ESPN

MILFORD, Mass. -- It was only fitting for Milford ace Shannon Smith to finish her season face-to-face with Colonials' starter Sarah Ropiak.

Dominating all year for their respective state softball semi-finalist teams, the Scarlet Hawks hurler started and finished her schedule scraping for a win against A-B's top senior. As was the case in their season opener, the junior again grabbed a slim one-run tilt for top-seeded Milford (20-0) with a 3-2 triumph over guest No. 11 Acton-Boxboro (12-5) on Thursday.

“Being behind [is] something that has not happened too us much this season,” Milford head coach Brain Macchi said. “Shannon threw some pitches that were important for us to get out of jams. She is putting in the work during the offseason (and) coming in physically and mentally strong.”

Smith tossed eight strikeouts for Milford, while Ropiak finished two hitters. The Colonials' senior allowed two additional smacks, with 10 hits and one walk.

BATTLING AT THE PLATE
Macchi looked for aggressive at-bats from his girls, but has preached all season the importance of pumping up the pitch count.

A lofted center field triple by sophomore Sam Bonvino brought home teammate senior Lindsey Read from first for the winner in the fourth, while a frozen rope by junior Carolyn Fairbanks dropped through the glove of leaping center fielder Lindsey Chen to score the first run for the Mid-Wach A Conference champs.

After forcing 28 pitches in the second, a foul-line dribbler by junior Rachel Levine knocked in Fairbanks from second for a 2-2 tie in the third.

“From day one of the season, we talked about having the pitcher work and work and work,” Macchi said. “Sarah Ropiak is a great pitcher and she is going to be around the strike zone. We are trying to put the ball in play and make their team make plays.”

Fairbanks went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Levine also banged out a 2-for-3 day with one RBI.

COLONIAL COMPOSURE
The Dual County (Large) leaders lost their previous matchup 1-0 at home off a wild pitch. Allowing 17 strikeouts in their last battle, coach Mary Matthews looked for stronger at bats in the rematch.

Facing a one run hole, Ropiak finished A-B's fourth straight single to open the third with a blooper for an RBI along the first-base line.

The Colonials pulled ahead off a fielder's choice rip by Lindsey Chen in their following at-bat.

“We accomplished the goals we wanted to accomplish [to] not to give up an unearned run, not to fall apart after something goes wrong, and
to have quality at bats,” Matthews said. “Last time we played them [Smith] just mowed us down. Bunt if you have to [or] slap if you have,
but fight, fight, fight just so you have a chance.”

Maddie Hatch and Kirstin Pfister (one run) led A-B, going 3-for-4.

PAINTING THE CORNERS
Smith has won 19 of Milford's 20 games this season, including her eighth no-hitter yesterday in a 2-0 blanking of Leominster. The junior did not avoid hits this afternoon, but looked to work the corners and limit deep knocks.

Smith allowed only singles with nine Colonial hits.

“A lot of the hits where they scored runs were little bloopers,” Smith said. “Stuff they were getting off the end of the bat. Keep hitting the corners so they can not hit anything too deep and go yard.”

The MIAA released its pairings for the boys' volleyball state tournament this afternoon. Haverhill (18-0) grabbed the top overall seed in the North, while North Quincy (14-0) took the South, Milford (18-0) in Central, and Chicopee Comp (17-1) in West.

To view the complete brackets, CLICK HERE.

Below are the seedings for each district:

NORTH
1. Haverhill (18-0); 2. Lawrence (17-3); 3. St. John's Prep (17-3); 4. Cambridge (16-3); 5. Latin Academy (15-4); 6. Lowell (11-6); 7. Westford (11-7); 8. Chelmsford (12-8); 9. Lexington (9-7); 10. Methuen (11-9); 11. Andover (12-10); 12. Gr. Lowell Tech. (10-10); 13. Lowell Catholic (10-10)

SOUTH
1. North Quincy (14-0); 2. Newton North (16-1); 3. Needham (16-4); 4. Barnstable (13-5); 5. Newton South (14-6); 6. Norwood (12-6); 7. Brockton (13-7); 8. Greater New Bedford (10-6); 9. BC High (10-6)

CENTRAL
1. Milford (18-0); 2. Lincoln-Sudbury (17-1); 3. Wachusett (15-3); 4. Valley Tech (13-3); 5. Xaverian (14-4); 6. Natick (12-4); 7. Worcester Tech (14-5); 8. Algonquin Reg. (14-6); 9. Marlborough (12-6); 10. Worcester North (12-6); 11. Keefe Tech (10-6); 12. Medfield (9-8); 13. Worcester South (9-8); 14. Burncoat (9-9)

WEST
1. Chicopee Comp (17-1); 2. Agawam (18-1); 3. Ludlow (13-5); 4. Westfield (12-6); 5. Putnam (15-4); 6. Athol (14-5); 7. Holyoke (12-5); 8. Sabis (11-6)

With days remaining until the end of the regular season, we've updated the MIAA softball Top 25 poll on last time before seedings are released for the upcoming tournament.

