RallyNorth.net

Haverhill's baseball team climbed to .500 with a pivotal 7-5 victory over Methuen. The Hillies (7-7) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first two innings and got big two-hit games from Nick Comei, who scored two runs and Brendan Bretton, who drove in a pair.

Haverhill scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh, with pinch-runner Nay Done scoring on a passed ball to give the Hillies the dramatic 5-4 win over Billerica. Jon DelaCruz (3-1) went the distance, surrendering one earned run on six hits and striking out seven. Nick Comei went 2 for 3 with a run.

For the second time this year, Haverhill's Stas Firek smacked a two-run home run. Unlike the first, this one — a sixth-inning bomb to left-center — made a winner out the Hillies, 4-3, over Lawrence. Brendon Bretton earned the win on the mound for Haverhill.

Haverhill senior Matt Houde threw a gem in a 5-2 victory over Dracut, striking out 13 and allowing just one earned run. Jon DelaCruz scored twice and had an RBI for the Hillies.

Playing the only baseball game in the region on a drizzly day, Haverhill got out to a 7-0 lead and then held on for a 13-9 victory over Tewksbury.

Starting and winning pitcher Jon DelaCruz (2-0) surrendered four runs on five hits and struck out four on the mound and added two hits and an RBI at the plate. Nick Comei went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and J.T. Ruth walked five times and scored three runs.  

Stas Firek provided Haverhill's only offense, a two-run homer in a 7-2 loss to Billerica.

Jon DelaCruz tossed a complete-game six-hitter and added a pair of stolen bases in Haverhill's 4-2 non-league victory over Masconomet. The Hillies, who broke a tie with two runs in the sixth inning, got six of their seven hits from Stas Firek and Brendon Bretton (run scored each) as well as sophomore Tom Maguire (RBI).

In just his second game for Lawrence High, Jose Abreu finished a home run short of the cycle, driving in four runs to help Lawrence to its first win of the season, 7-0 over Haverhill.

"We're four games in and didn't have a win yet," said Lancers coach Brendan Neilon. "So people start to doubt themselves at 0-3. We were excited to get this win."

After Triton rallied with two runs to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning, Stas Firek spanked a single that scored Jon DelaCruz with the game-winner as Haverhill prevailed, 7-6. DelaCruz had three hits including a home run, four RBIs and a stolen base in the victory.