Post-publication updates:
North Reading falls 11-8 to North Andover in Haverhill Hillie Tournament Championship (May 25)
North Reading defeats Lawrence in first round of Haverhill Hillie Tournament (May 24)
North Reading defeats Stoneham 8-0 on Senior Night (May 23)
Published May 22, 2025
Local nine looks to finish terrific regular season strong
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
NORTH READING — On Tuesday afternoon, a late season showdown took place as 14-3 Hamilton-Wenham paid a visit to 14-2 North Reading. At stake for the Hornets was a share of the Cape Ann League title, along with bragging rights for a defeat over the current No. 3 program in Division 4 baseball.
Unfortunately for the Hornets, neither took place as the Generals claimed a 6-2 win, rendering late damage. Tied 2-2 through most of the game, North Reading surrendered a three-spot in the pivotal seventh inning and was unable to respond.
Hamilton-Wenham was out to a quick first inning lead, as Notre-Dame bound Gian Gamelli lifted a 2-run homer over the centerfield fence. But the Hornets answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the frame, plating Christian Lava and Gavin Brady on a double steal to knot the score. The combatants remained tied through the sixth due, in part, to exceptional pitching from Glenn Mello, as well as Ethan Quan in late relief. But then the Hornets suffered a late setback.
“Honestly, I thought we faced a really good pitcher today,” said North Reading Coach Eric Archambault, referring to Generals’ starter Cormac Heney, who fanned 13 Hornets in a complete game. “We only got a couple of hits and struck out far too many times to win a high school baseball game.”
“Throughout, I thought Glenn Mello pitched a hellova game, I thought he did an awesome job, and Ethan came in and pitched well,” added the Coach. “And the defense played very well. But there just wasn’t enough offense.”
Since the calendar turned to May, North Reading has claimed six of seven outings. They edged Essex Tech, 7-5, to open the month, routed Triton 15-6 in a rain-shortened contest and topped Pentucket in a 5-3 nailbiter. The Hornets sustained a 6-2 loss to rival Lynnfield in the season rematch, but then bounced back with three straight, handing Georgetown a 4-3 defeat, crushing Newburyport, 15-0, and wrapping up the sequence with a 6-2 win over Amesbury before hosting the Generals.
Matt Mancinelli currently leads the Hornets in all three key statistics, batting .468, sharing the top spot for hits with Christian Lava at 22 apiece, and leads the squad with 18 RBI. Gavin Brady (.452) and Lava (.415) trail slightly in the batting average category.
Noteworthy during the offensive deluge in recent weeks was Mello, who drilled a solo homer in the Newburyport game, joining Jason Curran with home-runs to their credit this season.
With three non-league games remaining before the post-season gets underway, North Reading will settle for second place in the Cape Ann League, edged in the win column by nemesis Lynnfield. The Hornets currently possess the No. 8-seed in the 71-team MIAA Division 3 Power Rankings.
“I’m proud of the way the kids battled today,” said Archambault, who will next travel to face non-league opponent Lawrence Thursday afternoon. “We have to get back to the lab, make a few adjustments at the plate, and get ready for our final three regular season games.”