RallyNorth.net

Andover Golden Warriors Baseball '18

Tue, Jun 12, 2018 06:00 PM @ Waltham
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final
Andover 4 3 0 0 1 0 0 8
Waltham 0 1 0 5 1 0 2 9

Andover had it ... then gave it away

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Tuesday, June, 12 By By Bill Burt
Staff writer

WALTHAM — The game was only about 20 minutes old and it felt like Andover High was headed to the Div. 1 North semifinals.

The Golden Warriors led 7-zip. And team ace Cedric Gillette, who hadn't lost to a team this spring not named Central Catholic, had mowed through the first inning like he had so many times before.

Gillette, on his longest rest of the year (10 days) due to the lengthy time off before the state tournament, had survived two shaky innings with his fastball and his defense struggled.

"But things happen in baseball," said Andover High coach Dan Grams. "You look great. Everything is in place. And then everything falls apart."

Waltham, which scored five runs in the fourth inning to make it a game, then scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap off the 9-8 comeback win. Waltham, now 14-7, faces Boston Latin (16-5) today at 4 p.m. at Alumni Field in Lowell.

Waltham opened the last inning with a triple and a walk before two infield errors capped the walk-off win.

"I told the guys that Peabody coughed up a five-run lead in their (tourney) loss to Medford," said Grams. "You can't make the errors we made in a game like this and expect to win. I couldn't have asked for any more from our offense, seven runs in two innings. You expect to hold on and win with Cedric pitching. But that's baseball."

Amazingly, Andover rapped four triples in the first two innings. Gillette, Patrick McConnell (2 hits, 3 RBI) and Bill LeBlanc hit them in the first inning and Patrick Dennehy added another in the second inning.

It was enough to knock out Waltham's star pitcher, in less than two innings. But Andover would only get one more run.

"We had runners at second and third in the fifth inning and a man on second in the seventh with one out," said Grams. "But you score eight runs, you expect to win."

Andover, which finishes 13-8, graduates 12 seniors, including six starters last night.

"I've never had more fun with a group of guys than this group," said Gillette, who will be pitching at Merrimack College next year, the same program which won its first Northeast-10 title in nearly two decades. "They came to play every day. I loved being around them. It's just tough to lose it this way and be all done.  

 

 

 

Game Statistics:

Division 1 North Quarterfinals

Andover (8): Patrick Dennehy rf 4-1-1, Cedric Gillette p/cf 4-2-1, John Metzamaeker lf/rf 4-0-2, Mike Reilly 3b 4-1-2, Matthew Potts ss 4-2-3, Patrick McConnell dh 3-1-2, Bill LeBlanc c 4-0-1, Dillon Melody 1b 3-0-0, Alex Weinreb 3-1-1, Josh Gruenberg cf/lf 0-0-0, Andrew Threialt p 0-0-0, Totals 33-8-13

Waltham (9): Maione ss 4-0-1, Arsenault 3b 4-1-1, DiVito 1b 4-0-1, Telloe 2b 4-1-2, Williams p 4-2-3, Sameski lf 2-1-0, Warner dh 4-0-0, Caliri cf 2-2-0, Muizulis c 3-1-1, Steinbutte p 0-0-0, Distasio rf 0-0-0, Totals 27-9-9

RBI: A — Dennehy, Gillette, Reilly Potts, McConnell 3, LeBlance

WP: W — Steinbutte; A — Therialt

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