Milford is running strong at No. 1 and looks to finish an undefeated regular season run. Bridgewater-Raynham, Minnechaug and Malden snuck into the top 10 this week.

Things largely remained unchanged, but we did welcome one new team to the poll in Hopkinton. The Hillies moved back into the poll for the first time since our second poll of the season after knocking off Bellingham, ending the Blackhawks' design on a perfect season.

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

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.

For the first time in our ESPN Boston MIAA softball Top 25 poll, somebody other than King Philip resides in the No. 1 spot this week.

After ending the Warriors' nearly two-year long winning streak, Milford claims the top billing in our poll.

The biggest mover of the week was Dracut, which bolted up the poll to No. 8 from the 24th spot last week after an 8-1 win over MVC rival Chelmsford at the Hudson Tournament.

Our one new addition to the poll this week is Boston Latin, which checks in at No. 12 coming a big Dual County League win over Concord-Carlisle.

MILFORD, Mass. -- Milford softball accomplished more than just handing King Philip its first loss since the 2010 season with a 2-0 Patriot’s Day matinee win over the Warriors.

The Scarlet Hawks proved KP’s road to a potential third state Division 1 title might just run through them.

Milford pitcher and University of Kentucky commit Shannon Smith dazzled again, striking out 17, including a streak of nine straight in the fourth through sixth innings. More than that, the Scarlet Hawks scratched out five hits against Meghan Rico – a prodigious amount against the reigning ESPN Boston Miss Softball.

“I preached to them in practice that you have to put the ball in play against Rico, you have to make them make plays,” Milford head coach Brian Macchi said.

The Scarlet Hawks (5-0) struck for both of their runs in the second inning, catalyzed by Caroline Fairbanks’ lead-off single.

After a sacrifice bunt by Sam Bonvino, freshman catcher Taylor LeBrun put Milford on the board with an RBI single to right. After LeBrun advanced to second on a wild pitch, she came around to score on Elizabeth Stallone’s double.

The Warriors (4-1) managed just two hits off of Smith, but both came as lead-off hits in the fourth and seventh. Rico’s hit off her counterpart in the fourth would be the last ball KP put into play until the seventh, when Hailey Mullen singled to center to start the final frame.

However, a caught-stealing and two final strikeouts from Smith finished out her fourth shutout of the season.

“She’s just gotten stronger and stronger as the season’s gone on,” Macchi said.

The Warriors’ last loss in 2010 also came against Milford and the experience of bouncing back from one hasn’t occurred to many of KP’s players.

So the true test for Warriors then will be in what happens next.

“What we need to learn is how to respond in a situation like this,” KP head coach Jim Leonard said.

TAYLOR SQUARED


The Scarlet Hawks have been without their usual starting catcher, ESPN Boston All-Stater Taylor Archer during the last couple weeks, but LeBrun hasn’t lost a stride.

LeBrun showed her ability both behind the plate and at bat in Monday’s win.

First, she did it with the bat, with a slashing, run-scoring single.

“It was an outside pitch, right where I wanted it,” LeBrun said. “We’d been working on slashing in practice all week, so I felt I was very well prepared to do it, so I was confident in the box.”

Then, in the seventh inning, LeBrun popped up and fired a strike to cut down KP’s lead-off runner attempting to steal second.

“We told our catcher, Taylor LeBrun, to keep on her toes,” Macchi said. “You never know what they might try to do to try to get us a little on our heels. But she made a very nice play on the throw down and Lindsey Read made a terrific play on the pick and tag.”

Macchi continued, “It’s been seamless behind the plate [with LeBrun] and offensively she’s coming along and seeing the type of pitching we’re going to see.”

ON TOP OF HER GAME
Smith had all her pitches working, in addition to a particularly punchy fastball which cracked the mitt throughout the afternoon.

Even for one of the state’s premier pitchers, it was an exceptional performance. Smith kept the Warriors guessing throughout the game, changing their eye level with a steady stream of rise balls. More than that, Smith was able to work the corners and paint it with strikes.

