Sports: Softball Blowouts, Baseball Stumbles, Boys’ Lacrosse Missed Opportunity

May 12, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High Varsity Softball.

Softball

In the past few days, Boston sports media has been all worked up that the Boston Red Sox scored 27 runs in two games vs. the hapless Oakland A’s.

Well, Belmont High Softball scored 34 in their last two complete games, and they won both with shutouts.

So there!

After a rough patch in which the team faced the established teams in the Middlesex League, Belmont righted the boat with a 22-0 victory over a very young Watertown squad and took some revenge from Arlington, beating the SpyPonders at home, 12-0 (called after 5 innings) on Wednesday, May 11 after losing the first encounter of the season, 13-1.

The wins – in between the finish of a halted contest with Burlington (a 10-1 loss) – brings the Marauders up to 5-7 and within a realistic chance of making the playoffs for the first time in several years.

“We certainly have a chance of breaking through into the postseason,” said first-year coach Melissa O’Connor, who praised the girls for bringing “great intensity to the game, from the first inning to the fifth.”

Taking part in Wednesday’s slug fest was senior catcher Meghan Ferraro who collected two doubles, a triple along with a single to go 4-4 and 5 RBIs, second base Katrina Rizzuto (three singles, three runs), third base Lia Muckjian (3-4 with 3 RBIs) and first base Irini Nikolaidis whose 4th inning bases-loaded triple sealed the victory. Sophomore pitcher Christine MacLeod struck out five Arlington batters for the win.

“We know we can score runs, 10 to nine a game, so we are going to be in every game for the rest of the season,” said O’Connor.

Baseball

Just about ten days ago, Belmont High Baseball was undefeated (8-0) and ranked 16th in the Boston Globe’s top 20 baseball poll. It looked like clear sailing the rest of the way into the playoffs.

Well, not so fast, Marauders.

Since that red hot start, Belmont Baseball has allowed themselves to flutter into the wind and lost its early momentum, going 1-3 in their last four, as ace pitcher Cole Bartels struggles with his release point and patient hitting by their opponents is paying off.

On Wednesday, Belmont played host to Arlington High and played that role to perfection, allowing the SpyPonders to take an early lead, stretch it with some key errors – leaving a good performance by sophomore pitcher Max Meier out to dry – and never finding any offensive punch with the exception of a Bartels double that this the base of the wall in deep center.

The final was an 8-0 drubbing; the first shutout of Belmont this season.

“You would expect with first place in the Middlesex League on the line, we would have responded,” said long-time head coach Jim Brown.

“We didn’t show anything today. Errors killed us, and our hitting was non-existent as we were upper-cutting everything,” said Brown.

Belmont will attempt to tack the boat back into the wind Friday, May 13 away against Woburn behind sophomore righty Nate Espelin.

Boys Lacrosse

Tuesday night, May 10 was going to be a celebration of a resurgent Belmont High Boys’ Lacrosse team with a late afternoon game to allow parents and fans to fill the stands at Harris Field.

But it was visiting Watertown which left with a good feeling, upending Belmont, 11-10, to send the Marauders to 5-8 and likely end their pursuit of a playoff spot.

Sports: Christofori Steps In To Put Belmont Baseball Back On Winning Ways

May 10, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Another unearned run in the second for Belmont.

After losing its first two games of the season in the past week, and with upstart Watertown breathing down its neck midway through its game on a blustery Monday afternoon, May 9, Belmont High School Baseball Head Coach Jim Brown was wondering who could spark the Marauders to put them back on track

And in true baseball tradition, it was a player who came off the bench to, literally, save the day.

After tweaking his ankle and sitting out the past two, starting catcher/reliever junior Cal Christofori took the ball from team ace Cole Bartels in the top of the fourth and proceeded to pitch four shutout innings to allow Belmont to take its only meeting of the season against its archrivals, 7-4.

“[Christofori] wasn’t supposed to play today but [Bartels] was struggling a bit and Cal said his ankle could go, and we got a huge effort out of him in relief,” said Brown.

Christofori gave up only four hits (one double) while striking out four, the final one a third out with Raiders on third and second in the 6th.

“I only sprained my ankle, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. They needed someone to throw, and I was there and just stepped in,” said the three-sport star.

The victory puts Belmont (9-2) one game from securing a place in the sectional postseason.

“It’ll be good to clinch it against Arlington on Wednesday, but they have been playing much better than they were at the beginning of the year,” he said.

