High School: Lowell
Lowell makes jump in Top 25 baseball poll
May, 21, 2012
May 21
1:39
PM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Baseball Poll this morning, and while there are no changes to the top five, there are some movers and shakers.
St. John's of Shrewsbury retains the top spot for the second week in a row, while Walpole (2), Springfield Cathedral (3), Franklin (4) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5) remain in their same position from a week ago. But jumping back into the Top 10, at No. 6, is Lowell, following a thrilling 4-2 victory over BC High last Friday under the lights at Alumni Field.
Lowell held the No. 1 spot in ESPN Boston's poll four weeks ago, but dropped all the way to No. 13 following losses to Chelmsford and Andover. Auburn (16, from 23) and Milford (9, from 15) are the other big movers this week.
Elsewhere, Northbridge makes its return to the poll this week at No. 23, while Taunton makes its season debut at No. 24.
To view the complete poll, CLICK HERE.
Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Old Colony - 2
Southern Worcester County - 2
Valley League - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Valley Wheel - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
St. John's of Shrewsbury retains the top spot for the second week in a row, while Walpole (2), Springfield Cathedral (3), Franklin (4) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5) remain in their same position from a week ago. But jumping back into the Top 10, at No. 6, is Lowell, following a thrilling 4-2 victory over BC High last Friday under the lights at Alumni Field.
Lowell held the No. 1 spot in ESPN Boston's poll four weeks ago, but dropped all the way to No. 13 following losses to Chelmsford and Andover. Auburn (16, from 23) and Milford (9, from 15) are the other big movers this week.
Elsewhere, Northbridge makes its return to the poll this week at No. 23, while Taunton makes its season debut at No. 24.
To view the complete poll, CLICK HERE.
Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Old Colony - 2
Southern Worcester County - 2
Valley League - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Valley Wheel - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
Tulley shows his 'gritty' side to BC High
May, 19, 2012
May 19
12:07
AM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
LOWELL, Mass. -– The fire remained within.
Matt Tulley leaned against the fence at the top of Lowell High’s dugout, arms outstretched, and gazed out at the BC High players warming up in the outfield at Alumni Field. He was his usual self -– that is, quiet, calm, relaxed, but locked in.
“Do you have the time, sir?” he politely called out to a nearby reporter in the dugout.
“Quarter past,” the reporter responded, and the senior righthander flashed a small grin. Forty-five minutes before first pitch meant time to warm up, time to go to work, time to buckle down and brace himself for one of the state’s best hitting lineups.
Tulley earned a scholarship to Virginia Tech this past offseason in part for the low-90’s velocity and late life on his fastball, but also for his competitive streak. In the big games, Tulley always wants the ball, and he never gives off signs of panic.
Unlike his earlier starts this season, there weren't scouts visibly out front, radar gun in tow, clocking his every pitch warming up in the bullpen. Tonight was a change of pace –- a capacity crowd for “Senior Night”, charting each of his strikeouts with “K” signs posted just below the press box windows –- and as usual, he rose to the occasion.
To end the first inning he delivered the looping 12-to-6 curveball that has become his vicious outpitch, and punched the air as he stormed back to the dugout. The next time up, Tulley ran into some trouble when an Eagles baserunner took two bases off a throwing error by Tulley on the pickoff to first. Head coach Danny Graham walked out to the mound to calm him down; Tulley exhaled, and retired the next batter to end the inning.
More trouble came in the fifth, when Rich Roach raced home on a wild pitch and easily beat Tulley’s would-be tag at home plate, tying it up at 1. Roach appeared to mutter something as he got up, and Tulley jawed right back. Tulley then got No. 2 hitter Ryan Tufts looking on another breaking ball to end the inning.
“Kid slides into home, beats the throw, Matt tags him, no big deal,” Graham said. “Kid says something to him, Matt says something right back. It probably lit a little fire under his a--. He is kind of mellow, a little bit laid-back sometimes, but the fire is within.”
More trouble in the sixth. UConn-bound cleanup hitter Bobby Melley crushed one off the wall in left-center, for a stand-up triple, then came home on another passed ball.
You get the idea by now -– Tulley grabbed the ball, and finished what he started. That was the final hit Tulley allowed, as he struck out 11 batters with just four hits scattered to pick up his fourth win of the season. That accompanies a pretty decent job at the plate, which included a sacrifice bunt and an RBI double.
“I knew I had to not just be on my A-game, but my A-plus game,” Tulley said. “They were coming for me, and everyone else.”
“His pitch count’s getting up there, I don’t know whether I’m going to have to make a move or not, how tired he’s getting,” Graham said. “When he came in in the sixth, he grabbed the pitching chart, and he’s studying it. And I know he’s not studying it for our relief pitchers that are coming in.
“So maybe that did ring true in the back of his head. This is a meaningful spot for him, with a two-run lead, and if there’s anybody out there finishing this game out, I want it to be me.”
Tulley went into the last offseason with some kinks to be worked out with his curve. And so he went to a local legend, Mark Deschenes, a Lowell native and UMass-Lowell star who at one point was one of the Cleveland Indians’ top pitching prospects. Among other things, Deschenes stressed the importance of not tipping his pitches, and keeping a consistent release point.
To say it’s worked would be fair. Whereas a year ago at this time, Tulley went mostly fastball-cutter, he was now pounding four pitches for strikes. Half of his strikeouts tonight came by way of the backwards-K.
“Coming into this season, I didn’t think my curveball was going to be my plus pitch,” Tulley said. “But it has been all year. I could always throw it for a strike.”
Noted BC High head coach Norm Walsh, “It’s not so much the fastball, it’s the ability to change speeds on the breaking balls. He goes from the hard slider to the softer curve with a bigger break to it. And he competes – that’s the biggest thing.”
And to that last point, Tulley recalled a recent conversation with Graham, where the coach reminisced about legendary former Peabody hurler Jeff Allison, a former first-round draft pick seemingly destined for a promising big league career before highly-publicized off-field issues derailed the path.
In Allison, Graham always appreciated the gritty side. Asked about recalling the conversation with Tulley, Graham lit up.
“Grittiness, that’s it,” he said. “I think people want to see grittiness. They want to see you be the guy that wants the ball in the most meaningful spots in the game. That’s it. If you’ve got something in the tank to give, they want to see it.
“He doesn’t necessarily have to show emotion out there, it’s just the grittiness. It’s in your body language, it’s your presence out there on the mound. Just showing it.”
Across the basepath, Tulley’s toughness drew praise from Walsh as well.
“He gets right back up on the mound, and he wants to go right after you,” Walsh said. “That’s exactly what you want to see in a pitcher. Be aggressive, go after hitters. Melley took him deep and he’s right back up there, and that’s exactly what you want from a pitcher.
“Nothing phases him. The passed ball, wild pitch, whatever you want to call it, he didn’t care. He went right back out and threw it again.”
