RallyNorth.net

On this night, Masco couldn't find a way to get offensive

BRAINTREE | It was a combination of patience and aggression, business and pleasure, skill and luck.

Plymouth North had it going 100 percent all the time in last night's Division 2 state semifinal at Braintree High.

Masconomet's state title dreams dashed by unbeaten Plymouth North

BRAINTREE | The smart money held that if a team was going to use a relentless, mashing offense and clutch hitting to win last night's Division 2 state semifinal between Masconomet and Plymouth North, it would be the Chieftains.

Masconomet eyes state finals

How might you spend the night before one of the biggest games of your life?

If you were a member of the Division 2 North champion Masconomet baseball team, you'd simply be watching baseball.

Riordan the right man on this night for Masco

LOWELL | It was five minutes before 11 p.m. Saturday night when James Riordan finished his conversation with a reporter, looked around LeLacheur Park and realized there wasn't another member of his Masconomet Regional baseball team in sight.

Shepard's clutch hit lifts Chieftains past Danvers for North title

LOWELL | When Masconomet's Kyle Shepard came to bat with the go-ahead run in scoring position in the eighth inning of Saturday night's Division 2 North final at LeLacheur Park, he was looking to accomplish something no one had ever done.

Shepard pitches Masco past Madison Park and into North final

LYNN | They were sporting seven .400-plus hitters, had scored 188 runs, collected 164 RBIs and had a dynamite .429 on-base percentage | not to mention a .315 composite team batting mark.

Masconomet Regional cruised through the Cape Ann League this spring en route to claiming a share of the Large title and bruised almost every opponent along the way.

Six run sixth helps Masco over North Andover

North Andover watched a 4-3 lead become a 9-4 deficit in just a few swings in the sixth inning and fell 9-6 to Masconomet in the Division 2 North quarterfinals.

"In the tournament, you have to avoid the big inning," said North Andover coach Todd Dulin, whose Cape Ann League large quad-champs finish up at 16-6, with three of those losses to Masco.

Even after loss, Masconomet poised for the postseason

TOPSFIELD | A Cape Ann League Large division title in its back pocket, the pitching rotation in perfect shape, and a rock-solid 15-5 record headed to the postseason.

Masconomet Regional has positioned itself perfectly for another deep Division 2 North baseball tourney run.

Masco wins in bizarre fashion, still could finish in 4-way tie

NORTH ANDOVER | What a way to win a championship.

After giving back leads of two and four runs, respectively, the Masconomet baseball team scratched across the go-ahead run on a botched suicide squeeze to pry a share of the Cape Ann League Large title from host North Andover yesterday, 7-6.

Masconomet falls in CAL showdown

Chris Splinter knocked a two-run shot over the wall in the final inning to close the Chieftains (13-3, 9-3 CAL) within one, but the Masco rally ended there as they fell to Wilmington 5-4. Wilmington got five runs on only three hits and the Chieftains didn't help their own cause by leaving eight men on base.

No state tournament for the Indians

Amesbury's David Smith was 3 for 3 with a home run. John Tassanari was also 3 for 3. Mike Corrigan was 1 for 2 with a home run on his birthday.

Amesbury (3-10) will miss the EMass. state tournament for the first time since 2005.

Masco still perfect after beating Ipswich

The undefeated Chieftains (8-0) scored double-digit runs for the fourth time in eight games and beat Ipswich 19-1 behind sophomore Chris Splinter, who belted a three-run homer and totaled five RBI. Kyle Shepard picked up his third win on the hill with seven strikeouts in five innings of work and Pat Matvichuk helped the offense with a 4 for 5, 4 RBI showing.

Triton can't solve Masco mystery

For Triton, Masconomet's home park has proven to be a house of horrors the past two seasons.

Last year, the Vikings' season ended there in extra innings against the Chieftains in the second round of the state tournament. In their only scheduled meeting this year, Triton's luck was no better.

Success comes early and often for Masconomet

Surprised?

Hardly.

The Masconomet Regional baseball team is not at all surprised by their torrid 6-0 start in which they've dominated on the mound, at the plate and in the field.

Unbeaten Masconomet dispatches Rockport

After winning three in a row, the Vikings (4-2) ran into the unbeaten Chieftains (6-0) on the road and came away very impressed with the Cape Ann Div. 1 powerhouse.

"They could be one of the best teams in the state," noted Rockport head coach John Parisi. "Their starting pitcher kept us off-balance, throwing hard and then mixing in some tough curveballs."  

Masco walks off with win

Pat Matvichuk's hard-hit grounder plated the walk-off run in the seventh inning to lift the undefeated Chieftains (4-0) over North Andover, 5-4. James Riordan shined with a complete game effort and didn't surrender an earned run as errors led to all of North Andovers scoring plays. If that wasn't enough, the senior's second inning grand slam accounted for the Chieftains other runs.

Masco going batty early in the season

Cold weather is the bane of a hitter's existence in the spring, but Masconomet seems to have a found a way around it early in the season. Masconomet scored 17 runs against Everett in its opener, 12 against Gloucester in its next game, and it thumped Bishop Fenwick, 10-0, yesterday.

Bunker's two dingers down Gloucester

Evan Bunker bashed two homers in the sixth inning as the Chieftains (2-0) sent 12 men to the plate and scored nine times to blow the game wide open and top Gloucester 12-3.

Kyle Shepard fanned seven Fishermen in recording the win and also had two hits, two runs and an RBI to help his own cause. Pat Matvichuk drove in three runs to help Masco's hot bats, which have produced 29 runs in the first two games of the season.

Masconomet baseball drubs Everett

Masconomet's baseball team won 19 games last season and made it all the way to the Division 2 North final. It looks like Masco is serious about having that type of season again.

The Chieftains opened the season in spectacular fashion yesterday, ripping 17 hits in a 17-3 non-league win over Everett.

Masconomet Baseball Preview

Last year's record: 19-5 (Lost in Division 2 North final)

Coach: Joe Marchesi (Second year, 19-5)

Key returnees: Cam Greely Sr., 2B, Kyle Shepard Sr., P; Evan Bunker So., OF/P; James Riordon Sr., P; Chris Splinter So., SS; Pat Matvichuk Jr., 3B/P; Dan Duval Sr., LF