“Sometimes batters get excited in the box and their hands move a little bit faster than they want them, too, and that makes it hard for hitters to get that outside pitch, so I was trying to work that outside corner.”

We're back with another installment of "Roundtable", our weekly takes on the hot topics of the spring season. This week, we discuss who is the best boys' lacrosse goalie in the state; which lefthanded pitchers will make the most noise; the state's best slap hitter; and who had the best individual performance of the season's first two weeks.

Joining us this week are correspondent Bruce Lerch, New England Prep Stars founder and editor Ryan Kilian, MassLive.com producer Ben Larsen, and Brockton Enterprise staff writer John Botelho. Without further ado:

1. BETTER GOALIE –- WELLESLEY’S CONNOR DARCEY OR FOXBOROUGH’S GREG STAMATOV?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Scott Barboza: That's a tough one. In many regards, they're similar players in that they're both not afraid to step up into the play when its warranted. They're not going to just clear and retreat when the opportunity presents itself. Stamatov had one clearing pass to the midfield during the third quarter against Barnstable that was a thing of beauty. And, of course, we all know that Darcey is capable of scoring when he carries the ball past midfield. This all makes no mention of their ability to stop the ball either. Either way you dice it, they're among the very best in a deep field of MIAA goaltenders along with Duxbury's Henry Buonagurio, Concord-Carlisle's Doug Gouchoe and Billerica's D.J. Smith.

Ryan Kilian, New England Prep Stars: Connor Darcey is the best goalie I have seen in New England Public High School lacrosse over the past two years. Darcey is the real deal. He possesses confidence, quickness, and exceptional hand-eye coordination.

The goalie position in Massachusetts in the Class of 2012 is as strong as it has been in many years. Doug Gouchoe of Concord-Carlisle (Air Force), Greg Stamatov of Foxborogh (Villanova), Jared Fong of Weston (Gettysburg), and Miles McCarthy of Catholic Memorial (Williams) are all exceptional athletes with bright futures at the next level and all have a unique set of skills that they bring to the table.

Darcey is also a born leader and that is an essential trait that all great goalies, like the above mentioned, share.

Bruce Lerch, correspondent: Both players have excelled for their respective teams and made a big splash over the summer participating in the Warrior 40 at Harvard Stadium. Both have also drawn the attention of Division colleges, as Darcey is committed to play for Penn State while Stamatov will take his talents to Villanova. Darcey was a key factor in Wellesey's 16-0 regular season a year ago, while Stamatov helped propel Foxborough to its best season ever by reaching the Division 2 semifinals. Darcey was rated eighth in ESPN High School's national goalie rankings back in February, but even if you have the second pick in this draft, you won't come away disappointed as Stamatov was not too far behind at No. 14.

2. WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE SO FAR?

ESPN Boston High Schools Editor Brendan Hall: I think any time you throw a perfect game at any level, you should be highly commended as such. So here’s my kudos to Lynn English’s Ben Bowden, who had a clean sheet for the Bulldogs in their 5-0 win over Marblehead. Bowden struck out 14 in the full seven innings, and got some assistance from the infield behind him late to seal the deal. He is an imposing player to watch at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, equipped with a high-80’s fastball, so it’s hardly the last time we’ll hear from him.

That said, I’m always impressed when a pitcher goes into the triple-digits in pitch count this early in the season – and even moreso when it’s as efficient as Milford’s Jarrod Casey was on April 3. In the Scarlet Hawks’ season-opening 3-1 win over Westborough, the reigning Mid-Wach A MVP and returning ESPNBoston All-Stater threw 125 pitches and struck out 15 batters; he also belted an inside-the-park, two-run homer to give them all the insurance they needed.

John Botelho, Brockton Enterprise: The Bridgewater-Raynham softball team has shown plenty of early fireworks this season. Senior Audrey Dolloff twirled a four-hitter and struck on eight on opening, all while going 4-for-4 with a pair of homers and four RBI for the Trojans. Freshman Emily Kurkul has homered in all three games so far. Most recently, Dolloff tossed a no-hitter against Durfee, and her performance might not have even been the best one on the field that day for B-R. Sophomore Madison Shaw went 4-for-4 with two homers, a double and seven RBI as the Trojans cruised.

Ryan Kilian: The best individual performance that I have seen on the lacrosse field so far was Westford Academy attack Jay Drapeau scoring six goals and dishing out one assist in a 12-11 opening day win over Billerica. The sophomore scored the game winner in the fourth quarter and was exceptional dodging from X all afternoon. Drapeau also did this against a very formidable defense led by Tommy McLaughlin (UMass) and one of the state’s best goalies in DJ Smith (UMass).