Bartels struggled a bit in the game as Watertown’s batters showed a great deal of patience at the plate, sending Bartels’ pitch count up into the 60 after three innings. Watertown appeared to have scored in the top of the first on a fielder’s choice but the home plate umpire called the runners on second and first out on a rarely called interference play for not sliding into second.

Belmont took advantage in the bottom of the second of sloppy Watertown fielding to score five times on four errors and two singles by Bartels and shortstop Connor Dacey.

But the Raiders came right back, scoring four times in the third, the big blows by Watertown pitcher Kyle Foley who walloped a Bartels fastball far over the right field fence and Mike Giordano’s double that scored a pair.

But after facing Bartels’ fastballs, Christofori threw a healthy portion of lazy curves that kept the Raiders off balance for the remaining four innings.

Belmont got the insurance they were looking for in the fifth and sixth as Paul Ramsey (on a single) and Bryan Goodwin (sacrifice) batted runners in.

“We were going to make Watertown throw us out. Even in the last inning getting the final run, we were going to make sure they made the play in front of us,” said Brown.

Sports: Trey Butler Breaks School LAX Career Scoring Mark

May 9, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Trey Butler and his teammates after Butler broke the school’s scoring record

It took four years to accomplish but finally on a wet, cold Saturday afternoon, Belmont High School’s senior Richard “Trey” Butler became the top career points scorer in Boys’ Lacrosse when he racked up his 267th point – an assist – in a 12-5 loss to Brookline.

“I wish we could have competed better today, but it’s pretty awesome,” said Butler after the game which saw Belmont’s record slide to 5-7.

Known for his work rate and a deadly shot from mid-distance, Butler said he could not have accomplished his goal without the work of his teammates “who really stepped up this year.”

“Other teams know that I’m a dodger [an offensive player who drives to the opponent’s goal with the ball while evading and passing defenders] so this year I’ve been making more assists,” he said.

“I think he’s the hardest working player on the team, and that’s a testament to his tirelessness,” said Head Coach Josh Streit, who said Butler is the first player he coached who has started varsity in every game of his four years in the program.

“[Butler] is truly an outlier,” said Streit, referring to the book written by Malcolm Gladwell. “He puts in hundreds of hours of practice in the fall and winter so that he can be the elite player.”

Sports: Belmont Remain Undefeated With Shutout Win Over Woburn

April 27, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont sophomore southpaw Nate Espeline.

Break up the Marauders!

After its 3-0 shutout win Monday afternoon, April 25 over Woburn behind another stellar outing from sophomore southpaw Nate Espelin (a two-hit, six strikeout workmanlike afternoon), Belmont High Baseball has been playing some of the best baseball in the state.

Monday’s victory at the Grant was Belmont’s sixth win in as many games this season and atop the Middlesex Liberty Division, a place Marauders head coach Jim Brown is happy to be in.

“You always want to be 6 and 0,” he said.

A little over a third of the way through the season, Belmont has found a little pop in its bats which serves an impressive pitching staff – sophomores Espelin and Max Meier, both 2-0, have complimented last year’s Middlesex MVP Cole Bartels who has a 0.00 ERA in his two wins, striking out an average of 13 batters per game.

In its six games, the pitching staff has given up just two earn runs. And this is with senior starter Joe Shaughnessy on the shelf with a tweaked shoulder.

“Our young pitchers are throwing strikes and not getting into trouble. That’s a nice thing to have,” said Brown.

Espelin got all the runs he needed with two outs in the first with the big blow coming from centerfielder Bryan Goodwin who singled in two runs, part of a four hit barrage started by catcher Cal Christofori’s double and followed by singles from Belmont’s big boys, first base Dennis Crowley (with the rbi) and DH Ryan Noone.

It was left up to the lefty to hold the lead. Espelin never faced more than four batters in the innings he pitched, giving up just a pair of singles.

Next up for the Marauders is Lexington, a team they have had difficulty beating in the last three years, at home on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:45 p.m. The Minutemen will be matched up against Bartels.

Sports: Boys’ Lacrosse Enters ‘Critical’ Stretch at .500 With Strong Win Over Dracut

April 25, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Trey Butler.

Belmont High School Boys’ Lacrosse Head Coach Josh Streit wanted to go into the coming week on a high note. And Saturday’s performance by his squad was the response he was seeking as the Marauders behind senior captain midfielder Trey Butler’s nine goals, four assist morning beat a young Dracut High team, 17-7, on a wet Harris Field Saturday, April 23.

“This a huge week coming up and we are excited how we played today,” said Streit, noting that they play Arlington, Stoneham and Woburn in the week after spring recess.

