RallyNorth.net

Salem bewitching opponents with teamwork, pitching

Wednesday, May, 14 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

Picture yourself looking around a baseball diamond in the seventh inning of a tie game. You wouldn't be surprised to find some knocking knees in the outfield, or a tense stance or two throughout the infield. Perhaps the pitcher takes an extra second staring into the catcher's eyes, looking for his signals.

Salem High pitcher Harry Noone sees something entirely different. As he steps off the mound and looks at his teammates, he sees nothing but the cool confidence that has brought the Witches (9-6 overall) to the brink of returning to the state tournament.

"I look around and I see eight smiles. A nerve-wracking situation is so much fun for us. There's no pressure," said Noone, who has been one of the North Shore's best surprises on the hill this year.

Moreover, the Witches are in the hunt for the NEC North championship because the squad has come together and willed it to happen. Salem is 7-4 in conference play and trails powerful Peabody (11-4 overall, 9-3 NEC) by just one game.

The Witches can erase that deficit with a win today as they host the Tanners at Salem State (4 p.m.). Hard-throwing Colby Boulay will pitch for Salem, while Peabody is slated to send senior James Noftle to the hill.

"Everyone believes in each other and when it comes down to it, we do what we have to do to win," said senior co-captain Dan Reddy.

Last season's 8-12 finish disappointed the Witches, many of whom had been with the team when it made postseason appearances in 2005 and 2006. The results had the squad | and especially its 10 seniors | rededicating themselves to the game.

"We have really matured, improved as individuals from a physical and an attitude perspective and are much more close-knit," said Reddy, the team's center fielder.

There has also been marked improvement in the team's pitching. Along with Noone, Justin Williams has emerged as a reliable arm. Though he doesn't hit much, the senior clubbed a homer in a recent practice | further illustrating the team's depth.

Noone, who will take his baseball talents to Salem State next season, has been a workhorse with 38 innings pitched and sparkling 1.84 earned run average.

"Last year was frustrating for us. All offseason I was thinking about going the extra mile and staying focused this year | and it's paying off," said Noone.

A control pitcher with a modest fastball, Salem coach Mike Ward described his ace as a combination of power and finesse.

"When Harry's on, he locates really well," the sixth-year Witches' boss said. "He has a live fastball and good off-speed stuff. He challenges every batter."

Perhaps Noone's biggest performance came in a 1-0 shutout of Peabody back in April. Holding one of the best all-round offenses around scoreless would be a feather in any hurler's cap, but Noone deferred a lot of the credit.

"(Outfielder) Matt Paine made one of the best catches I've ever seen | full sprint and over the shoulder | to save that game," said Noone. "I have so much faith in my teammates that I'm not afraid to throw anything for a strike."

That defense is another of the reasons for Salem's success. It starts behind the plate with All-Star catcher T.J. Larivee | who Noone says has a "cannon" for an arm | and includes a fast outfield that boasts Paine, Reddy and Boulay. Adding the combination of Noone and senior Aiden Church at first base (Church also plays third) and the seasoned Beau Theriault at short, and this is a savvy, veteran defensive crew.

"There's a lot of leadership on this team," said Ward. "The experience from both winning and losing has made it a good group that just doesn't get rattled."