fanning one. Junior Zack Hellested (Braintree, Braintree HS) handled the next two innings and allowed two runners to reach on a hit and walk. Junior pitcher Kurtis White (Nahant, St. Mary's) was strong in five innings of relief for Northeast, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Central 6, Coastal 1
Central stole six bases and got hits from eight different batters on the way to a 6-1 victory over Coastal. After two scoreless frames, Central struck for three runs in the third. With one out, junior right fielder James Smith (Worcester, St. John's HS) singled to left field and stole second. Sophomore second baseman Zachary Twitchell (Shrewsbury, Saint Mark's) then reached on an error that pushed Smith home. After a single by junior left fielder Timothy Beaudette (Uxbridge, Uxbridge HS), junior centerfielder Chris Casey (Milford, Milford HS) doubled to left field to knock in both runners which gave Central a 3-0 advantage. Central added a quick run in the fourth when junior designated hitter Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mt. St. Charles Academy) led off with a triple to left center and then came across on a ground out by the next batter, junior catcher Andrew Montiverdi (Worcester, Worcester Tech HS). In the fifth inning, Central tacked on a pair of runs to extend the lead, 6-0.Junior left fielder Scott Hubener (Mendon, Nipmuc Reg. HS) singled to center field, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Junior centerfielder Matt Lavin (Worcester, Burncoat HS) singled to left field to drive in Hubener. Lavin then stole second and scored on a double to right by junior third baseman Sam Ashline (Clinton, Nashoba Reg. HS). Coastal salvaged a run in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore centerfielder Dan Dougherty (Pembroke, Boston College HS) tripled to left center and then scored on an error off the bat of junior right fielder Keaghan Austin (Lakeville, Coyle and Cassidy HS). On the mound, juniors Steven Flynn (Worcester, St. Peter - Marian) and Ronny Sampson (Jefferson, West Boylston HS) each pitched a pair of scoreless innings for Central, allowing just one hit apiece while Sampson struck out three. Junior Eric Proulx (Brookfield, Tantasqua Reg. HS) tossed the final three innings and gave up one run while striking out five.

Metro 9, West 6
Metro battled back from two early deficits with the help of a five-run fourth inning to shock the two-time defending champion, West, in a 9-6 victory that was called after the fifth inning due to the two-hour time limit West jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first. Junior centerfielder Adam Gutierrez (Central HS, Springfield) walked and junior second baseman Chad Adams (Ware, Williston) singled through the right side to put two on for junior left fielder Steve Moyers (East Longmeadow, East Longmeadow HS) who blasted a three-run homer to left field. Junior first baseman Kyle Platner (Greenfield, Pioneer Valley Reg HS) doubled to left field, junior third baseman Gregory Heineman (Wilbraham, Minnechaug HS) walked to put two runners on again with no outs. Junior designated hitter Nicholas Greenleaf (Pittsfield, Monument Mountain HS) then reached on an error that also allowed Platner to score. However, the bases were left loaded which proved costly down the road. Metro cut into the lead in the top of the next inning with three runs to make it 4-3. Junior left fielder Bartley Regan (Boston, Boston College HS) singled through the right side and then sophomore designated hitter Jake Porrazzo (Medford, Malden Catholic HS) doubled to center field. Junior short stop Connor Murray (Lexington, Lexington HS) singled up the middle to drive in Regan. Porrazzo then scored on a passed ball. With Connor Murray on second, junior first baseman Daniel Fitzgerald (Arlington, Arlington HS) walked and junior second baseman Eric Dumas (Chestnut Hill, Brookline HS) singled to load the bases. Nick Murray's sacrifice fly to left scored his brother, junior catcher Connor Murray (Lexington, Lexington HS), with the third run. West extended the lead to three runs, 6-3, in the third inning. Junior catcher Todd Kosel (Wilbraham, Minnechaug HS) singled to right field, stole second and came around to score on a double by junior shortstop Frank Crinella (East Longmeadow, Cathedral HS). With two outs, Crinella scooted home on an error committed off the bat of Adams. Metro struck back for five runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good, 8-6. With one out, Nick Murray walked and then junior centerfielder Matt Pugh (Watertown, BB&N) reached on an error. Junior third baseman Justin Silvestro (Waltham, Boston College HS) doubled to right center to drive in Nick Murray. Regan then singled through the left side to plate Silvestro and Pugh. After reaching on a fielder's choice, Porrazzo came around from first on a triple by Connor Murray. Junior right fielder Ken Runge (Saugus, Malden Catholic) singled in Connor Murray to score the fifth run of the frame. Porrazzo walked with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to push home Nick Murray and make the score 9-6. The pitching was less than stellar for both teams with Metro's junior James Mulry (West Roxbury, Boston Latin) being the only hurler to escape without allowing a run. He went two innings and allowed three batters to reach while striking out three.

