RallyNorth.net

GEORGETOWN - Fractured vertebra forced North Andover High's Brad Patnaude to alter his game a bit.

"We had to discourage him from diving at ground balls ... in the gym," explained Knights coach Todd Dulin of his courageous senior captain. "I have had to yell at him about it. It's just the kind of kid he is."

On Monday, North Andover's Tyler Leavitt came within one out of a no-hitter. Yesterday, Mother Nature assured that the same fate would not strike Brandon Walsh. The Knight sophomore covered five innings on the hill, stifling Ipswich with five strikeouts, a walk and a pair of hit batters before the rain and lightning hit. The result, a five-inning no-no and a 3-0 victory over the Tigers, was plenty good for Knights coach Todd Dulin. "Tyler just pitched a beautiful game, I think he went to one 3-ball count all day," said Dulin, whose club improved to 7-1 and 5-0 in the Cape Ann League. "But Brandon just brought the heat. He was dominant."

Tyler Leavitt was one out away from a perfect game on Monday, as he picthed a complete game, walked nobody, and struck out eight batters. Leavitt gave up a basehit with two outs in the seventh, but hung on to get the last batter and secured a 1-0 win for North Andover.  

Brad Patnaude smashed a grand slam to help North Andover win 12-6 over Lynnfield. Matt Hogan and Connor Walsh each slammed tw-run homers. 

Sophomore Brandon Walsh scooped up his first win, a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts for North Andover in a 3-1 victory over Hamilton-Wenham.

North Andover sophomore lefty Tyler Leavitt, in his first varsity action, pitched five innings of nifty relief to pick up the win in a 3-0 victory over Rockport. Leavitt allowed just two hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter. 

North Andover center fielder Dan Laorenza threw a strike to home plate to complete a double play to end the game to preserve a 3-2 victory over Chelmsford. David Foote had a key triple in North Andover's decisive two-run fifth inning.

METHUEN - "Brandon Walsh is not your ordinary sophomore."

• Michael Weisman, North Andover's anything but ordinary junior lefty

Weisman, Walsh, and the reigning Division 2 North baseball champion Scarlet Knights left an impressive impression on Methuen yesterday, hanging a 9-1 defeat on the Rangers.

METHUEN - "Brandon Walsh is not your ordinary sophomore."

• Michael Weisman, North Andover's anything but ordinary junior lefty

Weisman, Walsh, and the reigning Division 2 North baseball champion Scarlet Knights left an impressive impression on Methuen yesterday, hanging a 9-1 defeat on the Rangers.