“This is where we wanted to be at .500 (3-3), so this week is a make or break for us because these are all winnable games coming up,” said Streit. The first week of May will see two more games with Burlington and Watertown that Belmont should be favored to win, he said.

The next five games are important for us and important for us to win. We are looking to get to nine [wins, which will put the Marauders in the playoffs] and if we can run five more we will be at eight and then we just have to steal one down the road,” said Streit.

On the field, Middlesex All-Star Butler was again the spark for the offense to run off, taking on the double team; either beating multiple defenders or dishing off to a cutting attack. Butler is also nearing the school record for points and goals, marking just another school career record that appears ready to fall, this year including in girls’ swimming (Jessie Blake-West) and boys’ basketball (Matt Kerans).

“[Butler] will get the headlines for the goals but the best player today was [senior midfielder] Justin Wagner (1 goal) was the man of the match for the first half because of all the ground balls he picked up and riding so he was a huge difference-maker for us,” said Streit.

Also with multiple goals were attack Michael Cole with four tallies and Nick Coppolo with a pair.

The game began under a dark cloud as senior goaltender Peter Stoesser “injured his thumb in warm ups” said Streit.

Stoesser has been unbeatable from 15 yards and longer “and that’s the reason we play the defense that we do,” said Streit.

In his place, freshman Mike Delhomme was put in the net “and he’s great; athletic, moves very well and is very loud. I was concerned for [Stoesser] but not for the team today,” he said.

Sports: Bartels Wins Battle of Aces as Belmont Takes Classic Over Wilmington

April 21, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Cole Bartels before Wednesday game.

The spectators came early to find good seats on a brisk sunny Wednesday morning game at Belmont’s Branden Grant Field, as nearly a dozen major league scouts turned up with radar guns and reporters for the daily newspapers were out in force.

The game was a rare meeting around these parts of a pair of top-ranked pitching prospects; Wilmington’s hard-throwing Jackson Gillis and Belmont’s talented Cole Bartels battling it out on the diamond.

And the two – each signed last season with Division 1 schools: Gillis to Vanderbilt and Penn State for Bartels – did not disappoint as they each threw a gem of a game in this classic pitcher’s duel, combining for a total of more than two dozen strikeouts while giving up a single hit each over five innings.

While the pro scouts had come out to see the 6’3″, 225 pound Gillis who is expected to be an early-round selection in the major league draft, the spring recess matinee was Bartels’ day in the spotlight as the senior dominated the Wildcats from start to finish as the Middlesex League all-star registering a 15 strikeout, 107 pitch masterpiece in the Marauders’ 2-0 victory.

“All my pitches were working today,” said Bartels, who is coming off a 13 strikeout performance in the season’s opener against Concord-Carlisle.

While starting off most batters with fast balls, Bartels was getting them out with his breaking ball.

“My ‘out’ pitch was my slider,” said Bartels of the pitch that tails and drops away from right hand batters.

A deeper look at the stats shows just how dominate Bartels was Wednesday: only seven times did Wilmington players hit the ball where a field player was called to make a play while three times – in the second, fourth and sixth innings – Bartels struck out the side. Of the 15 strikeouts, five times the batter took the pitch looking and only twice did he throw a strikeout on a full-count as his control and location was outstanding all game long.

While he was anticipating his third matchup with Gillis – he beat the Wildcat’s leading pitcher twice last season – “but it was no different than any other game for me,” said Bartels said. “I got a lot more confident as the game went on, I felt I got stronger,” Bartels said while praising his battery partner, catcher Cal Christofori, for being a rock behind the plate.

While Bartels will be remembered as having the top pitching day, Gillis was no slouch Wednesday. In his first pitch sequence against Trevor Kelly, Belmont’s leadoff hitter, Gillis threw three fastballs that hit 91 mph on the radar (the third pitch was fouled off) before throwing a curve ball recorded in the mid-80s for the strikeout.

Gillis struck out eight of the first nine outs in the game. But one of his victims, DH Ryan Noone, reached first on a third-strike passed ball in the second inning. Noone took second on a wild pitch and scored on second base Noah Riley’s shot up the middle to give Belmont an early 1-0 lead.

With a run in his pocket, Bartels nearly gave it back in the top of the fourth when second base Brian Cavanaugh hit an opposite-field double down the line. But Cavanaugh was stranded on second as Bartels struck out the side.

