RallyNorth.net

SALEM | Of the tens of thousands of words that Mike Ward has spoken to his Salem High baseball team over the last two-and-a-half months, the four he chose to use following yesterday's Northeastern Conference Large title-clinching win over Beverly may have been the most meaningful of all.

After battling for 12 innings | nearly the equilivant of two seven inning high school baseball game | something had to give between NEC rivals Swampscott and Beverly. Zak Levine made sure that the tide broke in favor of his Panthers.

Their strength lies in their seniors.

But two of their biggest contributors have been freshmen.

And they all live by one mantra: keep it simple, strive for consistency and stay mentally tough every time you take the field.

Paul Drinkwater's three-run bomb highlighted a five-run fifth inning which propelled the Panthers (8-4) over Marblehead, 7-3. The Magicians entered the frame ahead 3-1 but Jack Leathersich's two-run single knotted the score and set the table for Drinkwater's long ball.

It was all the support Leathersich needed, as the senior struck out 16 en route to the win. His lone mistake was a pitch Marblehead's Mike Sahagian took out of the yard for a three-run homer that put the Magicians (4-6) on top. For Beverly, Zak Levine and Franky Mussina each had crucial sacrifice flies to bring in runs.

Despite trailing 7-2 after two innings, the Panthers (7-4) came right back to tie it 7-7. The squads were deadlocked 9-9 before the Vikings got the last surge to pull ahead for good and win 14-12. Andy Brown spraked Beverly by going 2 for 4 with three runs scored while Conor Walsh went 4 for 5 and Jack Leathersich and Paul Drinkwater each chipped in two hits.

Senior left-hander Jack Leathersich allowed just five hits and struck out 12 for his third win in four decisions as the host Panthers walloped Gloucester, 7-1, at Brother Roberts Field.

Leathersich also helped himself offensively with a 2-run homer to pace the Panthers (7-3).

BEVERLY | A month from now, the Salem High baseball team might look at yesterday morning's extra-innings triumph over rival Beverly as one of the galvanizing moments in a season that suddenly has as much promise as any on the North Shore.

PEABODY | After months of wondering, the Peabody High baseball team finally knows what they'll be up against each and every time they take the field in Northeastern Conference play this season.

Junior Matt Lanza picked up his first varsity win with two innings of shutout relief and the Panthers broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning and dropped Wakefield 7-4.

Knocking in runs for undefeated Beverly (3-0) were Connor Walsh, Jack Leathersich, Sam Cohen and Chris Freni. Leathersich slammed the door from the hill in the final innig while Nick Tolanto turned in a solid start.

Beverly baseball coach Dave Wilbur was counting on a pair of his senior pitchers to get the Panthers off on the right foot yesterday afternoon. He had no idea, however, that Jack Leathersich and Nick Colanto would completely shut down St. Mary's of Lynn in the season opener.