Matt Tulley leaned against the fence at the top of Lowell High’s dugout, arms outstretched, and gazed out at the BC High players warming up in the outfield at Alumni Field. He was his usual self -– that is, quiet, calm, relaxed, but locked in.
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Brendan Hall Lowell's prized righthander Matt Tulley (11 K's, 4 hits, 2 runs) displayed what coach Dan Graham called "grittiness" in the team's win Friday over BC High.
Brendan Hall Lowell's prized righthander Matt Tulley (11 K's, 4 hits, 2 runs) displayed what coach Dan Graham called "grittiness" in the team's win Friday over BC High.“Quarter past,” the reporter responded, and the senior righthander flashed a small grin. Forty-five minutes before first pitch meant time to warm up, time to go to work, time to buckle down and brace himself for one of the state’s best hitting lineups.
Tulley earned a scholarship to Virginia Tech this past offseason in part for the low-90’s velocity and late life on his fastball, but also for his competitive streak. In the big games, Tulley always wants the ball, and he never gives off signs of panic.
Unlike his earlier starts this season, there weren't scouts visibly out front, radar gun in tow, clocking his every pitch warming up in the bullpen. Tonight was a change of pace –- a capacity crowd for “Senior Night”, charting each of his strikeouts with “K” signs posted just below the press box windows –- and as usual, he rose to the occasion.
To end the first inning he delivered the looping 12-to-6 curveball that has become his vicious outpitch, and punched the air as he stormed back to the dugout. The next time up, Tulley ran into some trouble when an Eagles baserunner took two bases off a throwing error by Tulley on the pickoff to first. Head coach Danny Graham walked out to the mound to calm him down; Tulley exhaled, and retired the next batter to end the inning.
More trouble came in the fifth, when Rich Roach raced home on a wild pitch and easily beat Tulley’s would-be tag at home plate, tying it up at 1. Roach appeared to mutter something as he got up, and Tulley jawed right back. Tulley then got No. 2 hitter Ryan Tufts looking on another breaking ball to end the inning.
“Kid slides into home, beats the throw, Matt tags him, no big deal,” Graham said. “Kid says something to him, Matt says something right back. It probably lit a little fire under his a--. He is kind of mellow, a little bit laid-back sometimes, but the fire is within.”
More trouble in the sixth. UConn-bound cleanup hitter Bobby Melley crushed one off the wall in left-center, for a stand-up triple, then came home on another passed ball.
You get the idea by now -– Tulley grabbed the ball, and finished what he started. That was the final hit Tulley allowed, as he struck out 11 batters with just four hits scattered to pick up his fourth win of the season. That accompanies a pretty decent job at the plate, which included a sacrifice bunt and an RBI double.
“I knew I had to not just be on my A-game, but my A-plus game,” Tulley said. “They were coming for me, and everyone else.”
“His pitch count’s getting up there, I don’t know whether I’m going to have to make a move or not, how tired he’s getting,” Graham said. “When he came in in the sixth, he grabbed the pitching chart, and he’s studying it. And I know he’s not studying it for our relief pitchers that are coming in.
“So maybe that did ring true in the back of his head. This is a meaningful spot for him, with a two-run lead, and if there’s anybody out there finishing this game out, I want it to be me.”
Tulley went into the last offseason with some kinks to be worked out with his curve. And so he went to a local legend, Mark Deschenes, a Lowell native and UMass-Lowell star who at one point was one of the Cleveland Indians’ top pitching prospects. Among other things, Deschenes stressed the importance of not tipping his pitches, and keeping a consistent release point.
To say it’s worked would be fair. Whereas a year ago at this time, Tulley went mostly fastball-cutter, he was now pounding four pitches for strikes. Half of his strikeouts tonight came by way of the backwards-K.
“Coming into this season, I didn’t think my curveball was going to be my plus pitch,” Tulley said. “But it has been all year. I could always throw it for a strike.”
Noted BC High head coach Norm Walsh, “It’s not so much the fastball, it’s the ability to change speeds on the breaking balls. He goes from the hard slider to the softer curve with a bigger break to it. And he competes – that’s the biggest thing.”
And to that last point, Tulley recalled a recent conversation with Graham, where the coach reminisced about legendary former Peabody hurler Jeff Allison, a former first-round draft pick seemingly destined for a promising big league career before highly-publicized off-field issues derailed the path.
In Allison, Graham always appreciated the gritty side. Asked about recalling the conversation with Tulley, Graham lit up.
“Grittiness, that’s it,” he said. “I think people want to see grittiness. They want to see you be the guy that wants the ball in the most meaningful spots in the game. That’s it. If you’ve got something in the tank to give, they want to see it.
“He doesn’t necessarily have to show emotion out there, it’s just the grittiness. It’s in your body language, it’s your presence out there on the mound. Just showing it.”
Across the basepath, Tulley’s toughness drew praise from Walsh as well.
“He gets right back up on the mound, and he wants to go right after you,” Walsh said. “That’s exactly what you want to see in a pitcher. Be aggressive, go after hitters. Melley took him deep and he’s right back up there, and that’s exactly what you want from a pitcher.
“Nothing phases him. The passed ball, wild pitch, whatever you want to call it, he didn’t care. He went right back out and threw it again.”
Recap: No. 13 Lowell 4, No. 7 BC High 2
May, 18, 2012
May 18
11:35
PM ET
By John McGuirk | ESPNBoston.com
LOWELL, Mass. -- It is a known fact that big-time pitchers are usually at their best in big-game situations.
Lowell High’s Matt Tulley certainly falls into that classification of big-time pitcher. Tonight the senior righty showed why, as he surrendered just four hits while striking out 11 in a complete game 4-2 non-league victory effort over BC High at Alumni Field.
“I knew this was the most-anticipated game of the year for us,” said Tulley, who will play for Virginia Tech next season. “I was just very excited to play. Coach (Danny) Graham told me about a pitcher from this area named Jeff Allison (who played at Peabody High and was a first-round pick of the Florida Marlins) and how gritty a player he was and I just tried to follow that.
"Warming up in the bullpen I didn't feel that good. I don't know what it was but I wasn't to worried about it. I just knew I had to zone in more and get focused. Once I got out there I felt great.”
Tulley mixed his fastball and cutter with a knee-buckling curve, which proved to be his most effective pitch of the evening as it kept Eagles (13-5) off-balanced throughout.
“We had chances but let to many opportunities go by,” BC High coach Norm Walsh said. “(Tulley) is obviously one of the top 4-5 guys we’ve seen all year. Him changing speeds on his breaking ball was the biggest thing. It wasn't so much the fastball but the ability for him to change speeds on the breaking ball. He competes. That’s what you want to see out of your pitchers -- to be aggressive and go after hitters like he did tonight.”