Ben Larsen, MassLive.com: It would be hard to top this one. Noah Parker, a terrific talent hidden at St. Mary’s of Westfield was perfect in a six-inning game against Pioneer Valley Christian. He threw only 57 pitches, striking out 14. At the plate, he narrowly missed hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.

Bruce Lerch: On the lacrosse fields, several players have produced nine-goal games in the early going. Kobie Sullivan had seven, nine and eight goals in Fairhaven's first three games. On the girls side, Wayland's Amy Cunningham, Amy also struck for nine against Bedford. But my top effort goes to Masconomet's Jake Gillespie, who potted nine in the Chieftans' second game of the year against a BC High defense that includes a pair of Division 1 recruits.

3. A LEFTHANDED STARTER CAN BE INVALUABLE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. WHICH LEFTIES WILL YOU BE WATCHING THE MOST?

Brendan Hall: The Class of 2012 is littered with Division 1-bound lefties, between Oliver Ames' Ryan O'Shea (Central Michigan), East Longmeadow's Steve Moyers (Rhode Island), Pentucket's Alex Ministeri (Coastal Carolina), Auburn's Connor Fuller (Fordham), Xaverian's Tim Duggan (Fairfield) and Acton-Boxborough's Ryan McDonald (Bryant). One we might be adding to that list in a year's time is Wellesley senior Tim Superko.

Superko is already off to a great start in 2012, with wins in his first two starts in dominant fashion -- 23 strikeouts in 12 innings, an ERA of 0.75, a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly four, and a strike percentage of 67. I'm obviously working with a stat system pretty sophisticated for the high school level, but I can assure you Superko could care less. He's a competitor, unafraid to challenge hitters in the middle of the order, but also very coachable. Raiders coach Rob Kane raves about Superko's curveball, and he sets it up well with his heat. From the plate, he's not that bad either; so far he's hitting .500/.562/.786 with five RBI, two triples, seven runs and three stolen bases.

Superko is heading to Philips Andover for a post-graduate year next season. I expect him to have a Division 1 scholarship offer in his lap by this summer's end.

I'd also keep an eye on the aforementioned Ben Bowden from Lynn English. He's got an ideal power pitcher's frame, and if the reports about him topping out at 89 miles per hour in his perfect game are true, then he has a chance to rise quickly on the radar. But to be a reliable starter at this level, you need a quality changeup, and Bowden's is pretty nice.

Boston Latin sophomore Pat Naughton is certainly another one to look out for over the next two years. He fanned 17 Wayland batters in an outing last year as a freshman, and is already off to a good start this year with 14 K's in the Wolfpack's season-opening win over Latin Academy. Also keep an eye on Reading junior Scott Tully, who committed to Notre Dame last February, as well as Malden Catholic junior Joe Velozo.

John Botelho: One of the best lefties in the state hasn't even thrown a pitch yet. Oliver Ames' Ryan O'Shea, a 6-foot-3 southpaw already signed on to play at Central Michigan next year, will take to the mound for the first time next week. Hall of Fame coach Leo Duggan aired on the side of caution as O'Shea was battling shoulder soreness. He has a chance to come back and be the best pitcher on an O-A team that has still gone 3-0 without him in the lineup.

Brockton's Joe Sever has a live arm and features impressive off-speed stuff. The ace of the Boxers' staff this year, he has a chance to catch a lot of eyes with the schedules Bill Maloney's squad plays.

Bridgewater-Raynham features a pair of hard-throwing lefties who should cause problems for hitters throughout the regular season. Senior captains Pat Chalmers and Shane Holmes have more varsity experience than many of the guys they'll square off against this year - Chalmers was pitching on varsity at B-R as a sophomore and Holmes spent his freshman and sophomore years on the varsity squad at East Bridgewater before transferring to B-R as a junior. Chalmers took a no decision in his first start, but struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings. Holmes picked up the first win for the Trojans, a complete-game two-hit 12-strikeout performance against Milton.

Ben Larsen: Undoubtedly, Steve Moyers is the guy to follow. He has been unbelievable in his first three years as the ace of the East Longmeadow rotation and he’s hoping to reach the 30-win plateau for his career, which is no small feat in the short Massachusetts season. That said, Michael Walkowicz of Amherst has been the Cy Young in the early going. In two starts, he has a 17-strikeout, one-hitter and 12 Ks in a loss to Northampton.

