Update after press time: Melrose defeats Stoneham 5-4 (May 15)
Published May 16, 2025
Tourney time for Melrose baseball
2 shutouts & Capodilupo no hitter seals the deal
By CORY THOMAS
MELROSE—The Melrose High varsity baseball team is returning to playoffs for the first time since 2022 after earning their 10th win of the season, a 7-0 shutout over Wilmington, which follows a flawless 1-0 no hitter thrown by Melrose junior Brian Capodilupo on May 12.
Melrose, at 10-6, looks to continue their winning streak and clinch the Middlesex Freedom league, which could be determined by early next week when they finish their ML schedule against Watertown and Stoneham. Melrose has four overall games ahead and eye on earning a higher seed in the tournament.
On Monday, May 12 Melrose traveled north to take on border rival Wakefield at Walsh Field, a critical game for both teams who have postseason aspirations. Melrose sent junior right-hander Brian Capodilupo to the mound against Wakefield, and the pitcher himself had a feeling he was going to be up to the big-game task. Said Capodilupo, “During warmups, I felt locked in and that all my pitches were working, and I knew I’d need them all against Wakefield.”
Wakefield countered with hard throwing southpaw sophomore Patrick Maloney.
Through the first two innings, the game had the makings of a pitchers’ duel as both pitchers were in command early, quickly retiring batters from both team. That was until the top of the 3rd inning, when Melrose leadoff hitter, senior captain Michael Thomas dug in against the tough lefty, Maloney. The left- handed hitting Thomas hit a hard grounder to the left of Wakefield’s first baseman. Thomas dug hard down the line to beat Maloney to first for an infield hit. The fleet footed Thomas then got the signs from Melrose head coach Scott Searles and broke to second base on a good jump to force an errant throw by Wakefield’s catcher Dylan McDermott. Thomas quickly got to his feet and continued to third. As he continued his tour around the bases, he danced off of third, trying to distract Maloney. Maloney rushed a pickoff attempt that eluded the third baseman and Thomas sprinted home with the games’ first, and ultimately, only run. Said Thomas of his aggressive base running, “Our bats were kind of quiet against a tough Wakefield pitcher. I was trying to get the boys going. They were pretty fired up after I scored. We all were, and we knew Brian (Capodilupo) was throwing so dominantly on the mound.”
Backed with is first lead, Capodilupo got stronger as the game progressed, continuing to shut down Wakefield, mixing his pitches effectively and striking out eight Warrior batters throughout his start. Capodilupo felt completely comfortable with his teammates behind him. “I trusted my teammates and our defense to get the job done behind me, and that is exactly what they did.” Capodilupo entered the 7th inning looking for the complete game shutout and, a rarity in baseball, a no-hitter. He ended the game as he started it with a 1-2-3 inning to finish off his complete game gem and no-hitter as Melrose earned a key league victory, 1-0, over their rivals Wakefield.
The win came after another big game against Middlesex League rival Burlington, whom Melrose fell to 8-4 on May 8. Starting pitcher sophomore Jameson Hickey got the nod and Melrose had a lead late in the 6th after a big two RBI single by senior Reid Heidebrecht, but the Red Devils rallied late to earn the 8-4 victory. These two teams remain deadlocked in the Freedom league with just one loss (to each other) and if they both finish their ML Freedom schedule victorious, may end up sharing a league title. It would be Melrose’s first in decades.
On Tuesday, May 13, Melrose traveled to Wilmington where they faced Wildcat ace, 6’6″ senior flamethrower Ayden Balter. Melrose countered with its own fire baller, Jaiden Aquino. Melrose found themselves in a pitchers’ duel for the second consecutive day. Balter and Aquino battled in a scoreless pitching duel for the first four innings with strong defense behind their respective pitchers. Melrose struck first as sophomore Nate Geer worked a key walk to start the fifth inning. The speedy Geer would steal second and advance to third on an errant throw into the outfield. Senior captain Dylan Harrington sent a fly ball to deep left field, deep enough to easily score Nate Geer on a sacrifice fly and an RBI for Harrington and a 1-0 lead for Melrose and their dominant righty Jaiden Aquino. Aquino, like Capodilupo the day before in Wakefield, got stronger as the game progressed. Added Harrington, “Brian and Jaiden have been great for us all year. They’ve been 1A and 1B all year, and a real problem for opposing hitters.”
Melrose was happy to see Balter exit the game for Wilmington and Melrose’s bats heated up in the warm May sun. Senior Reid Heidebrecht added two hits, as did junior Cadel McKeown, to pace the Melrose offense. Harrington added a big, bases loaded single to knock in two runs in in the top of the 6th inning to extend the Melrose lead to 4-0. Harrington continued in his praise of his senior classmates and teammates, Aquino, Brendan Doyle, Reid Heidebrecht and Michael Thomas. “The last couple of weeks we (seniors) have really started to take the lead on the team.”
Senior Jaiden Aquino finished off Wilmington in style, getting them in order the final two innings, retiring six straight batters, four by way of strikeout to complete his own seven inning complete game shutout, where he would scatter 3 hits and he added thirteen strikeouts in an overpowering performance to help improve Melrose’s record to 10-6 overall (9-5 Middlesex League).
Melrose looks to extend that winning streak as they travel to Stoneham on Thursday (post deadline). Melrose will soon prepare for the state tournament for the first time since 2022, extending the careers of a strong group of seniors beyond the regular season.