Northeast 11, Coastal 5
Northeast smashed 15 hits led by junior third baseman Ben Panunzio (Middleton, Masconomet Reg. HS) who went 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored on the way to an 11-5 win over Coastal in the final game of the tournament's opening day. Northeast plated three runs in the opening frame to jump out to an early 3-0 advantage. Junior outfielders Derek Reed (Lowell, Lowell HS) and Robert Losanno (Peabody, Peabody Vet Mem HS) each singled to center field to start the inning. Junior right fielder Peter Franchi (Lynnfield, Lynnfield HS) drove in both with a double to left center and then scored on a ground out by junior first baseman Sean Glabicky (Peabody, Malden Catholic). The lead swelled to 9-0 as Northeast plated six runners in its half of the fourth inning. The frame started poorly for Coastal as junior centerfielder Genaro Ciulla (Peabody, Peabody HS) reached on an error. Junior designated hitter Kurtis White (Nahant, St. Mary's HS) and Panunzio each followed up singles. Panunzio's base hit pushed home Cuilla. After a walk to junior catcher Teghan Malionek (Salem, Salem HS) loaded the bases, Reed knocked in a pair of runs with a single. Junior shortstop Richard Fecteau (Newbury, Triton HS) followed with a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to score Malionek from third and allowed Reed to tag up and move to third. The advancement would come up big as he scored after Franchi walked and Northeast pulled off a pretty double steal. Junior first baseman Thomas Palleschi's (Haverhill, Phillips Academy) single plated Franchi to cap the scoring. Coastal broke the Northeast shutout with a run in the fourth inning. After two quick outs, junior catcher Bryan Rocha (Rehoboth, Dighton/Rehoboth), third baseman Evan Mondor (Rehoboth, Dighton-Rehoboth) and right fielder Keaghan Austin (Lakeville, Coyle and Cassidy HS) singled in succession. Rocha scored on Austin's base hit to right center to put Coastal on the board. Northeast added two runs in the fifth inning to open the lead to 11-1 before Coastal came back to post four runs over the final two frames to make the score a more respectable 11-5. Junior Robert DiFranco (Melrose, St. John's Prep) earned the victory on the hill for Northeast as he went the first five innings and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out two. Coastal's sophomore hurler Danny Holzman (Martsons Mills, Barnstable HS) tossed 3.1 innings in relief and scattered seven hits while allowing just one earned run.

DORCHESTER, Mass. -- Lowell’s Matt Tulley found himself in a jam in the first inning of his team’s game against BC High Saturday. After walking two of the first four batters he faced, BC High was threatening to get on the board with runners on the corners and two outs.

On the first pitch to Justin Silvestro, Bob Sabatino tried stealing second to put two runners in scoring position. However, instead of throwing down to second or ignoring the runner altogether, Lowell catcher Padraic Donovan threw to third, where he caught Dan Dougherty too far off the bag, getting the third out of the inning and getting his pitcher out of a jam.

It was that kind of an afternoon for the Eagles. Lowell capitalized on almost every error they made, both physical and mental ,and came away with an 8-1 victory. Its offense gave it the lead, and its defense held it.

“Every time we come to play we can be the best team in the state I think,” said Tulley, who was 2-for-4 at the plate. “We just have to bring it every day and sometimes we don’t.”

Luke Barkowski was holding his own on the mound for BC High (9-5) through the first 1.2 innings, until he hit R.J. Noel on the arm with a pitch. James Ricoy, the next batter up and No. 7 hitter in the Lowell (10-5) lineup, hit a double to the gap in right-center to plate Noel. The ensuing walk to Donovan put runners on first and second with two outs. Kyle Edwards hit a grounder to second that normally would end the inning, but not Saturday. The second baseman misplayed the ball, making all runners safe and allowing Noel to score.

Momentum seemed to be shifting in BC High’s direction in the third when Mike O’Donnell relieved Tulley, who recorded three strikeouts, two walks, and no hits over his two innings of work. O’Donnell appeared to have trouble with his location, walked two batters on eight pitches, and was removed after one-third of an inning. However, the Eagles could not capitalize, and left both runners stranded.

It surprised some when Tulley was removed from the game after two innings, given how well he was pitching. Coach Dan Graham said he was just conserving his ace for later in the season.

“If anything, Matt was only going to go three tops, and that was if he was super efficient,” Graham said. “Big picture is that we’re trying to win a league championship and already qualified for the state tournament, and we have a game Friday. He was pitching on four days rest, so I wasn’t going to ask him to do too much for us today. He has to get ready for his next start.”

In the fourth, Edwards took over on the mound for Lowell. He surrendered the first three BC High hits, but the team still had trouble getting on the scoreboard. With one out in the fifth, Edwards had given up a hit and two walks to load the bases. Silvestro hit a line drive into right that it appeared would get at least one run home.

However, Ricoy was able to make a running catch coming towards the infield for the second out of the inning. Sean Duggan, the runner on third, had assumed the ball was going to drop in for a hit, so he was halfway to home. When he saw the ball was caught, he had to go back to third to tag-up, but by then, Ricoy had thrown the ball back in, making Duggan stay at third.

The only BC High run came later when Edwards walked Jake Ohanesian, forcing home a run.

Barkowski kept Lowell off the board through his last three innings and gave way to Jack Higgins in the seventh, hoping he could keep the score at 3-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Raider bats exploded in the inning however, putting up five runs to give the team an almost insurmountable lead.

“He gave us fastballs in two-strike counts,” said Graham. “I thought the guys just did a good job of bearing down when they were in counts where they had two strikes on them. I think for the most part they put balls in play and made things happen.”