RallyNorth.net

Salem earns first tournament win in a decade

Saturday, May, 31 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

SALEM | What's the recipe for snapping a 10-year postseason drought?

Start with a loose, confident and jitterless group. Add a pinch of great hitting and a dash of excellent pitching, and you're in business.

The recipe proved quite tasty for the Salem High baseball team Saturday as the Witches thrashed 24th seeded Lexington, 13-1, at Salem State. It was Salem's first playoff win since 1998.

"We had all the aspects working today. Good defense, pitching and we swung the bats really well," said Salem (15-6) senior third baseman Aiden Church. "Everyone played a good game."

Senior pitcher Harry Noone spun a gem, scattering three hits and a run over seven innings. He helped spot himself a 3-0 lead in the first inning by lacing a two-run double between second and third | and the Witches never looked back.

"That took a lot of pressure off my shoulders," said Noone. "It was great to have the early lead and get that little cushion."

The cushion didn't stay little for long. The first three Salem hitters reached in the second and Church (3 for 5, 3 RBIs, run) blasted a bases-clearing triple off the fence in center. Lexington starter Will Marcal (1<1/3> IP, 3 hits, 5 walks, 6 runs) didn't get out of the second and the eighth-seeded Witches were firmly in control.

"The kids came in very focused and played a complete game," said Salem coach Mike Ward. "I'm proud of the guys because they came in ready to go and played hard."

Every hitter in Salem's starting nine reached base at least once, and eight of them scored runs as the relentless attack racked up 15 hits. Mack Ryan (3 for 3, 3 RBI, run) hit a two-run single to make it 10-1 after four innings.

Any comeback hopes the Minutemen (11-11) had were quelled by Noone, who displayed masterful command while allowing only seven baserunners and striking out six. The senior ace watched Lexington's first tourney game | an upset win over Waltham | and picked up some valuable tips.

"I took it batter and batter and pitch by pitch. The other night I saw their clean-up hitter bombing the ball and hitting it opposite field. I knew I'd have to bust him inside and I did. I struck him out twice," explained the cerebral Noone, who was 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and two runs scored at the dish.

Salem senior John Pegnato (3 for 3, RBI, 2 runs) put the exclamation point on the victory with a solo homer 340 feet over the leftfield fence in the sixth. Ryan drove in another, as did Beau Theriault (3 for 4) as the lead ballooned to 13-1.

"We've been swinging the bats really well over the last three weeks," said Ward. "The kids have taken a really patient approach | they're waiting for their pitch and not swinging at bad balls."

After narrowly missing the tournament a year ago and falling in the first round as sophomores, Salem's nine seniors were bent on stamping their names in the school's hardball history by advancing to the quarters for the first time since 1994. They did it with the relaxed, yet focused, style that's become their trademark.

As for the pressure of not having won a playoff game before, it was nonexistent as far as Salem was concerned.

"You always have emotions and you're always a little nervous (before a game)," said senior Dan Reddy. "Our team camaraderie is amazing this year, though. That always makes us feel good and we were confident."

Junior Wes Koen relieved Noone in the eighth and retired the side on just six pitches. He gave up a one-out hit in the ninth, but got the final two outs with relative ease to seal the win.

"It really is all our guys, 1-through-18," said Ward. "They're into it, they're confident and they were really excited to play this game."