RallyNorth.net

Wed, Jun 15, 2011 05:00 PM @ North Andover

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Final
Playoff Game
Plymouth North	0	4	0	7	0	1	3	15
North Andover	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	4

Nine errors doom Knights

Wednesday, June, 15 By Hector Longo

 

BRAINTREE — Plymouth North in the opposite dugout, Mike Weisman on the hill, a shot at the state Division 2 baseball title hanging in the balance ... it looked all too familiar to North Andover High baseball fans.

The result was just as ugly, maybe even a little worse in the Eastern Mass. Division 2 championship game than it was at 2009 — an 8-0 Eagles win. The Knights committed a whopping nine errors yesterday and Plymouth North pounced, pounding North Andover, 15-4.

Possibly the greatest season in North Andover baseball end in the state semifinals at 23-2.

"We couldn't field a ground ball today," said North Andover coach Todd Dulin. "We ended the season the way we started it (the Knights' only other loss of the year, 11-8, to Andover). It just kind of spiralled out of control.
"We felt we were prepared. We felt we were ready to go. I don't know why we tensed up, but we did. Maybe they had two years ago in their minds, I don't know."

Clearly, Plymouth North, with No. 2 starter Jake Stearns on the mound, looked quite at ease with the heat of the state semifinal cranking up.

"In 2008, we went undefeated and won the state title, in 2009 we lost in the state final, and last year we lost in the sectional final, so we're not intimidated coming into games like this," said Plymouth North coach Dwayne Follette. "We haven't been hitting the ball well. I think we did a nice job against a good pitcher in Weisman tonight."

Give Dulin credit. He downplayed what most around the backstop felt was a tough "safe" call on a play at the plate that would have ended the Plymouth North second with the score 0-0.

Instead, the Eagles made all three Knight errors in the frame hurt, plating four runs in all.

"That was so important to pounce on their mistakes to get the early lead," noted Follette.

The Knights committed five errors in the seven-run fourth that broke it open and chased Weisman from the mound.

Competing on short rest after a complete-game win Saturday afternoon, Weisman suffered his first lost of the year with absolutely no support.

Plymouth North's first 12 runs, eight of which were charged to Weisman, were unearned.

Meanwhile, Stearns kept the Knight bats silent.

Cam Couillard and Tyler Leavitt each had two hits for the Knights, while Weisman, Alec Jillson, Griffin Coakley and Kevin Palladino had the others.

The Columbia-bound Weisman leads an amazing graduating Class of 2011. He and Alec Jillson, the DH, were starters on a pair of sectional champions.

David Foote and Cam Couillard were key performers over the past three seasons in a program that has gone 61-11.

"I've never had a greater group of kids," said Dulin, who has coached the varsity for five years and four seasons with the Knights freshmen before that. "They've had great leadership. I'll miss that. They're extremely competitive. They come and fight."