Belmont put up some insurance on the board by scrapping together a run playing small ball against Gillis’ replacement, Chris Grecco, in the sixth. Bartels started the inning with a single and his batterymate Cal Christofori reached on an error.

After a Dennis Crowley sacrifice put the pair in scoring position, Noone attempted the squeeze with Bartel but the pitcher was caught at the plate. But in an attempt to gun down Noone at second, Christofori never stopped running and beat the return throw.

Belmont now stands at 4-0 and is atop the Middlesex League’s Liberty Division.

“It’s our best start of a season for a while,” said Belmont’s long-time manager, Joe Brown.

Sports: Boys’ Lacrosse Rely on Big Time Goalie, Attack Play to Win Home Opener

April 19, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont senior attack Trey Butler (in white) scored six times, including here surrounded by three defenders and connecting from a severe angle.

Goalie Peter Stoesser’s big stick and the offensive creativity of attackman Trey Butler propelled Belmont High School’s Boys’ Lacrosse team over a quick and chippy Wilmington High squad as the Marauders coming away with an 8-6 victory at the team’s home opener Friday afternoon, April 15 at Harris Field.

The win was the team’s second consecutive victory and lifts the Marauders to 2-3 after starting the season on the road for four straight games.

Part of Belmont’s one-two punch Friday came from senior Stoesser, who shut down the Wildcats from 10 yards and beyond. The call of “All day” was heard on the Marauder sideline as Stoesser pocketed each shot attempted from a distance.

On the other end of the pitch, senior captain Trey Butler proved to be the man of the match on the offensive side. One of the best lacrosse players in program history, Butler scored six times – including surrounded by three defenders and connecting from a severe angle – on ten shots while providing an assist on Tyler Reynolds’ goal. The only tally Butler was not involved in was Aleck Morin’s beautiful score (and final goal of the game) that bounced high off the turf into the net.

Next up for the squad is a home match with Dracut on Saturday, April 23.

Sports: Bats Come Alive As Belmont Softball Wins Season Opener

April 18, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Julia Rikin rounding the bases during her home run in the season opener vs. Waltham.

A six-run second highlighted by an inside-the-park-homerun from senior slugger Julia Rifkin and solid early season pitching from sophomore Christine MacLeod resulted in a successful opening day for Belmont High Softball as the Marauders defeated visiting Waltham High, 7-4, to start the 2016 campaign on the right foot.

Belmont’s bats took advantage of somewhat soft pitching from the Hawks’ in the second frame as Belmont batted through the line up on five hits and two walks including a team “cycle” – two singles Sofia Cellucci, Irini Nikolaidis), a double (Meghan Ferraro), triple (Lia Muckjian) and the Rifkin homer.

[Belmont split the next two games after the opening victory, losing to Stoneham 2-1 and a 6-2 win over Melrose to improve to 2-1 when they take on Wilmington at home Wednesday, April 20 at 10 a.m.]

“On the whole I think it was a great team win for our first game out,” said Stacie Marino, the team’s former head coach who was filling in for newly-installed manager (and one time Belmont High softball standout) Melissa O’Connor, who accepted the position just a few days before the start of the season but was out with an injury.

Helping her own cause, MacLeod (1-2 with two runs) scored the final Belmont run on Ferraro’s second hit of the game (a single) in the bottom of the sixth. On the mound, MacLeod collected four strikeouts and was ahead on the count on most of the batters although a number of Waltham’s hits came with two strikes.

“I feel that the umpire was squeezing the pitchers a little bit and it was getting into my head, but that’s all right,” said MacLeod who will be the lead arm for the Marauders this season.

“It’s the first game and I’m trying to get the kinks out. I felt good but I could have done a little bit better. But we won so that’s OK,” she said.

Sports: Girls’ Lacrosse Loss Goalie and Game to Lexington

April 16, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s Anastasia MacEwen Meg Higgins (19) defend the goal in the second half.

Belmont High School’s Girls’ Lacrosse three-year starting goalie Anastasia MacEwen was a rock in net against a slick, fast Lexington High offense. The senior kept the Minutemen at bay early in Wednesday’s home match, April 13, as Belmont’s offense was struggling losing ground balls and being checked off the ball.

On shot after shot, MacEwen stopped balls with the net of her crosse, the crosse’s shaft, her legs, body, glove and even two off her mask as the Marauders rebounded from a deficit to tie the game early in the second half behind the senior netminder’s stellar play.

But in the future, MacEwen might want to limit the number of times she uses her head making the save as the second one off her noggin saw the veteran goalie coming out of the game. (MacEwen was able to walk off the field and was on the sidelines for the rest of the match.)

