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Methuen Rangers Baseball '17

Thu, Jun 08, 2017 07:00 PM @ Methuen
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final
Lowell 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3
Methuen 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Lowell upsets No. 1 Methuen

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BEVERLY — This is what happens on baseball fields in June. You run into pitchers like Lowell High’s Henry Funaro.

Funaro, headed to up-and-coming Division 1 baseball power UMass Lowell, has a fastball in the upper 80s and a slider that drops six inches.

“We’ve seen (Funaro) before. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy today,” said Methuen High coach Bill Blackwell after last night’s 3-1 loss to Lowell in the Division 1 North semifinals.

“We just couldn’t play our game, which is getting guys on base, moving runners over and just causing havoc,” said Blackwell.

Lowell didn’t have an easy time either, facing Methuen star Jacob Thibault, another of the best pitchers in the Merrimack Valley Conference.

But three quick hits out of the first four batters to open the game, leading to two runs, was basically all Lowell and Funaro needed.

Methuen got a run back in the first inning thanks to a walk, single and wild pitch. But leaving runners on second and third in the opening frame ended up being the only time the Rangers runners in scoring position other than the third inning.

Senior Owen Foote, who had both of Methuen’s hits — two hard singles to center — gave all the credit to Funaro’s ability to not allow any rallies after the first inning.

“He’s really tough,” said Foote, who also had a stolen base. “He’s got a very good fastball, but it’s his slider that gets batters. Every time you fall behind, you’ll get the slider. I was able to stay off it and hit his fastball.”

While Thibault settled down after the first inning and matched Funaro (13 strikeouts over seven innings) most of the way, it was too little, too late.

“It was about the sixth inning and I told somebody that I wish I had that first inning back,” said Thibault, a senior. “I went against Henry as a sophomore. He was pretty good back then. Now he’s great.”

Methuen High finishes the season at 18-6, that coming after consecutive seasons of 11 and eight wins.

“I loved this team,” said Foote. “We really had a lot a fun. It’s a great league. And we were in every game.”

In fact, coach Blackwell said thanks to pitching, which allowed only eight runs over its last six games, made this team and season extra special.

“We were in 21 of our 24 games this year because of our pitching,” said Blackwell. “The MVC was tough this year, especially the pitching. Every team had a few guys that could bring it. I couldn’t be prouder. Our seniors really showed some leadership. It was a lot of fun.”

Lowell 3, Methuen 1

Division 1 North Semifinals

Lowell (3): Lynch 4-2-2, Velazquez 4-1-3, Funaro p 3-0-1, Cruz 3-0-1, Smith 3-0-0, Gilman 3-0-1, Beland 2-0-0, Quinn 3-0-1, Jimenez 3-0-1. Totals: 28-3-10

Methuen (1): Jacob Thibault p 2-0-0, Brett Blackwell 2-1-0, Owen Foote 3-0-2, Jordan Perdomo 3-0-0, Brendan O’Shea 2-0-0, Seth Pare 3-0-0, Roan Marcano 3-0-0, Devin Melia 3-0-0, Joey Rogato 2-0-0, Sam Ferullo 1-0-0. Totals: 24-1-2

RBI: L — Velazquez 2, Funaro

WP: Funaro; LP: Thibault

Lowell (16-7): 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 3

Methuen (18-6): 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1

Game Statistics:

Division 1 North Semifinals

Lowell (3): Lynch 4-2-2, Velazquez 4-1-3, Funaro p 3-0-1, Cruz 3-0-1, Smith 3-0-0, Gilman 3-0-1, Beland 2-0-0, Quinn 3-0-1, Jimenez 3-0-1. Totals: 28-3-10

Methuen (1): Jacob Thibault p 2-0-0, Brett Blackwell 2-1-0, Owen Foote 3-0-2, Jordan Perdomo 3-0-0, Brendan O'Shea 2-0-0, Seth Pare 3-0-0, Roan Marcano 3-0-0, Devin Melia 3-0-0, Joey Rogato 2-0-0, Sam Ferullo 1-0-0. Totals: 24-1-2

RBI: L — Velazquez 2, Funaro

WP: Funaro; LP: Thibault

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