After press time: Melrose falls to Everett 2-1 (July 13)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE — On Sunday afternoon, the Melrose 12-year old Williamsport Tournament All-Stars blanked host Charlestown, 9-0, at Ryan Field.
With that result, Melrose improved to 3-0 in District 12 and advanced to the championship game that took place on July 13 after press time. They will play either Charlestown or Everett at McConnell Park in Dorchester with that game starting at 7 p.m.
The winner of that game will advance to Section 3 play which will start later on next week.
In Sunday’s win, pitcher Declan Flaherty improved to 2-0 on the hill. He pitched three innings allowing no hits, two walks and he struck out nine.
“He threw hard and was sharp,” said Melrose head coach Jay Recinito. “He was untouchable.”
Recinito only pitched him three innings to save him for the district title game.
Reliever Christian Fogarty did a great job of preserving the shutout going the final three frames. He gave up only one hit, no walks and he struck out two.
“He did a great job closing the game,” said Recinito.
The Melrose offense had 12 hits with two multiple hitters. Reid Sterling and Cooper Anderson were both 2 for 3 at the dish. Sterling had a solo homer in the top of the fifth inning.
Flaherty helped his own cause with a three-run homer to left-center in the first inning as Melrose plated four runs in the first to set the tone.
They scored once in the second, twice in the fourth, and single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Conor Barrington had the team’s third home run of the day with a solo shot in the second inning. Charlie Recinito had a RBI single in the first to start the scoring.