RallyNorth.net

Brunette, Knights make history

Saturday, June, 06 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

LOWELL - For a team forging ahead into history, North Andover High looked quite at home here on the finely-manicured diamond at LeLacheur Park.

Sophomore Alec Jillson slapped a two-run single in the first and Aaron Brunette - with a save from Mike Weisman - made it work swimmingly as the Knights knocked off Reading, 2-0, before about 500 fans for the Division 2 North championship.

It is the first sectional baseball title in school history and leaves North Andover two victories away from a state championship. Tuesday night, down the road at Alumni Field in Lowell, the Knights will tackle the South champion - either Foxboro or Plymouth North.

"That's a lot of good teams in a lot of years that didn't do this," said the sophomore Weisman, who came on with one on and no out in the seventh and closed out the fourth-seeded Rockets on a ground out and a pair of strikeouts.

"For us to do this is just a great thrill."

Brunette, who dominated for six-plus shutout innings, strapped the 20-4 Knights on his back in this one. The UMass Dartmouth-bound righty struck out nine with only one walk.

Only once did Brunette, now 4-2, encounter real trouble, with Rocket runners on second and third with two out in the second.

Brunette, who mixed a nasty 12-to-6 breaking ball with some high (low 80s heat) buckled up to get the No. 9 hitter, Ryan Nelson on strikes to end the threat.

Brunette then mowed down the 12 of the next 14 to cruise into the seventh. After a lead single, Weisman was summoned.

"I wanted to finish this thing, but I guess I got a little tired," said Brunette.

"The way Aaron was pitching out there today, I thought there was no chance I'd be going in," said Weisman. "He was that good."

Offensively, it again was a case of North Andover picking up just enough.

Jillson and senior leadoff man Ryan Sifferlen chopped two hits apiece, and that was it.

The UMass Amherst-bound Sifferlen slapped a solid single to left in the first, and an out later Connor Walsh worked a 3-2 walk. The pair moved up a base on a wild pickoff attempt, leading to Jillson's at-bat.

With the infielders halfway, Jillson sliced a liner that just beat the leap of second baseman Jeff Harvey.

"Hit it where it's pitched, that's it," said Jillson. "I was relaxed in there and I saw a few pitches and worked into a fastball count."