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LOWELL - Under Marc Pelletier in the last 24 years, Central Catholic has made bolder on-field proclamations as the boss of the Merrimack Valley Conference large division.

None have been more satisfying or more gritty.

Andover senior John Hennessy had a home run, drove in four runs and scored three times as the Warriors routed Lowell 10-2.b

Down 6-3 going into the bottom of the seventh, Central Catholic mounted an incedible rally. After a hit batsman, and two walks loaded the bases with no outs, Lowell turned a double play, but Cal Beneze scored to make it 6-4. Mike Amaral's pinch hit single put the score at 6-5, and a single by Zach Bardwell and an error on the right fielder tied the game six. Finally Connor Perry delivered the walk off base hit to score Bardwell and give the Raiders a thrilling victory.     

Early unearned runs did in Moises Melo's strong pitching performance, sending Methuen to a 6-2 setback against Lowell. Sophomore Corey Shepherd had three hits and eight putouts for the Rangers.

Haverhill lost a heartbreaking extra-inning battle to Tewksbury Thursday and was on the road to the same fate yesterday against Lowell. Surrendering 15 Red Raider baserunners, the Hillies dodged many bullets but rode stellar defense from freshman shortstop Nick Comei and timely pitching to a redemptive 2-1 victory. Alex Ieronimo had a clutch, two-out triple to drive in the eventual winning run then earned the save by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.