RallyNorth.net

LAWRENCE - Andover attacked, pressured and slugged away at Lawrence High with a purpose in every at-bat. Mike Calzetta was just better.

The Lancer righty buckled up in a nine-inning, 132-pitch marathon powering Lawrence to a bit of revenge over Andover, 2-1, in a Division 1 North first-rounder before about 500 fans last night.

LAWRENCE - Andover attacked, pressured and slugged away at Lawrence High with a purpose in every at-bat. Mike Calzetta was just better.

The Lancer righty buckled up in a nine-inning, 132-pitch marathon powering Lawrence to a bit of revenge over Andover, 2-1, in a Division 1 North first-rounder before about 500 fans last night.

Andrew Ruiz-Henriquez (4 for 6, 6 RBIs, 3 runs) smashed a bases-loaded triple in a big 11-run first inning to get the scoring underway in Andover's huge 23-1 victory over Boston English. Jake Ponti, John Hennessy, Dan Gusovsky and Vince Bellino all had multi-hit games for the Warriors, and John Farrell fanned seven in three scoreless innings to earn the win. Andover faces Lawrence tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the First Round.

LAWRENCE - Andover High sent a shudder through Division 1 North the last two days and in the process picked up its 15th title at the 28th Lawrence Invitational Baseball Tournament.

For the second straight night, the Warriors banked on and received a dominating mound effort, this one a Shawn Carlson three-hitter, to knock off Lawrence High, 5-1, and claim the championship before about 250 fans encircling Mark Devlin Field.

LAWRENCE - Fans of high school pitching feasted last night in the Lawrence Invitational Tournament semifinals. And a scrumptious main course, featuring a pair of 90 mph fastballers, looms in tonight's title game.

Andrew Ruiz-Henriquez drove in the game-tying run with an RBI-double in the seventh, narrowly missing a walk-off two-run homer before Andover lost 7-2 in nine innings. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Cambridge put up five in the top of the ninth to wrestle control of the game and earn the win.

Brendan Walsh got a fastball from Robin Lowe on a 2-1 count and didn't miss, cracking a homer in the eighth inning that sent Central Catholic to a 2-1 win over rival Andover. Lowe had been locked in a pitcher's duel with Zack Lattrell, but it was Lattrell picking up the win as he allowed just four hits while fanning four.

Haverhill took down Andover 6-4 to qualify for the state tournament. Chad Kimball threw four solid innings for the Hillies and Josh Chasse's diving catch in the sixth preserved the Haverhill lead.

Shawn Carlson improved to 5-0 on the year, striking out 12 and walking two in seven innings of two-hit ball in Andover's 7-2 win over Masconomet. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Jake Ponti went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, and three-hole batter Dan Gusovsky drove in a pair.

Andover flamethrower John Farrell allowed just four hits over seven innings. But he was out-dueled by Lawrence's Victor Mendez, who allowed just two hits as the Lancers downed the Golden Warriors 1-0. Jose Sandoval drove in the lone run, singleing home Juan Ventura.