Bruce Lerch: I find myself greatly intrigued by the seemingly rubber of Franklin southpaw Tyler Buck. As a junior, Buck tossed multiple gems during the Panthers run to the Div. 1 state championship game, including a 166-pitch effort to upset BC High in last year's D1 South semifinals. After starring for Franklin's Legion team over the summer, I'm interested to see how far the Panthers ace can take them once again.

4. WHAT WILL BE THE MOST COMPETITIVE LEAGUE IN GIRLS' LACROSSE THIS YEAR?

Brendan Hall: I'm going with the Dual County League. Four members of the 10-team league currently sit in our MIAA Top 25 poll, including No. 1 Lincoln-Sudbury. And we're not even including Acton-Boxborough, which began the season as our preseason No. 10 before dropping to 0-5. Talk about a misnomer -- the Colonials' five losses are to No. 1 L-S, No. 5 Needham, No. 6 Notre Dame (Hingham), No. 17 King Philip, and No. 23 Walpole. Also throw in unranked Wayland, which has one of the state's best goalies in Quinnipiac-bound senior Rachel Massicotte.

Let's now throw in the DCL's other three currently-ranked teams -- Concord-Carlisle, Weston and Westford -- and we're talking six teams that can be troublesome. I expect L-S to rise above it all, but the rest of the way down may or may not be a crap shoot.

Bruce Lerch: While most league's across the state in girls lacrosse are fairly top-heavy, I would say that top to bottom, the Middlesex League's large division may have the largest number of competitive teams as all five made the playoffs in 2011. Winchester is annually among the state's top programs and is among the favorites to challenge for the Div. 2 crown once again. Reading went 15-5 before running into state finalist Lincoln-Sudbury. Lexington is a perennial tourney team who, aside from last season, routinely rolls up 15-plus wins a year. Belmont also won 15 games in 2011, and Woburn qualified for the postseason as well. As of the time I am writing this, the five teams hold a combined record of 8-0-1 through the first two weeks of the season.

Ben Larsen: The Valley Wheel in Western Mass. is off to a strong start with no team worse than 2-0, including Agawam on top with four wins already. Perennial power Longmeadow and last year’s upstart Minnechaug are bound to contend with powerful Agawam in this loaded league but don’t count out East Longmeadow and South Hadley from at least making some noise.

5. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH SLAP HITTERS. WHO ARE THE ONES TO PAY ATTENTION TO?

Scott Barboza: I'm looking no further than Mansfield's Bri Chiusano. The Coastal Carolina signee is the most dynamic lead-off hitter in the state and, as she showed earlier this week against King Philip, she also has some pop in the bat while taking a full swing. You have to take pause and applaud anybody who can launch a home run off of Meghan Rico after all.

Bruce Lerch: Bri Chiusano of Mansfield, who showed Tuesday that she can do a bit more than slap by cranking a three-run homer off of King Philip ace and reigning Miss Softball Meghan Rico. A four-year player for the Hornets manning centerfield and batting at the top of the lineup, Chiusano makes life miserable for opposing pitchers with her quick hands and tremendous speed and has an uncanny ability to survey how the defense is playing her and place the ball accordingly. The senior was named to ESPN Boston's preseason All-State team and will play for Coastal Carolina next year.

Ben Larsen: Typically a speedy singles hitter who uses his speed to get on and wreak havoc on the basepaths, Westfield’s Billy Smith got into the power game Monday, blasting a three-run homer in the Bombers’ rout of Belchertown. Smith, who also served as the Westfield football team’s quarterback this past season, has started out slow but is undoubtedly a player to watch moving forward.

6. WHAT'S BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING UPSET OF THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEASON?

Brendan Hall: My brethren on the Cape will call me Captain Hindsight with this one, but maybe Dennis-Yarmouth baseball is better than we've given them credit for after knocking off Plymouth North 8-2 on Wednesday. I think it was universally agreed that North, routinely one of the best hitting teams in Division 2, would be the favorite again in the South region even after losing key bats like Matt Walsh. But maybe D-Y should get more notice, with talented players like Matt Montalto, Matt Peterson and Miles Tuohy-Bedford. The Dolphins (2-1) got off to a hot start last season, including coach Paul Funk's 100th win, before coming back to Earth. Can they keep the hot start going this year?

Scott Barboza: If I told you I'd called Reading boys' lacrosse's overtime win over Westford Academy, I'd be lying. The Grey Ghosts entered this season with a lot of attention, particularly with the addition of Alex Eaton, in an already loaded Dual County League and the No. 6 ranking in our preseason Top 25 poll. Meanwhile, Reading was tough to read coming in because the Rockets lost some key cogs from last year's squad. What the Rockets did is prove that they should again challenge for the Middlesex League title.