With its backstop on the bench, the team went into a bit of a defensive shell in front of substitute goalie junior Ciara Murphy, which allowed the Minutemen a bit more opportunities which the speedy Lexington forwards took advantage to sneak off Harris Field with a 13-10 win over Belmont.

“The girls played very well today,” said Head Coach Aimee Doherty.

“We played a hard game from start to finish and we really stepped up compared to our last two games in getting control of the draw. We are working on protecting the ball because we are forcing it at times and causing turnovers that have led to goals,” she said.

(Wednesday’s loss was sandwiched between an 18-1 drubbing of Stoneham and a road win Friday against Wilmington to bring Belmont’s record to 2-2.).

MacEwen was the standout in the first 25 minutes half, limiting Lexington to “only” three goals as Belmont’s offense was not yet in sync, losing plenty of ground balls and being kept from the front of Lexington’s net.

Attacking wing Julia Martin (1 goal) put Belmont on the scoreboard from a Serena Nally (4 assists) helper after nine minutes. Then in quick succession, strikes by attack Kate McCarthy (3 goals, 1 assist) and Sophie Pollack (3 goals, 2 assists) was culminated by a goal from a cutting McCarthy from a sweet pass from Pollack gave Belmont a 4-3 lead with nine minutes to play in the half.

But Lexington plotted a pair in before the half to lead 6-4. The second half saw Belmont starting on the front foot with junior attack wing AnneMarie Habelow (2 goals, 1 assist) spinning through her defender to score at the 21-minute mark, followed 13 seconds later by McCarthy to tie the game up at six. It was during the flurry of play that saw the Minutemen score the go-ahead goal with 18 minutes remaining during which McEwan was hit by the ball.

Habelow’s second goal off a penalty start knotted the game at seven just 20 seconds later. And while defensive wing Leah Brams and defender Maija Kubasek disrupted the Minuteman offense, Lexington did keep the pressure on Belmont, which could only close the game to one goal three times – Erin Looney strike (8-9) and two from Pollack (9-10 and 10-11).

Doherty said staying above the .500 mark and be a playoff team “is absolutely doable” with 12 returning players and six seniors.

“From the first day, they really clicked on and off the field,” she said.

Sports: Bartels’ Arm, Bat Lead Marauders Over Concord Carlisle in Opener

April 12, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Cole “Stone” Bartels

You knew that senior pitching sensation Cole Bartels can win a game with his right arm. Yesterday, Monday, April 11, the senior captain showed that he could win a few with his bat.

In Belmont High’s season opener (move over, Red Sox) at Grant Field, the Division 1 commit showed mid-season form as he mowed down the Concord-Carlisle Regional nine, striking out 13 over five innings – five of final six victims caught looking – while going 4-4 at the plate including a first-inning homer as Bartels led the Marauders to an 11-2 drubbing of the Patriots.

“I’ll take a Cole Bartels the way he was pitching today,” said Belmont’s long-time head coach James Brown, who is looking to improve from finishing the past three seasons with a 11-9 record.

After punching out two of the first three batters to start the game, Bartels came to the plate with center fielder Bryan Goodwin (who reached base on an error) on second when he took a non-breaking ball over the fence in left to give Belmont a quick 2-0 lead. DH Ryan Noone brought home catcher Cal Christofori (single) and first bagger Dennis Crowley (double) on an sharp hit ball that was kicked around by the third baseman to give the Marauders a big four run lead.

The early advantage – a rare occasion last year – gave Bartels the upperhand over the Patriots, which went to the Division 2 North semifinals last season, and he took advantage by mixing up his fast and breaking balls which left the batters guessing what was coming next.

Bartels helped his own cause in the second as he drove home left fielder Trevor Kelly (who singled and took second on a wild pitch) on a single to center.

While he did experience some wildness in the third – going to full counts on four of the five batters and allowing a walk and an unearned run – Bartels was in control for his five innings on the mound, registering the six final outs by strikeout while giving up two walks and a hit over that stretch.

Second base Noah Riley nearly joined Bartels with an opening day dinger as his fourth inning blast hit the bottom of the fence in dead center for a double. He came home (Riley reached third on an error) in a cloud of dust as he slid/flopped on home plate beating the throw on Kelly’s fielder’s choice.

Other Marauders doing things in the box was David Bailey who went 2-2 with a run after coming in in the fifth.

Belmont is on the road Tuesday, April 12 against the Big Red Machine of Melrose which went 13-7 last season.