With the contest tied 2-2 through 5 1/2 innings, the Red Raiders (13-3) put this one to rest in their half of the sixth. With John Arens in relief of starter Trent Berg (5 IP, 2 runs, 7 hits, 4 Ks) on the mound, Lowell’s Roger Roman opened the frame with a single. After advancing to second on Matt Cassella’s well-executed sacrifice bunt, the senior eventually came around to score the go-ahead run on a Chad Gens fielder’s choice. The Red Raiders added another run moments later on a Tulley (2 hits, 2 RBI) single to left that scored Mike Hart, who walked.
“We knew it was going to be a good game,” Graham said. “It was a great performance by Matt, and he was very gutsy right to the end. Credit our kids. This one was fun to watch. (BC High) is a helluva team and they compete hard. You could see at the end of the game how meaningful it was to beat a program like BC High. Anytime you win it’s great but when you beat a quality team it’s even better. Our kids were definitely up for the challenge.”
The Red Raiders looked to put this contest away in their half of the first after loading the bases with no out. But Berg, who also used his 12-to-6 curveball with authority, pitched his way out of trouble by striking out Tulley and R.J. Noel before inducing Derek Reed to fly out. Walking the proverbial tightrope much of the evening, Berg, a junior, failed to escape trouble in the third.
Back-to-back singles by R.J. Gray and Gens started things. A Tulley sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. After Berg set Noel with a strike out, Reed next singled to plate Gray with Lowell’s first run.
The Eagles tied it up in the fifth. Rich Roach opened with a double to left, took third on a deep fly out by Chuckie Connors and sprinted home on a wild pitch. Lowell got that run back its half of the fifth. Gens singled, stole second and came around to score on Tulley’s double down the left field line which short-hopped over the glove of third baseman Justin Silvestro making it 2-1.
Showing great resiliency, the Eagles answered back to begin the sixth. Bobby Melley blasted a triple to right and scored moments later on a passed ball to deadlock this tilt yet again, 2-2.
But on this night, the Red Raiders simply had too much firepower offensively and it showed in the bottom of the frame after taking a two-run advantage. With Tulley in full command on the hill, that would prove to be more than enough run support for him to secure the win.
“We put some pressure on them,” said Walsh. “When we kept it on them we scored but we just didn’t get it done as often as we needed to do it.”
The following coaches will be honored at the Second Annual Coach of the Year/Student Athlete Banquet on May 30, 2012. Each coach below has been named Coach of the Year by the MIAA for their respective sport:
Robert Mahoney, Notre Dame (Tyngsborough) -- Girls Volleyball
Amelia Davis, Algonquin -- Gymnastics
Kevin Burchill, Braintree -- Girls Ice Hockey
Jack Stoddard, Duxbury -- Boys Golf
Alex Naumann, Everett -- Boys Ice Hockey
Michael Foley, Framingham -- Swim
Fred Jewett, Hingham -- Indoor Track
Jim Leonard, King Philip -- Softball
Phil Maia, Lowell -- Cross Country
David Duffy, Needham -- Football
Frank Carey, North Reading -- Baseball
Rick Kates, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Outdoor Track
David Gianferante, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Girls Golf
Kim Penney, Reading -- Girls Basketball
David Curley, Rockport -- Boys Soccer
Ed Scollan, Westford -- Boys Basketball
Leslie Frank, Westwood -- Girls Lacrosse
Robert Mahoney, Notre Dame (Tyngsborough) -- Girls Volleyball
Amelia Davis, Algonquin -- Gymnastics
Kevin Burchill, Braintree -- Girls Ice Hockey
Jack Stoddard, Duxbury -- Boys Golf
Alex Naumann, Everett -- Boys Ice Hockey
Michael Foley, Framingham -- Swim
Fred Jewett, Hingham -- Indoor Track
Jim Leonard, King Philip -- Softball
Phil Maia, Lowell -- Cross Country
David Duffy, Needham -- Football
Frank Carey, North Reading -- Baseball
Rick Kates, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Outdoor Track
David Gianferante, Notre Dame (Hingham) -- Girls Golf
Kim Penney, Reading -- Girls Basketball
David Curley, Rockport -- Boys Soccer
Ed Scollan, Westford -- Boys Basketball
Leslie Frank, Westwood -- Girls Lacrosse
St. John's (S) new No. 1 in latest baseball poll
May, 14, 2012
May 14
2:24
PM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
For the third straight week there is a new No. 1 in our statewide MIAA Top 25 Basketball Poll, with St. John's of Shrewsbury taking the top spot following a strong week.
The Pioneers return to the top spot in the land for the first time since May of 2011, and are doing so after knocking off two Top 10 squads in 24 hours. They scrapped out a 2-0 win over No. 10 Burncoat on Thursday, then 24 hours later grinded out a 5-2 win over previous No. 1 BC High.
Elsewhere, Franklin leapfrogs eight spots into the No. 4 position following an 11-2 win over Catholic Memorial on Saturday. It's the Panthers' highest position in the poll since finishing the 2011 season as the No. 3 team in the land. Walpole (2), Springfield Cathedral (3) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5) round out the top five.
Lowell drops out of the Top 10 for the first time all season, following its loss to Andover, while Barnstable (19), Auburn (23) and Monument Mountain (25) all make returns to the poll.
To view the entire poll, CLICK HERE.
Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Valley League - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Catholic Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Middlesex - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Northeastern - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley Wheel - 1
As always, let us know what you think in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
The Pioneers return to the top spot in the land for the first time since May of 2011, and are doing so after knocking off two Top 10 squads in 24 hours. They scrapped out a 2-0 win over No. 10 Burncoat on Thursday, then 24 hours later grinded out a 5-2 win over previous No. 1 BC High.
Elsewhere, Franklin leapfrogs eight spots into the No. 4 position following an 11-2 win over Catholic Memorial on Saturday. It's the Panthers' highest position in the poll since finishing the 2011 season as the No. 3 team in the land. Walpole (2), Springfield Cathedral (3) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5) round out the top five.
Lowell drops out of the Top 10 for the first time all season, following its loss to Andover, while Barnstable (19), Auburn (23) and Monument Mountain (25) all make returns to the poll.
To view the entire poll, CLICK HERE.
Here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Valley League - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Catholic Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Dual County - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Middlesex - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Northeastern - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley Wheel - 1
As always, let us know what you think in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
BC High returns to top spot in baseball poll
May, 8, 2012
May 8
1:09
AM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Baseball poll this afternoon, before Monday's slate of action, and a familiar face returns to the top slot.
BC High came in at No. 1 in the preseason polls, and stayed there until a loss to Lincoln-Sudbury unseated them a few weeks ago. But with Lowell going down to Chelmsford for the second time this season, last Friday, that has paved the way for the Eagles to return to the top spot once again. Lincoln-Sudbury moves to No. 2, while Springfield Cathedral reaches its highest position ever on the countdown, coming in at No. 3 this week on the heels of a 12-1 start. St. John's of Shrewsbury (4) and Walpole (5) round out the top five.