Bruce Lerch: In boys lacrosse, certainly the most eye-opening result of the early season came when Melrose upset Lexington, 11-6. This is just the fourth year of the Red Raiders program, and in their first three years Melrose went a combined 9-44. Meanwhile, Lexington is an annual state championship and Middlesex League contender and reached the postseason in each of the three years since Melrose started its team. It was certainly a program defining victory for the Red Raiders.

ACTON, Mass. -- With Acton-Boxborough’s Sarah Ropiak and Milford’s Shannon Smith working in the circle, it was possible that something as slight as a howling wind might create the margin between winning and losing.

As the gales whipped across the diamond at Acton-Boxborough Regional on Monday, the teams’ aces were undaunted. The matched each other strikeout for strikeout nearly throughout. But the only thing that separated the No. 2 Hawks and the No. 3 Colonials in the end were a couple of first-inning walks and one, solitary run score on a wild pitch.

“I told the girls we needed to find a way to scrape across a run any way that we could,” Milford head coach Brian Macchi recounted his pregame remarks before the Hawks’ 1-0 win.

That run came in the Hawks’ first at-bat. After working a one-out walk, Milford second baseman Lauren Hanna took a tour of the base paths with a stolen base, advancing to third on a wild pitch and also scoring the game’s only run off another wild pitch.

Ropiak was undaunted despite the early setback, settling into a complete-game two-hitter, while striking out 13.

Of course, Smith was on par as well. The junior, who’s one season removed from her performance as a Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year, struck out 17 while surrendering a pair of hits and two walks.

Smith struck out the side in both the sixth and seventh innings — despite allowing base-runners in each — capping the complete-game win.

“The umpire really seemed to like to call the outside corner, so you to adjust to that and make sure you’re throwing to where they’re calling and whatever works for you best,” Smith said.

DIFFICULTY ADJUSTING
With Smith nibbled and lived on the outside corner with great success thanks to her curveball, the Colonials (0-1) weren’t able to compensate at the plate.

“We weren’t able to learn today that she kept going at us outside,” A-B head coach Mary Matthews said. “We weren’t adjusting our feet and trying to send it the other way.”

PUTTING DEPTH TO USE
Milford (3-0) was without its starting catcher Taylor Archer (out 2-3 weeks with an ankle injury) coming into the game, so freshman Taylor LeBrun got the nod behind the plate.

The Hawks’ backstop situation went from bad to worse in the fifth, when LeBrun left the game with an ankle injury while sliding into second base on a caught stealing. Macchi then turned to starting shortstop and resident do-it-all Sam Bonvino.

However, Bonvino hasn’t had time to work behind the plate in the early season due to a back injury of her own. Still, the sophomore did an exemplary job, filling in a tough spot and working with Smith.

The Milford hurler credited the work all of her catchers have put in, making it easier for her to do her job.

“I have confidence in all of them,” Smith said of her battery mates.

Now all the Hawks need is to stay healthy.

“We’re a bit of a walking wounded team right now, but as I told the team, it’s better to happen now then at the end of the season,” Macchi said. “We’re going to heal up and keep trying to find ways to win games.”

The preseason MIAA softball Top 25 poll is posted here.

Defending Division 1 state champion King Philip picked up where the Warriors left off, coming into the season as our No. 1 squad. Returning Central D1 title winner Milford checks in at the No. 2 spot with Acton-Boxborough, Bridgewater-Raynham and Chelmsford rounding out the Top Five.

Western Mass is also well-represented with D1 favorite Agawam starting the season at No. 6 and perennial D3 power Turners Falls at No. 22.

As always, let us know how we're doing in the comments section below, or by emailing Scott Barboza at sbarboza@espnboston.com

Today we kick off our high school coverage of the spring season with our preseason MIAA softball All-State team, as selected by ESPNBoston.com staff and state high school coaches.

