By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
WOBURN — The North Reading 10-year-old All-Star baseball team reached the District 13 semifinals before falling to Reading, 5-2, on July 8 in Woburn.
They ended up going 2-2 in the tournament.
North Reading scored in the bottom of the first inning but Reading, who ended up wining the district, took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the third. They then plated two in the fourth to lead by four.
North Reading then scored once in the bottom of the fourth.
Jackson Hodge pitched well, going 2 2/3 innings. He gave up three runs, one hit, five walks and he struck out two. Reading won despite having only two hits.
“The three runs in the third scored on one error,” pointed out North Reading head coach James Biviard.
North Reading had five hits led by Lucas Giordano who was 2 for 2 with a walk while Cam Mead went 2 for 3.
Dom Hulett had an RBI single in the first and then had a sacrifice fly in the fourth as he knocked in both runs.
On July 6, North Reading beat guest Wilmington 7-3 at Benevento Field.
North Reading scored twice in the bottom of the first and then added for more in the third. Their final run came in the fourth.
Wilmington scored once in the third and twice in the top of the fourth.
Tyler Vautin was the winning pitcher in relief. He went 1 1/3 innings allowing no runs, two hits and fanning three.
“We were able to get up early and take advantage of their errors,” pointed out Boviard, as five of their runs they scored were unearned.
Hodge had an RBI single in the first while Vautin helped his own cause with an RBI single in the third.
In the second game of the tournament on June 29, North Reading lost to Billerica, 5-1, at Benevento. Billerica won the coin toss and was the designated home team in this game.
“Our pitchers gave up only three hits but we committed four errors,” explained Boviard.
Billerica scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Thanks to an error, North Reading scored in the top of the fifth but Billerica was able to get a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth.
“Their pitcher threw a lot of strikes,” said Boviard.
Hodge went 3 1/2 innings. He gave up two runs (one earned), two hits, three walks and he struck out five.
Jace Dunn (11/3 innings) and Tyler Dautin (1/3rd of an inning) were the two other pitchers.
“Our pitching was strong but our fielders did not help them,” said Boviard.
Mead was the team’s lone multiple hitter going 2 for 2 with a walk to reach base three times. The team had only four hits.
In the opening game on June 27, North Reading doubled up host Andover 4-2.
Mead was the winning pitcher going five innings. He gave up two runs (one earned), five hits, three walks and he struck out five.
“He started off slow but finished strong,” recalled Biviard.
Hodge pitched a scoreless sixth to record the save.
North Reading scored once in the top of the fourth and then added three more in the sixth. Andover scored once in the fourth and fifth innings.
Ben Borkowski had two of the team’s four hits going 2 for 3 with two RBI with singles in the fourth and sixth inning. Charlie Libby had a fielder’s choice for an RBI in the sixth while the other run came on a passed ball.
After the districts were over, the team participated in the Conway Tournament that was held from July 13 to 25 in Tewksbury.
They did very well coming in second place as they lost to Hudson, New Hampshire, 4-0, in the finals on July 24.
It was their second loss to Hudson as they fell to them in the first game of the tournament 3-2. North Reading responded by winning their next three games.
They hammered Londonerry, New Hampshire 14-1, on July 15 and then defeated Salem, New Hampshire, 6-1, on July 16.
On July 20, they blanked Tewksbury, 12-0, to set up the rematch with Hudson.
“I had a blast,” said Boviard, about coaching this team. “This is their first opportunity to face kids from other towns in competitive baseball and they rose to the occasion.”
Boviard hopes to be able to coach these kids next summer when they turn 11.