With its win over Lowell, Chelmsford vaults back into the poll at No. 13. Plymouth North (14), Reading (15), Amherst (21), Danvers (23), and Acton-Boxborough (24) also return to the poll following strong weeks.
The lone school making its season debut this week is Coyle-Cassidy, coming in at No. 25 after taking a commanding lead in the Eastern Athletic Conference. Six-foot-five junior righthander Mac Curran has been a gem so far for the Warriors, as correspondent Mike Scandura wrote about last week.
To see the complete poll, CLICK HERE.
And here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Valley Wheel - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Catholic Conference - 2
Dual County - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Bay State - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley League - 1
NOTE: Monday's results were not reflected in the poll.
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
BC High came in at No. 1 in the preseason polls, and stayed there until a loss to Lincoln-Sudbury unseated them a few weeks ago. But with Lowell going down to Chelmsford for the second time this season, last Friday, that has paved the way for the Eagles to return to the top spot once again. Lincoln-Sudbury moves to No. 2, while Springfield Cathedral reaches its highest position ever on the countdown, coming in at No. 3 this week on the heels of a 12-1 start. St. John's of Shrewsbury (4) and Walpole (5) round out the top five.
With its win over Lowell, Chelmsford vaults back into the poll at No. 13. Plymouth North (14), Reading (15), Amherst (21), Danvers (23), and Acton-Boxborough (24) also return to the poll following strong weeks.
The lone school making its season debut this week is Coyle-Cassidy, coming in at No. 25 after taking a commanding lead in the Eastern Athletic Conference. Six-foot-five junior righthander Mac Curran has been a gem so far for the Warriors, as correspondent Mike Scandura wrote about last week.
To see the complete poll, CLICK HERE.
And here's how the poll breaks down this week by league affiliation:
Valley Wheel - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Catholic Conference - 2
Dual County - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Bay State - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Eastern Athletic - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Middlesex - 1
Northeastern - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley League - 1
NOTE: Monday's results were not reflected in the poll.
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
CHELMSFORD, Mass. -– Chelmsford starting pitcher Tanner Houle tossed a complete game on Friday afternoon to pick up the win as Chelmsford (9-4) defeated Merrimack Valley Conference rival Lowell, 4-2, for their second victory over the Red Raiders this season and their fifth win in a row.
The Lions wasted little time getting on the board as they plated three first inning runs, sending seven batters to the plate in a 15-minute opening inning.
Chelmsford senior first baseman Thomas Murphy struck the biggest blow in the inning as the lefty clean-up hitter took a breaking ball the other way for a two-run double over the head of the left fielder. The RBI double plated Matt Rabbito and Michael DeDonato. Rabbito had previously raked a double off the left field rock wall that scored lead-off man Mason Trubey.
“I was down in the count so I was just trying to battle back,” said Murphy. “He left one over the plate so I was just trying to go the opposite way.”
The Lions would score their fourth run in the third inning as Russell Olive walked with the bases loaded to force DeDonato in for his second run scored of the game.
With a 4-0 lead Houle made quick work of the Red Raiders in the fourth inning as he did a great job of mixing up his pitches and keeping the Lowell hitters off balance all afternoon. The only trouble that Houle encountered on the day came in the fifth inning as Lowell mounted a rally behind a leadoff single from R.J. Noel and an RBI double from Joe Parisi that would lead to two runs in the inning.
“It feels real good as last year they got us pretty good both games,” recalled Houle. “To get them back this year makes me so happy.”
Houle also picked up the win out of the bullpen during the first meeting between the two teams on April 13. Chelmsford defeated Lowell 11-5 in that contest.
Momentum killer: The Red Raiders scored two runs in the fifth inning and were looking for more as they had runners on the corners with one out.
Rabbito would then come up with the game’s biggest play as the junior backstop threw out R.J. Gray trying to steal second base. The caught stealing halted a feverish Lowell rally and gave Chelmsford a key second out to help curb the Lowell comeback.
“Knowing I have him makes me so happy out there,” said Houle of his battery mate. “I can throw a slow curve and he can still beat them out there and if I throw it in the dirt he will knock it down.”
The Beauty of Ayotte: Ayotte Field in North Chelmsford is one of the classic fields in Eastern Massachusetts as it sports a short, sloped rock wall in left field that often draws the attention of batters. The neighborhood ballpark is set on the banks of Freeman Lake and is named after legendary long time Chelmsford coach Harry Ayotte, who passed away last year.
Friday afternoon was no different, as Rabbito pelted the rock wall on the fly, resulting in a first inning RBI double.
“The rocks are there and that ball that he hit could have bounced any direction,” said Chelmsford head coach Mike O’Keefe. “It is a unique field and we are happy that it is ours.”
Red Hot Lions: The Lions have now won five games in a row, and eight out of their last nine, as they head into the home stretch of their schedule.
“We are working on team chemistry as we go along,” explained Murphy. “Each game we seem to be getting better and I am excited to play the next couple of games.”
The Lions get back to action on Monday as they host Andover in another MVC Large battle. First pitch is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. at Ayotte.
“We are starting to understand who we are and what we do well,” O’Keefe said. “As long as we don’t beat ourselves it gives us an opportunity to do what we did today.”
The Lions wasted little time getting on the board as they plated three first inning runs, sending seven batters to the plate in a 15-minute opening inning.
[+] Enlarge
Ryan Kilian for ESPNBoston.comTanner Houle picked up his second win this season over No. 1 Lowell, going the distance on the mound in a 4-2 battle.
Ryan Kilian for ESPNBoston.comTanner Houle picked up his second win this season over No. 1 Lowell, going the distance on the mound in a 4-2 battle.“I was down in the count so I was just trying to battle back,” said Murphy. “He left one over the plate so I was just trying to go the opposite way.”
The Lions would score their fourth run in the third inning as Russell Olive walked with the bases loaded to force DeDonato in for his second run scored of the game.
With a 4-0 lead Houle made quick work of the Red Raiders in the fourth inning as he did a great job of mixing up his pitches and keeping the Lowell hitters off balance all afternoon. The only trouble that Houle encountered on the day came in the fifth inning as Lowell mounted a rally behind a leadoff single from R.J. Noel and an RBI double from Joe Parisi that would lead to two runs in the inning.
“It feels real good as last year they got us pretty good both games,” recalled Houle. “To get them back this year makes me so happy.”
Houle also picked up the win out of the bullpen during the first meeting between the two teams on April 13. Chelmsford defeated Lowell 11-5 in that contest.
Momentum killer: The Red Raiders scored two runs in the fifth inning and were looking for more as they had runners on the corners with one out.
Rabbito would then come up with the game’s biggest play as the junior backstop threw out R.J. Gray trying to steal second base. The caught stealing halted a feverish Lowell rally and gave Chelmsford a key second out to help curb the Lowell comeback.