STARTING ROTATION
Kiara Amos, Sr., Malden
Trish Hansen, Sr., Mansfield
Meghan Rico, Sr., King Philip
Sarah Ropiak, Sr., Acton-Boxborough
Shannon Smith, Jr., Milford

STARTING NINE
Taylor Archer, Sr. C/3B, Milford
Patty Borges, Sr. SS, Coyle-Cassidy
Alex Burgess, Sr. OF, Chelmsford
Bri Chiusano, Sr. OF, Mansfield
Lexi Gifford, Sr. IF/OF, Natick
Olivia Godin, Sr. C, King Philip
Nicole Lundstrom, Jr. C, Dighton-Rehoboth
Christina Raso, Sr. SS, Burlington
Reilly Weiners, Jr. C, Agawam

"BEST OF THE REST"
Meg Carnase, Sr. P, King Philip
Katie Casey, Jr. P, Braintree
Katherine Clark, Sr. P, Coyle-Cassidy
Allie Colleran, Jr. SS, Concord-Carlisle
Meghan Colleran, Soph. P, North Attleborough
Stephanie Cornish, Sr. SS, Abington
Abby Curran, Sr. IF, Bishop Fenwick
Alexis DeBrosse, Jr. 2B, New Bedford
Audrey Dolloff, Sr. P, Bridgewater-Raynham
Maggie Hoffman, Jr. P, Avon
Kaleigh Finigan, Jr. C, St. Mary's (Lynn)
Natalie Leone, Jr. 2B, Ashland
Rachel Levine, Jr. CF, Milford
Abby Johnson, Sr. SS, Chelmsford
Galen Kerr, Jr. P, Concord-Carlisle
Jackie Kielty, Jr. P, Middleborough
Kayli Moniz, Sr. SS, Fairhaven
Breanna Monroe, Sr. OF, Shrewsbury
Shannon Orton, Sr. P, Case
Kaci Panarelli, Jr. C, Shrewsbury
Meghan Rich, Sr. P, Chelmsford
Julie LeClair, Sr. 3B, Coyle-Cassidy
Cayleigh McCarthy, Sr. 1B, King Philip
Madi Shaw, Soph. SS, Bridgewater-Raynham
Alyssa Siegmann, Sr. SS, King Philip

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:

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.

Courtesy of Bay State Games media relations director Peter Cohenno:

BASKETBALL

Boys Scholastic 11/12 Grade

Southeast 97, Northeast 70
Senior Sayvonn Houston (Brockton, Brockton HS) tallied a game-high 24 points to lead his Southeast squad to victory over Northeast, 97-70. His teammate, senior Carl Joseph (Brockton, Brockton HS), also heavily contributed to the offense, scoring 23 points. Northeast’s Myles Dias managed 17 points in the loss and Mickel Simpson scored 14.

Metro 71, Central 58
Maurice Magras netted a game-high 21 points to propel Metro past Central, 71-58. Metro’s Lawrence Keating put up an 11-point effort. Despite the loss, Central had a strong offensive push with Will Michalzski contributing 14 points and James Ostenfield scoring 12 points

West 90, Coastal 77
In a high scoring matchup, West defeated Coastal, 90-77, on Thursday. Mike Jeneralczuk and Jose Allen led the West, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. Despite the Coastal loss, Chris Green (Taunton, Taunton HS) led all scorers with 22 points.

Boys Scholastic 9/10 Grade

West 57, Metro 52
West got 17 points from Deven Wells (Westfield, Westfield HS) to upend Metro, 57-52. Metro got solid contributions from Tyler Sullivan and Matt Woods, who had 13 and 14 points, respectively.

Coastal 99, Northeast 31
Coastal put on an offensive display in their opening game against Northeast as they ran away with a 99-31 victory. Coastal got contributions from the entire roster with Jesse Bunting (Plymouth, Plymouth North) leading the way with 17 points. Northeast’s Jordan Mendez (Salem, North Shore Tech) netted 15 in the losing effort.

Southeast v Central
Results not available

Girls Scholastic

Northeast 62, Southeast 38

Metro 60, Coastal 48

West 65, Central 42

Southeast 55, Coastal 43

Northeast 52, West 46

Metro 80, Central 66


FIELD HOCKEY
Waltham High School – Waltham, MA

Central 3, Coastal 0
Central got tallies from three different players to defeat Coastal, 3-0, in the teams’ opening game. The Central goals were scored by Kirstin Birdsall (Grafton, Grafton Memorial HS), Shelby Jankins (West Brookfield, Quaboag Reg. HS) and Tori Danby (Lancaster, Nashoba Reg. HS). Andrea Koslowski (Warren, Quaboag Reg. HS) chipped in with a pair of assists. Meaghan Dwyer (Rutland, Wachusett Reg. HS) pitched the shutout in net.

Metro/Northeast 0, Southeast 0
Metro/Northeast and Southeast battled to a 0-0 draw. Carolyn Cook (Medfield, Medfield HS) and Katie Kelley (Walpole, Walpole HS) combined for the shutout for Southeast, while Christine Sargavakian (Waltham, Waltham HS) was unscathed in net for Metro.

