Update post-publication: North Reading defeats Manchester-Essex 10-2 (4/28). Hosts Lynnfield Tuesday at 4 p.m.
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
GROVELAND — While their late inning tenacity in recent baseball games has been something to admire, it was certainly a nice change of pace for the North Reading Hornets to finally capture a win that didn’t require a nail-biting, come-from-behind effort down the stretch.
Facing Bedford two weeks ago, North Reading rallied back from four runs down in the fifth inning to defeat the Buccaneers, 8-6, and early last week, the Hornets came up with an extra-inning walk-off 7-6 win over Cape Ann League adversary Triton.
The welcome change took place at the Pines Athletic Field in Groveland early last Thursday morning, when North Reading jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead over host Pentucket and never trailed on the way to a convincing 5-2 final.
The Hornets improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Cape Ann League while Pentucket remains winless at 0-3.
North Reading Coach Eric Archambault was aware that Pentucket came into the game on the heels of two straight slaughter-rule defeats. Regardless, he respected their ability.
“We’ve actually struggled against this Pentucket team over the last few years and haven’t had a win here in some time,” said the coach. “We pushed a couple of runs across in the first inning which was big. It allowed our freshman pitcher Dylan Matthews to get a confidence boost and settle into the game.”
Matthews, in his first start of the season, turned in a sterling performance, allowing just a pair of runs off 4 hits while fanning eight.
“Our approach is to attack the strike zone and have faith in our defense,” said Matthews, who went the distance to record his first win. “I have a ton of faith in the defense behind me. They made some tremendous plays today.”
Junior Caleb Meisner got the start for the Panthers and immediately yielded a pair of bunt singles to the top of the Hornet order, Ryan McGuire and Alex Carucci. Aldo Vittozzi, batting third, plated McGuire with a ground ball out and Zach Rosatone, in the cleanup spot, ripped an RBI-basehit, driving in Carucci for a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third and with two outs, the Panthers threatened by loading the bases on a walk, a bunt single, and a fielding error. Matthews, while chasing a foul pop, was tripped up by the baserunner heading to first. Intentional or not, the officials consulted and agreed that it was clearly interference, ending the inning.
Matthews grew stronger as the game progressed. In the fourth inning, for instance, the young hurler set down the side on just 6 pitches.
“He’s the definition of a bulldog on the mound,” said Archambault. “He attacks the strike zone and understands what he has to do to get guys out. If our opponent rips a couple of hard-hit balls, he has that ‘so what’ mentality. It’s awesome to see that attitude in a freshman.”
Leading off the fifth frame, Jason Curran took one between the shoulder blades. The Hornet first baseman later scored what proved to be the game-winner, unearned on a pickoff overthrow and back-to-back passed balls. In the sixth, Robbie Daley drilled a two-out double to left and soon crossed on Anthony Corvino’s RBI-chopper that was bobbled at short. In the seventh, Curran circled the bases on a series of Pentucket miscues,, scoring an insurance run.
The Panthers picked up a pair in the bottom of the sixth, claiming three of their four hits off Matthews. Minimizing the damage was Daley, who turned a double play off a hard hit ball to third that he initially dropped.
“A lot of kids, with a first and second, no-out situation would panic,” said Archambault. “He picked up the ball, calmly stepped on third, and threw down to second to record the key double play. It was absolutely a game-changer.”
Another impressive defensive play was furnished by McGuire, who raced from center to left to track down a deep fly ball.
“Ryan was shading to left center which allows our right fielder to play closer to the line,” the coach explained. “Ryan got a great jump on that hit. That was one of the better catches I’ve seen in some time – it was impressive.”
In Saturday action, the North Reading Hornets suffered their second defeat of the season, dropping a 5-1 decision to the 6-1 Georgetown Royals in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Next on the docket for the now 5-2 Hornets is a visit from Manchester-Essex, on Thursday at 4:15 p.m.