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Ipswich captures season-opening tournament over host Georgetown

The rain and cold couldn't stop Ipswich in the first Bert Spofford Memorial Baseball Tournament in Georgetown this weekend. Neither could Newburyport or Georgetown, for that matter, as the Tigers captured the crown with a pair of thrilling victories.

Greg Doucette was named tournament MVP by earning a save in Ipswich's 6-4 win over Newburyport on Saturday, then picking up a complete-game victory to go along with three hits and two RBIs in the Tigers' 6-5 win over Georgetown.

Jim Cadogan allowed four runs over six innings to get the win in the tourney opener, while senior captain Alex Lampropoulos powered Ipswich's nine-hit attack with three hits. Doucette pitched a perfect seventh inning for the save. Freshman outfielder John Eldredge added two RBIs for the winners.

Doucette struck out four in the complete-game effort in the championship. Eldredge added two runs and reached base in all four plate appearances with two walks, one hit, and one hit by pitch.

"We went 2-0 against two very solid teams. Newburyport and Georgetown will win a lot of games this year," Ipswich coach Gardy O'Flynn said. "They were hard-fought wins and we found a way to get it done in each game.

"It was a well-run tournament. Bert Spofford did a lot of things in Amesbury, Georgetown, and the Newburyport area. He was also real close to Elliot Roundy, the legendary athletic director at Ipswich. This is a special tournament and it was really well-run by Georgetown."