RallyNorth.net

After playing with wooden bats all spring in the Catholic Conference, Malden Catholic is relishing the ping of the aluminum bats in the state tournament.

 The Lancers proved it again yesterday in a 13-8 win over Central Catholic in the Division 1 North quarterfinals at Merrimack College. That ended a superb 19-4 season for the Raiders.

The bloggers furiously searched for updates.

A high school community was on edge as Central Catholic's boys basketball team captured a storybook state championship.

Now, after a head-turning 17-3 regular season by the Merrimack Valley Conference large champion Raiders, many around the region wonder, could the magic be back?

In limited playing time last year, Central Catholic's Chris Sartori had four hits in 16 at-bats. This year, in 14 games, he's hitting a nifty .439, going 18 for 41.

It was just a year and a half ago that the Andover resident was taking a seat in his first car. The price was right. He won the 1999 Bravada SUV from his school, which was being raffled off in a fund-raiser.

Ryan Kemp's infield hit scored Pat Noone in the bottom of the seventh to give Central Catholic a 15-14 win over Lowell and a share of the Merrimack Valley Conference title. Kemp had a huge day in the Raiders' MVC finale, going 4 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

NORTH ANDOVER | In a way, the fact that nothing was settled on a league-wide basis here yesterday makes perfect sense. You'd hate to see the Merrimack Valley Conference large school crown decided in a 20-10 romp.

A talented junior class had Central coach Marc Pelletier enthused in the preseason. Because of it, the coach kept 20 players, four or five more than usual.

The Raiders are off to a 3-0 start, scoring 17, 11 and 10 runs in those games. And that's with a pair of impact players, Marc Crowley and Michael Romano out of the lineup with injuries.

Every afternoon, every practice, every time Roberto Valenti and his Central Catholic baseball teammates hit the diamond at Mount Vernon Park in South Lawrence represents an opportunity.

Valenti, who grew up just a relay throw away from the park, could tell his suburban mates about the glory days with South Lawrence West, reminisce about the pre-high school heroics.

Ronny Rosario's bases-loaded, second-inning missile shot plunked just outside the left-field line, a long Hillie strike just foul by a foot.

Andrew Guyer's looper with the bases loaded in the bottom half of the frame did not | good for a three-run double.

Brendan Walsh delivered the game of his career, pitching a no-hitter to lead Central Catholic to a season-opening 17-0 drubbing of Amesbury.

"This is the first no-hitter for Central since Kevin Bateman in either 1986 or 1987," said Central head coach Marc Pelletier. "He was just in control from the first batter. He ran his fastball away and he was never really threatened."

2007 record: 13-8, lost in Division 1 North first round

Returning starters (7): Michael Romano, Sr., INF/P; Chris Sartori, Sr., 1B; Ross Sarmento, Sr., 2B; Roberto Valenti, Sr., CF/P; Zak Adamopoulos, Jr., P/1B; Andrew Guyer, Jr., C/OF; Brendan Walsh, Jr., P/OF