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Haverhill fought right to the end of a tough season, rallying for six runs in the seventh but coming up just short in a 9-7 loss to Billerica. Matt Pickles laced a two-run single and Alex Ieronimo cleared loaded bases with a double before the inning ended with the tying runs aboard.

Junior Manny Vargas, who is playing his first season of varsity baseball, had quite the day hitting and pitching to lead Haverhill to a 1-0 win over Andover. Vargas smashed a home run to leadoff the second inning. Meanwhile, he tossed a five-hit shutout. He threw all seven innings, striking out four and walking one. 

Harvey Blanco and Michael Calzetta had two hits apiece and combined for three RBIs as Lawrence tripped Haverhill 5-1.

Haverhill senior Matt Pickles made an impressive pitching debut, going the distance in a complete-game win over Methuen. The second baseman-turned-pitcher was efficient in an 84-pitch effort, strikimg out seven and scattering seven hits.

Haverhill lost a heartbreaking extra-inning battle to Tewksbury Thursday and was on the road to the same fate yesterday against Lowell. Surrendering 15 Red Raider baserunners, the Hillies dodged many bullets but rode stellar defense from freshman shortstop Nick Comei and timely pitching to a redemptive 2-1 victory. Alex Ieronimo had a clutch, two-out triple to drive in the eventual winning run then earned the save by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

XHAVERHILL — Yesterday’s game at Whittier was beginning to look just like Haverhill’s past couple disappointing outings. The Hillies, however, rediscovered their hitting strokes when they needed them most.

HAVERHILL – Matt Pelletier sat in the eye of a Central Catholic baseball graduation hurricane last May.

The two-time defending conference champions saw the entire lineup, 1-to-9, washed away, except for Pelletier – a league all-star who hit a solid .313 in the 6-7-8 holes as a junior.

You simply don't win baseball games with seven errors. Tell that to Haverhill High. The Hillies overcame the unlucky seven with some superior base-running, clutch hitting and a gritty mound effort by Brendon Bretton to down Billerica, 10-7. Manny Vargas, who came on in the sixth and slammed the door to lock down the save, smacked a solo homer in the first. Alex Ieronimo, Dan DuBois and freshman Nick Comei all had two hits for the 2-0 Hillies.

You simply don't win baseball games with seven errors. Tell that to Haverhill High. The Hillies overcame the unlucky seven with some superior base-running, clutch hitting and a gritty mound effort by Brendon Bretton to down Billerica, 10-7. Manny Vargas, who came on in the sixth and slammed the door to lock down the save, smacked a solo homer in the first. Alex Ieronimo, Dan DuBois and freshman Nick Comei all had two hits for the 2-0 Hillies.

Brendon Bretton was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, scored a run and was the winning pitcher as Haverhill opened its season by downing Holy Name 11-8.