By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE — Shane MacMaster is the new head coach of the Melrose Lou Tompkins All-Star baseball team this summer. This league features playes aged 16 and younger.
“Most of our players are heading into ninth grade,” explained MacMaster, as his squad is one of the youngest in the league.
The league has 12 teams overall all in the North Shore or Greater Boston area.
The season started in mid June and goes until the first week in August. There are 17 games in the regular season.
Only the top four teams advance to the playoffs, which will start around August 11, pending weather.
Melrose, who plays their home games at Morelli Field, has 20 players on their roster.
After 10 games the team’s record sits at 5-4-1 as they are in seventh place. Cambridge headed into this week in first at 12-1.
“We got a great group of young men,” stated MacMaster. “We had a couple of close losses where we lost by one run.”
Two players that have stood out, according to McMaster, have been Cadel McKeown and Jon Recinito.
“He has had a strong year so far,” said MacMaster, about McKeown who is a pitcher and outfielder.
Recinito is a key utility player.
“He is a strong hitter who plays many different positions for us,” said MacMaster.
The latest game for the team was on July 27 after press time as they hosted Medford. They then play three games in three days early next week.
On July 31, they host Haverhill at 6:30 p.m. They then welcome Reading the next night also at 6:30 p.m.
Melrose then visits Andover on Aug. 2 with that game starting at 5:45 p.m.