LACROSSE
Wentworth Institute of Technology – Boston, MA

Boys Scholastic

Metro/Southeast 9, Central 7
Metro/Southeast defeated Central, 9-7, on Thursday. Metro/Southeast junior Ryan McCarthy (Medford, Medford HS) led all scorers with four goals in the outing. Juniors John Camara (Medford, Matignon) and Richard Canales (Woburn, Matignon HS) also added to the Metro/Southeast offensive effort, as Camara registered two goals, while Canales tallied one goal and one assist. Sophomore Dan Bishop (Southborough, Algonquin Reg. HS) and junior Eric Overdahl (Milford, Milford HS) led the way for Central with two goals apiece. Bishop also added an assist. Juniors John Thompson (Wilmington, Matignon HS) and Shane Foley (Lexington, Lexington HS) combined for the win in net for Metro/Southeast. Foley recorded 14 saves, while Thompson blocked three attempts.

Northeast 15, Coastal 7
Northeast earned a decisive 15-7 victory against Coastal on Thursday. Sophomore Brian Walsh (Lowell, Lowell HS) and freshman Tony Reale (Burlington, Arlington Catholic) led Northeast with five and three goals, respectively. Adding to Northeast’s offensive showcase, sophomore Pat Kennedy (Swampscott, Swampscott HS), junior Casey Shea (Woburn, Woburn Memorial HS), junior Cole Connolly (Woburn, Woburn Memorial HS) and junior Joe Burgermeister (Lowell, Lowell HS), each tallied two goals in the game. The Coastal effort was anchored by James McLoud (Nauset Regional HS), who scored three goals and recorded one assist. Freshman Sam Ventresca (Woburn, Woburn Memorial HS) registered the win in goal with two saves for Northeast.

Barring any unforeseen last-step hurdles, Milford and Taunton will join the Hockomock League starting with the 2012-2013 academic year.

Milford athletic director Richard Piergustavo and Taunton’s Mark Ottavianelli have attained their respective school committee’s approval on the move. With the Scarlet Hawks and Tigers on board, the Hockomock will expand to 12 teams, with two six-team divisions dictated by school enrollment.

The Hockomock’s latest additions trace back to its last expansion when the league admitted Attleboro, which completed its first Hockomock season of play in 2011.

“We first applied when Attleboro applied and the league was looking to expand,” Ottavianelli said.

It is believed that neither of the school’s current leagues — the Mid-Wach A and Old Colony League — will bar them from leaving.

However, Taunton’s departure will leave the OCL with just three remaining schools: Barnstable, Bridgewater-Raynham and Dartmouth. The league, which dates back to 1948, has seen leaner years recently with 11 schools departing its ranks in less than a decade.

“We also applied to the Hockomock a couple of years ago,” B-R athletic director Dan Buron said. “We were disappointed that we weren’t extended an invitation as well. But I wish Taunton well, it’s a great league [the Hockomock], it’s clearly one of the most competitive in the state.”

With no immediate plans for OCL expansion on the horizon, its future is — at best — uncertain.

Buron said he’s scheduled to meet with Barnstable’s Steve Francis and Dartmouth’s Jeff Caron in the coming weeks to discuss the league’s long-term plans.

But there aren’t many options available. If there are no changes, the OCL will join Division 1’s Big Three as the only other three-team conference in the state.

“I really don’t know what there is to do,” Buron said. “The three of us that are left, we just have to circle the wagons for now. There are no quick fixes and we have to do what’s best for each of the remaining schools. What’s good for B-R might not be good for Barnstable, or Dartmouth, or vice versa.”

That numbers game was a factor in Taunton’s hop to the Hock.

“We played 46 different schools total this year,” Ottavianelli said, “the logistics behind that is challenging. This way [in the Hockomock], we know we’re going to have consistent rivalries and it will help with travel arrangements, keeping our play in the immediate area.”

ALIGNING INTO PLACE
Using last year’s enrollment figures, here’s a look at how the Hockomock figures to shape up in 2012.

The final breakdown will be announced in Dec. 2011 with the updated figures, and there’s a possibility North Attleborough could move down and Oliver Ames could move up, but here’s how the divisions look to align:

Kelley-Rex Division (Large School): Attleboro, Franklin, King Philip, Mansfield, North Attleborough, Taunton

Davenport Division (Small): Canton, Foxborough, Milford, Oliver Ames, Sharon, Stoughton

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.