“Knowing I have him makes me so happy out there,” said Houle of his battery mate. “I can throw a slow curve and he can still beat them out there and if I throw it in the dirt he will knock it down.”
The Beauty of Ayotte: Ayotte Field in North Chelmsford is one of the classic fields in Eastern Massachusetts as it sports a short, sloped rock wall in left field that often draws the attention of batters. The neighborhood ballpark is set on the banks of Freeman Lake and is named after legendary long time Chelmsford coach Harry Ayotte, who passed away last year.
Friday afternoon was no different, as Rabbito pelted the rock wall on the fly, resulting in a first inning RBI double.
“The rocks are there and that ball that he hit could have bounced any direction,” said Chelmsford head coach Mike O’Keefe. “It is a unique field and we are happy that it is ours.”
Red Hot Lions: The Lions have now won five games in a row, and eight out of their last nine, as they head into the home stretch of their schedule.
“We are working on team chemistry as we go along,” explained Murphy. “Each game we seem to be getting better and I am excited to play the next couple of games.”
The Lions get back to action on Monday as they host Andover in another MVC Large battle. First pitch is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. at Ayotte.
“We are starting to understand who we are and what we do well,” O’Keefe said. “As long as we don’t beat ourselves it gives us an opportunity to do what we did today.”
L-S, E. Longmeadow moving up in baseball poll
April, 30, 2012
Apr 30
11:29
AM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 Baseball Poll this morning, which you can view here.
Lowell remains the top spot for the second week in a row, but BC High (2) and St. John's Prep (3) have both climbed back after successful weeks. Rounding out the top five -- and moving into the top five for the first time since last May -- are East Longmeadow (4) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5). East Longmeadow was ranked No. 5 in the state last season, before falling in the Western Mass. Final; L-S finished 2011 as the No. 1 team in the land after winning the Div. 1 state championship over Minnechuag.
Elsewhere, Auburn (21) and Boston Latin (23) make returns to the poll, while New Bedford debuts at No. 20 after knocking off St. John's of Shrewsbury last week. East Bridgewater also makes its season debut at No. 24.
The most interesting debut on the poll, however, might be little-known Monument Mountain, out of Great Barrington. The Spartans are 9-0 despite losing their best player, Columbia commit John Kinne, to Tommy John surgery.
It's an especially diverse poll this week. Here is how it breaks down by conference affiliation.
Catholic Conference - 4
Dual County - 3
Valley League - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Merrimack Valley - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Northeastern - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
Lowell remains the top spot for the second week in a row, but BC High (2) and St. John's Prep (3) have both climbed back after successful weeks. Rounding out the top five -- and moving into the top five for the first time since last May -- are East Longmeadow (4) and Lincoln-Sudbury (5). East Longmeadow was ranked No. 5 in the state last season, before falling in the Western Mass. Final; L-S finished 2011 as the No. 1 team in the land after winning the Div. 1 state championship over Minnechuag.
Elsewhere, Auburn (21) and Boston Latin (23) make returns to the poll, while New Bedford debuts at No. 20 after knocking off St. John's of Shrewsbury last week. East Bridgewater also makes its season debut at No. 24.
The most interesting debut on the poll, however, might be little-known Monument Mountain, out of Great Barrington. The Spartans are 9-0 despite losing their best player, Columbia commit John Kinne, to Tommy John surgery.
It's an especially diverse poll this week. Here is how it breaks down by conference affiliation.
Catholic Conference - 4
Dual County - 3
Valley League - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Bay State - 1
Berkshire County - 1
Big Three - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Merrimack Valley - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Northeastern - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
South Shore - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
Lowell is new No. 1 in latest baseball poll
April, 23, 2012
Apr 23
3:44
PM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
With many games being postponed today, we've updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 baseball poll this afternoon. With BC High's loss to Lincoln-Sudbury last weekend, capped with a thrilling finish, that has cleared the way for Lowell to ascend to the top spot for the first time in poll history. The Raiders' lone blemish on the season is to Chelmsford -- a Top-10 squad in terms of talent, but one which has subsequently fallen out of the poll after a 4-4 start.
St. John's of Shrewsbury has elevated to the No. 2 spot, its highest spot in the poll since reaching No. 1 last May, while BC High falls to No. 4. Walpole (3) and St. John's Prep (5) round out the top five.
Returning to the polls this week are Peabody (18), Westfield (19) and Danvers (23), while Catholic Memorial (15) and Newton South (24) make their season debuts. Chelmsford (previously No. 11), Acton-Boxborough (12), Boston Latin (15), Lexington (19) and Oliver Ames (25) dropped out.
Also of note, a record five teams from the Western Mass. district are represented in the poll this week, with East Longmeadow holding down the No. 8 spot, followed by Minnechaug (10), Springfield Cathedral (12), Amherst (14) and the aforementioned Westfield.
You can view the entire poll by clicking here. Below is how the poll breaks down by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 4
Valley League - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Dual County - 2
Northeastern - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Cape Ann - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Merrimack Valley - 1
Middlesex - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
St. John's of Shrewsbury has elevated to the No. 2 spot, its highest spot in the poll since reaching No. 1 last May, while BC High falls to No. 4. Walpole (3) and St. John's Prep (5) round out the top five.
Returning to the polls this week are Peabody (18), Westfield (19) and Danvers (23), while Catholic Memorial (15) and Newton South (24) make their season debuts. Chelmsford (previously No. 11), Acton-Boxborough (12), Boston Latin (15), Lexington (19) and Oliver Ames (25) dropped out.
Also of note, a record five teams from the Western Mass. district are represented in the poll this week, with East Longmeadow holding down the No. 8 spot, followed by Minnechaug (10), Springfield Cathedral (12), Amherst (14) and the aforementioned Westfield.
You can view the entire poll by clicking here. Below is how the poll breaks down by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 4
Valley League - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Dual County - 2
Northeastern - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Cape Ann - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Hockomock - 1
Inter-High - 1
Merrimack Valley - 1
Middlesex - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
Roundtable: Is Milford the new D1 softball favorite?
April, 20, 2012
Apr 20
11:34
AM ET
By ESPNBoston.com
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.
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.
Walpole, SJS, move into Top 5 in baseball poll
April, 17, 2012
Apr 17
10:12
AM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
We updated our statewide MIAA Top 25 baseball poll last night, following yesterday's slate of games. Most significant among the moves in the poll is that of St. John's (Shrewsbury) and Walpole, which both moved into the top five following strong weeks.
St. John's comes in at No. 3 this week after knocking off St. John's Prep on Friday, and following up with a win yesterday over rival St. Peter-Marian. Walpole, off to a 6-0 start, comes in at No. 4 and is in the top five for the first time in poll history. BC High retains the top spot for the third week in a row. Lowell (2) and Xaverian (5) round out the top five.
