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Whittier breaks through, nips Swampscott

Friday, June, 04 By Hector Longo

HAVERHILL - The pieces were meticulously stacked, ready for yet another colossal Whittier Tech June disappointment.

The Wildcats have been brutalized for at least 23 years, probably more, with a 1-15 state tourney mark and no trip further than the first round over that span.

Yesterday, their 7-1 lead had evaporated into a 7-7 tie with Swampscott threatening to strike the kill shot in the sixth inning of yesterday's Division 3 North first rounder.

This time, though, no. 2 seeded Whittier Tech, just wouldn't allow it to happen, rallying for an 8-7 victory and a Monday home date with the Tyngsboro/Newburyport winner in the sectional quarterfinals.

"This feels awesome," said one of a handful of heroes, shortstop Billy Lafferty of Whittier's first tourney win since a 2002 preliminary decision over Lowell Catholic. "Now we have to keep battling and hitting the ball, and we can keep this going."

Lafferty, the all-conference shortstop played a huge role in the win, flipping the momentum with his defense in the top of the sixth and plating the game-winner with his bat in the bottom of the frame.

Swampscott put two on the board in the sixth and was threatening for more with runners on second-and-third with only one out.

Enter Lafferty and starting pitcher Dillon Ryan.

The latter induced a two-hopper right at Lafferty, who trapped the runner off third and chased him down, recording the second out without a throw.

"That was huge, I saw him start to go, and I was like, nope," said Lafferty.

Ryan then buckled down for the last out, leaving it knotted up at 7.

Freshman Nathan Frongillo opened the sixth by reaching on an infield error - Swampscott's seventh of the day.
Lafferty was next and spanked a belt-high fastball to the right-centerfield gap.

Frongillo never stopped on the bases and outran the relay to the plate, eluding the tag with an acrobatic slide for the lead.

"I knew the whole time we needed to get more runs because they're a good team. We had to stay positive and keep hitting the ball," said Lafferty. "I just tried to stay back on it. He was up and just put the bat on the ball."

With the lead, the gritty Ryan, who has spent the better of his three-sport career living up to the reputation as a winner, stepped back to the hill, looking to close out the Big Blue.

Catcher Colby Starner, like the four other seniors in the Cats lineup, showed that he had no interest in ending his career before today's graduation.

He gunned down the lead runner, who had singled to open the seventh, on a steal attempt before Ryan finished in style with a pair of strikeouts.

"I definitely felt the momentum change, but I knew we were going to come back and get this one," said Ryan, who improved to 4-1 on the year and avenged a 1-0 loss to the Big Blue in the tourney opener a year ago. "We've been doing it all year. It's good to beat these guys after last year."

The frosh Frongillo was a pest all day, scoring four runs with a pair of hits. Lafferty added a 3 for 3 day, boosting his average to .450 for the season.