Post publication update:
#9 North Reading defeats #8 Weston 6-4 to advance to Elite 8. (June 4)
Hornets will now host #16 Apponoquet Regional on Sunday , June 8 at 2pm at Carey Park. (Postponed from Saturday due to inclement weather)
For the latest state tournament updates and to view the bracket, click here.
Published June 5, 2025
Local nine shuts out Medfield in first round, advances to Sweet 16
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
NORTH READING — “Now what are we going to do with our free time?” uttered a dejected Medfield baseball supporter as he trudged to his car, moments after North Reading eliminated his Warriors from the MIAA Playoffs, by a score of 8-0.
Last Sunday morning, behind yet another masterful performance on the mound from Dylan Matthews, No. 9-ranked North Reading skillfully handled No. 24 Medfield and will now advance to face No. 8 Weston in the MIAA Division 3 Tournament Round of 16. Matthews allowed just a pair of hits in the shutout, fanning ten batters to improve to 7-1 on the season. He clearly saved his best outing for when it was needed most, in the opening round of a single-elimination postseason game.
“I just came in here and attacked the game plan which is to pitch to contact and got some swing and misses,” said the humble junior hurler, who most observers would agree owns a virtually unhittable heater. “We were told they were a good hitting team and me and (Matt) Mancinelli went after them with outside fastballs. And as always, we trusted the defense.”
“Dylan has been phenomenal all season,” said North Reading Coach Eric Archambault, who improved to 17-4 with the playoff win. “He’s a bulldog on the mound, earned the Game-1 start for us and absolutely delivered.”
Under chilly, blustery conditions, the North Reading defense turned in a flawless, error-free game. The offense, meanwhile, was exceptional, scoring at least one run in 6-of-7 innings over a Medfield squad that had earlier defeated No. 41 Greater Lowell Tech, 4-1, to reach the Round of 32.
In the opening frame, the Hornets put up a three-spot, capitalizing on a pair of walks and a hit batter. Leadoff hitter Antonio Ricca was first to score, crossing
on a bases-loaded walk. Later, Mancinelli added to his team-leading RBI count of 24, knocking in a pair with a single.
In the second inning, designated hitter Glenn Mello drilled a leadoff double to center and soon made it 4-0, reaching on a passed ball.
“We knew their pitcher had good stuff,” said Mello, who went 2-of-3 off Medfield starter Danny Vasquez. “It’s a mentality thing for me, jumping on the first pitch or waiting for my pitch and not missing out on opportunities.”
The Warriors threatened in the third, putting a man in scoring position with a stolen base but Dylan struck out his counterpart, Vasquez, to end the inning and strand the baserunner.
The Hornets added runs in the third, fifth, and sixth. The loudest hit was a Mello triple that scored pinch-runner Cam Parrett.
“You practice, you try to prepare as much as you can, but when the tournament starts, you never know how everything will go,” said Archambault. “Today was just awesome and I’m proud of them.”
Noteworthy was a pre-game tribute paid to 16-year-old teammate Brady Cullen who recently underwent therapy for a brain tumor. Last week, when Cullen rang the bell to signify the completion of 30 rounds of intense radiation therapy, the entire North Reading baseball team was on hand in the Massachusetts General Hospital corridor to join him in the celebration. Brady threw out the first pitch for Sunday’s playoff game to resounding applause from spectators.
North Reading will travel to face Weston in the Round of 16 this evening at 6 p.m.