New to the poll this week are Amherst (21), Marshfield (22), North Andover (24) and Oliver Ames (25). Malden Catholic, Westfield, Wellesley and Nashoba all dropped out.
Here's a breakdown of this week's poll by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 3
Dual County - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Hockomock - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Middlesex - 2
Valley League - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Cape Ann - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
St. John's comes in at No. 3 this week after knocking off St. John's Prep on Friday, and following up with a win yesterday over rival St. Peter-Marian. Walpole, off to a 6-0 start, comes in at No. 4 and is in the top five for the first time in poll history. BC High retains the top spot for the third week in a row. Lowell (2) and Xaverian (5) round out the top five.
New to the poll this week are Amherst (21), Marshfield (22), North Andover (24) and Oliver Ames (25). Malden Catholic, Westfield, Wellesley and Nashoba all dropped out.
Here's a breakdown of this week's poll by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 3
Dual County - 3
Atlantic Coast - 2
Hockomock - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Middlesex - 2
Valley League - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Bay State - 1
Cape Ann - 1
Central Mass. Conference - 1
Inter-High - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
South Coast - 1
Recap: No. 2 Lowell 13, No. 5 Lexington 3
April, 9, 2012
Apr 9
10:10
PM ET
By Andy Smith | ESPNBoston.com
LOWELL, Mass. -- Roughly a dozen major league scouts were behind the plate at Alumni Stadium, radar guns at the ready, to watch Lowell’s Matt Tulley go up against Lexington’s Chris Shaw on Monday.
Lowell’s hard-throwing right-hander got the better of the battle, holding Shaw to 0-for-3 during his at-bats against him.
He was also a big reason his team was able to come away with the 13-3 victory over the Minutemen (0-1). He struck out 10 batters, while allowing only two hits, over five innings.
“I’ve played against Chris for probably three or four years now,” said Tulley. “I was with him in California [last summer at Area Code Games] and talked to him a bit and kind of got some hints from that. I just attacked him. No fear. I don’t fear anyone.”
The only blemish to Tulley’s box score came in the first inning. Lexington's Nick Murray lead off the game with a fly ball to right field. The right fielder, Roger Roman, made a play at the ball, but appeared to misjudge it in the wind. He spun around, missed the ball, which allowed it to roll all the way to the wall.
Murray was able to get to third on the play, and was driven by a Shaw sacrifice fly two batters later.
Lowell (3-0) answered back in the bottom of the first with hits by Derek Reed, Tulley, and Chad Gens. Reed hit a two-out triple, and was driven home by Tulley’s double. Gens got up after him and hit a bomb to left-center that cleared the 365-foot wall with ease.
After that, Tulley got rolling. He struck out three batters in both the second and fourth innings. He did not allow an official hit until the fourth.
The Lowell offense tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and blew the game open in the fifth with a four-hit inning that saw seven players cross the plate.
“I said in the beginning of the year that I really like our pitching, I like our defense, but what I really think could be a difference-maker for us is our lineup,” said Lowell coach Dan Graham. “I think one through nine, if the kids have quality at-bats, we can get to any starter. That’s what we want to do and see what happens from there. I expect offense. With a kid like Matty on the mount, I’ll take 13 runs for sure.”
What Pressure? One could not help but be distracted by the bevy of MLB scouts stationed behind the backstop with their team-branded travel bags and team logos on their shirts. They had all arrived well before game time and made their way down the first base line to watch Tulley throw his pregame bullpen session.
As the game started, they each made their way back to their marked territory behind the plate. Some even took out handheld video cameras to watch Tulley’s delivery or Shaw’s swing at the plate and play in the field. The scouts were often scribbling in their notepads, checking their cell phones, or talking amongst themselves, but appeared to spring to life whenever Shaw came to the plate against Tulley.
Some even darted down the left field line, beyond the Lexington dugout, to get a side look at Shaw’s swing.
Their radar guns rose and fell in unison after every pitch, like a section of a symphony orchestra preparing to play its part in a song.
If a group of scouts drew this much attention from onlookers, the players had to have noticed them too, right?
“No, I didn’t notice,” said Tulley.
“Really?” he replied after being told there was at least a dozen watching him. “I mean, I see them back there, but I just try not to think about it because last game, I struggled and I didn’t really do good. That’s probably why I didn’t do good, because I was thinking too much.”
Improved Outing: While the final stat line for Tulley looks imposing, there were still things that Graham felt could have been better from his star pitcher. However, he is well aware there is a long season ahead.
While he ended the game with 10 strikeouts, he threw 3 balls to seven of the 21 batters he faced, including all four of the batters he faced in the fifth inning. However, when he was able to get ahead in counts, like in the second and fourth innings, he was able to attack the zone and come away with outs.
“He was better than his first time out,” said Graham. “It’s so early in the season too. If he’s in 2-0 counts and kids are sitting dead-red fastball and they’re going to be aggressive on it, they’re going to put balls in play. When he gets ahead in counts and gets in a groove and he starts using his off-speed pitches, he’s very tough. He had flashes of it in the middle innings, maybe the third, fourth inning it looked like he was getting in a little bit of a groove.
Even from a pitch count standpoint, I think he threw 97 pitches in five innings, which is kind of high for a point this early in the season. So he’s better, but he’s not where he’s gonna need to be.”
Lowell’s hard-throwing right-hander got the better of the battle, holding Shaw to 0-for-3 during his at-bats against him.
He was also a big reason his team was able to come away with the 13-3 victory over the Minutemen (0-1). He struck out 10 batters, while allowing only two hits, over five innings.
“I’ve played against Chris for probably three or four years now,” said Tulley. “I was with him in California [last summer at Area Code Games] and talked to him a bit and kind of got some hints from that. I just attacked him. No fear. I don’t fear anyone.”
[+] Enlarge
Brendan Hall/ESPN.comAfter allowing a sacrifice fly early, Matt Tulley buckled down and fanned 10 Lexington batters over five innings.
Brendan Hall/ESPN.comAfter allowing a sacrifice fly early, Matt Tulley buckled down and fanned 10 Lexington batters over five innings.Murray was able to get to third on the play, and was driven by a Shaw sacrifice fly two batters later.
Lowell (3-0) answered back in the bottom of the first with hits by Derek Reed, Tulley, and Chad Gens. Reed hit a two-out triple, and was driven home by Tulley’s double. Gens got up after him and hit a bomb to left-center that cleared the 365-foot wall with ease.
After that, Tulley got rolling. He struck out three batters in both the second and fourth innings. He did not allow an official hit until the fourth.
The Lowell offense tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and blew the game open in the fifth with a four-hit inning that saw seven players cross the plate.
“I said in the beginning of the year that I really like our pitching, I like our defense, but what I really think could be a difference-maker for us is our lineup,” said Lowell coach Dan Graham. “I think one through nine, if the kids have quality at-bats, we can get to any starter. That’s what we want to do and see what happens from there. I expect offense. With a kid like Matty on the mount, I’ll take 13 runs for sure.”
What Pressure? One could not help but be distracted by the bevy of MLB scouts stationed behind the backstop with their team-branded travel bags and team logos on their shirts. They had all arrived well before game time and made their way down the first base line to watch Tulley throw his pregame bullpen session.
As the game started, they each made their way back to their marked territory behind the plate. Some even took out handheld video cameras to watch Tulley’s delivery or Shaw’s swing at the plate and play in the field. The scouts were often scribbling in their notepads, checking their cell phones, or talking amongst themselves, but appeared to spring to life whenever Shaw came to the plate against Tulley.
Some even darted down the left field line, beyond the Lexington dugout, to get a side look at Shaw’s swing.
Their radar guns rose and fell in unison after every pitch, like a section of a symphony orchestra preparing to play its part in a song.
If a group of scouts drew this much attention from onlookers, the players had to have noticed them too, right?
“No, I didn’t notice,” said Tulley.
“Really?” he replied after being told there was at least a dozen watching him. “I mean, I see them back there, but I just try not to think about it because last game, I struggled and I didn’t really do good. That’s probably why I didn’t do good, because I was thinking too much.”
Improved Outing: While the final stat line for Tulley looks imposing, there were still things that Graham felt could have been better from his star pitcher. However, he is well aware there is a long season ahead.
While he ended the game with 10 strikeouts, he threw 3 balls to seven of the 21 batters he faced, including all four of the batters he faced in the fifth inning. However, when he was able to get ahead in counts, like in the second and fourth innings, he was able to attack the zone and come away with outs.
“He was better than his first time out,” said Graham. “It’s so early in the season too. If he’s in 2-0 counts and kids are sitting dead-red fastball and they’re going to be aggressive on it, they’re going to put balls in play. When he gets ahead in counts and gets in a groove and he starts using his off-speed pitches, he’s very tough. He had flashes of it in the middle innings, maybe the third, fourth inning it looked like he was getting in a little bit of a groove.
Even from a pitch count standpoint, I think he threw 97 pitches in five innings, which is kind of high for a point this early in the season. So he’s better, but he’s not where he’s gonna need to be.”
We continue our preseason baseball coverage today with our first statewide MIAA Top 25 baseball poll today.
BC High comes in at No. 1 to start the year, on the back of a quality hitting lineup led by UConn-bound catcher Bob Melley. St. John's Prep, Lowell, Xaverian and defending Division 2 state champ Plymouth North round out the top five, respectively.
Here's how the poll breaks down by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 4
Dual County - 3
Bay State - 2
Central Mass. Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Middlesex - 2
Northeastern - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Hockomock - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley League - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
BC High comes in at No. 1 to start the year, on the back of a quality hitting lineup led by UConn-bound catcher Bob Melley. St. John's Prep, Lowell, Xaverian and defending Division 2 state champ Plymouth North round out the top five, respectively.
Here's how the poll breaks down by league affiliation:
Catholic Conference - 4
Dual County - 3
Bay State - 2
Central Mass. Conference - 2
Merrimack Valley - 2
Middlesex - 2
Northeastern - 2
Valley Wheel - 2
Atlantic Coast - 1
Hockomock - 1
Mid-Wach A - 1
Old Colony - 1
Southern Worcester County - 1
Valley League - 1
As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Brendan Hall at bhall@espnboston.com
MLB Draft prospects to watch this spring
March, 30, 2012
Mar 30
2:42
PM ET
By
Brendan Hall | ESPNBoston.com
BB&NBB&N outfielder Rhett Wiseman has the potential to be taken in the first five rounds of this year's MLB Draft.By all measures, it was one of the most loaded draft classes for pitching prospects in years. This season the Bay State comes back to Earth a little bit, but it is once again a unique class. BB&N outfielder Rhett Wiseman and Lexington first baseman Chris Shaw are considered the most draft-ready prospects, something you don't see often around these parts. Typically, pitching dominates the draft classes in New England, due to their projectability from a lack of live action in the offseason.
Further complicating things this year will be the new regulations on signing draft picks under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, which includes a tax penalty on teams exceeding the designated salary slot recommendations for the sum of their picks in the first 10 rounds. Last year, that would have made teams more reluctant to draft prospects such as Lincoln-Sudbury's Adam Ravenelle (Vanderbilt) and St. John's Prep's Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame) -- two pitchers with first five-round potential who made their intentions to pursue college baseball well-known, and subsequently dropped all the way to day three.
With that in mind, I went over the prospects with an American League scout earlier this week, and he identified five players in Massachusetts who could possibly see their named called in June.
Rhett Wiseman, OF, BB&N
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 195 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Hometown: Mansfield, Mass.
College: Vanderbilt
2011 Stats: .447, 12 doubles, 5 triples, 11 home runs, 29/29 stolen bases.
Scout’s Take: “Rhett is one of those outfielders who you look at and try to figure out if he can continue to progress as a Centerfielder, or if eventually you have to move him to Left because of his arm strength. The way his speed plays, you could probably keep him in center until he proves he can't handle it. Then the bat comes into play – is he a power guy or is he more of a speed guy who can make his power play? His power was on display in the bigger events last summer, but he’s also shown a propensity to strike out quite a bit against top-tier pitching. Obviously the power is going to be there as he gets older, but putting the ball in play and allowing his speed to show itself more consistently will be a big piece for him. Ultimately, I think he's a gap to gap guy who will be able to hit HR's as he learns to stay within himself and take what he is given. He’s shown the ability to play at a really high level, but it’s going to be a matter of whether people are willing to buy into his swing. He tends to get a little stiff on his front side; if he can smooth that out and show development and the ability to go the other way a little bit, he's going to put himself into the mix. It's a tough sign because of his commitment to Vanderbilt and the new CBA rules, but I can see someone taking a chance on that.”
Projection: First five rounds.
Chris Shaw, 1B, Lexington
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 230 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Hometown: Lexington, Mass.
College: Boston College
2011 Stats: .484, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 27 runs; 25 IP, 49 K, 7 BB, 8 hits, 5-0, 0.00 ERA
Scout’s Take: “He’s an interesting one. You go and look at him, and he’s got that typical look of a power guy, goes about 6-3, 6-4 ,225, 235ish. Supposedly he’s put more weight on over the winter and got stronger. Obviously, he can hit for power, the question is whether he can hit consistently for contact against upper-echelon pitchers. His swing is really smooth from the left-side and he generates some nice loft and backspin. The only issue is he tends to lose his rhythm in the box a little bit when the velocity picks up and the swings and misses can add up. That’s definitely correctable as he sees more of it at the next level and learns to make adjustments on a consistent basis. He’s really intent on going to BC, so you have to really believe in his bat if someone's going to make a run at signing him, but he has a chance to go pretty high if he shows a willingness to sign.”
Projection: First 15 rounds.
Max Tishman, LHP, Lawrence Academy
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 200 lbs.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Hometown: Wellesley, Mass.
College: Wake Forest
2011 Stats: 32.2 IP, 45 K, 8 BB, 8 runs, 5-0, 1.70 ERA
Scout’s Take: “He’s a loose-arm lefty with a chance to throw three pitches for strikes, and he’s still very projectable. He put on 25 or 30 pounds over the winter, we’ll see how that plays in his development. He’s got a little bit of an unorthodox delivery with a quick-tempo delivery and a high leg kick, but that creates some deception for him and he’s shown the ability to repeat it, so I think you leave that alone. He flew under the radar last year, pitching at 165 pounds, but his velocity climbed from 86-87 to the 88-90 range by the end of summer. He put on that weight over the winter, and supposedly his velocity has climbed into the 88-91 range coming into this season, so who knows as weather warms up where he’ll go. He’s in the same boat as Jordan Cote was last year [Yankees third-round pick from Sanbornton, N.H.], where people might be climbing onto the bandwagon as the season goes on. Nice three-pitch mix there with a fastball to both sides of the plate and a slider and changeup to complement that. He works really fast out there and has shown a propensity to pitch down in the zone. He could be really interesting if his velocity holds in that 88-92 range, because there aren't many high school lefties, who can mix three pitches of that quality.”
Projection: First 15 rounds.
Matt Tulley, RHP, Lowell
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Lowell, Mass.
College: Virginia Tech
2011 stats: 42 IP, 68 K, 7-0, 0.82 ERA; .280, 17 RBI
Scout’s Take: “He came onto the scene a little bit at some of the high profile events last summer like Area Code Games. He’s similar to Barrett O’Neill [Ashland resident and Virginia freshman], where there’s not a ton of projectability but his velocity is in the 88-91 range with some downward angle on his fastball and he's shown the ability to compete in the strike zone. He surprised a lot of guys at the Area Code tournament, putting his fastball by people, and complementing that by getting swings and misses with his cutter. Most people view him as a college guy right now, but that could change. His velocity climbed over the winter, and he’s got a chance at the 91-92 range as well. You never know with a player like that, if someone views him as being signable, a team might make a run at him in the middle rounds
Projection: Fringe/late rounds.
John Nicklas, RHP, St. Sebastian’s
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 180 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Hometown: Foxborough, Mass.
College: Boston College
Scout’s Take: “Another competitor out of the ISL who’s a pretty polished three-pitch, four-pitch guy. His fastball is consistently in the 87-89 range, with a cutter, curve, and changeup; he attacks with all four of those pitches. He doesn’t necessarily have the projectable body you're looking for out of the high school ranks, but he’s got a quick arm and really competes well. He’s similar to John Gorman [former Catholic Memorial ace and BC freshman] or John Leonard from BC last year, just kind of a bulldog out there. His curve is a little bit more of a tighter two-plane breaking ball without a ton of depth and he throws it pretty firm. A lot of his pitches come in hard, and there’s not a ton of separation. That’s something he’ll want to improve upon. Very good high school pitcher, who I expect to have a lot of success in college as well.”
Projection: Fringe/late rounds.
ESPNHS kicks off its baseball season coverage by unveiling its preseason All-State Teams for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. A number of stars litter its Massachusetts squad, including BB&N's Rhett Wiseman, Lowell's Matt Tulley, Lexington's Chris Shaw and Braintree's Pat Delano.
You can find the entire list, which includes "Other Top Players" by clicking here. Below is ESPNHS' All-State Team for Massachusetts:
You can find the entire list, which includes "Other Top Players" by clicking here. Below is ESPNHS' All-State Team for Massachusetts:
POSITION PLAYERS
Anthony Capuano, St. John's Prep, OF, Senior
Led SJP in hits, runs and stolen bases last year.
Jarrod Casey, Milford, OF/LHP, Senior
Batted .530 and posted an 8-1 record on the mound.
Dan Cellucci, Lincoln-Sudbury, SS, Senior
Posted a .536 BA and scored 44 runs for Division 1 state champs.
Chris McCarthy, Everett, C, Senior
Hit .585 and drove in 28 runs as a junior.
Bob Melley, BC High, C, Senior
Productive backstop has signed with UConn.
Matt O'Neil, East Longmeadow, SS/RHP, Senior
Batted .447 with 15 stolen bases last year, committed to UConn.
Christopher Shaw, Lexington, 1B/RHP, Senior
Boston College recruit hit eight home runs last year.
Ryan Summers, Westfield, C, Junior
Hit six home runs and drove in 27 last year; headed to Louisville.
Matt Tulley, Lowell, SS/RHP, Senior
Has signed to play at Virginia Tech.
Rhett Wiseman, BB&N, OF, Senior
Vanderbilt recruit hit .447 with 11 HRs and 29 SBs last year.
PITCHERS
Austin DeCarr, Xaverian, RHP/SS, Junior
Strong-armed athlete also took snaps as a quarterback in the fall.
Patrick Delano, Braintree, RHP, Senior
Big power pitcher is headed to Vanderbilt.
Tyler Dowd, Springfield Central, RHP/OF, Senior
Should be among state leaders in K's this spring.
Mike Krupczak, Springfield Cathedral, RHP, Senior
Went 7-0 with a 1.85 ERA last year.
Ryan McDonald, Acton-Boxboro, LHP, Junior
Posted a 0.90 ERA last year, striking out 71 batters over 55 innings.
Steve Moyers, East Longmeadow, LHP/OF, senior
Went 8-1 last year while posting a 0.44 ERA; career record of 23-2.
John Nicklas, St. Sebastian's, RHP, Senior
Has signed to play at Boston College.
Pat Ruotolo, Peabody, RHP, Junior
Struck out 102 batters last year, including three games of 15-plus K's.
Max Tishman, Lawrence Academy, LHP, Senior
Polished left-hander has signed with Wake Forest.
Troy Whitty, Dexter, RHP, Senior
Transferred from Oliver Ames, where he posted a 0.90 ERA last year.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Scott Barboza
Scott Barboza joined ESPNBoston.com as a high schools editor/reporter in May 2010. He spent the previous three seasons working in the New England Patriots media relations department after a stint at the Taunton Daily Gazette, where he covered everything from Little League baseball to the Boston Red Sox. The Fall River native is a graduate of Emerson College. He can be reached at sbarboza@espnboston.com.
Brendan Hall
Brendan Hall joined ESPNBoston.com as a high schools reporter/editor in May 2010, after four years covering high schools for The Boston Globe. The Westminster, Mass. native also served on the Globe's Bruins beat last season. Hall is a graduate of UMass Amherst. He can be reached at bhall@espnboston.com.
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