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Andover, Methuen smash way to title game

Saturday, May, 24 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

No one should expect a pitching duel in today's 7 p.m. championship game of the Methuen Invitational.

The way red-hot Andover and Methuen hit the ball in their semifinal victories at the Burnham Road complex yesterday, in fact, there could be a slugfest.

Andover banged out 14 hits, including three extra-base hits that accounted for five runs in a 6-1 win over Lawrence. Methuen, meanwhile, ripped 10 hits in six innings, including four doubles and a home run, to down North Andover 8-4.

If it was a good day for the offenses, it was tremendous for anyone named McCarthy.

In the first game, Kerry McCarthy got Andover started with a solo home run in the fourth and added a two-run double in the fifth and teammate Meg McCarthy (no relation) was 3 for 4. For Methuen, Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year Jessi McCarthy had a solo home run in the first and a key double in the Rangers' five-run fifth inning as well as shining defensively at shortstop.

For Andover (11-8), Jeanette Doucette was 2 for 4 and shortstop Rachel Licciardi went 3 for 3, with two of her hits coming on bunt singles.

"Kerry was in a zone tonight and we're hitting the ball now as well as any team I've had," said Andover coach Stephanie Ragucci, whose team has captured four straight and nine of its last 12 games. "I think we're more confident out there and that makes a big difference."

Lawrence led for three innings, scoring a run in the second when Luz Brenz singled, went to second on a passed ball and scored on a Tiffany Vega single. But it was all Andover after that. The Golden Warriors tied it in the fourth, went ahead with two runs in the fifth and added three insurance runs in the seventh, the key blow being a two-run double by Tricia Martin.

In the second game, after North Andover (14-5) rallied to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the fifth, Methuen batted around in the bottom of the inning to put the game away. Freshmen Rebecca Caterino and Rebecca Armstrong smacked successive two-run hits to key the uprising.

The Rangers' bottom three hitters were a collective 5 for 9 with four RBIs. No. 9 hitter Talan Barron, who recently had three hits in a game, was 2 for 3.

"I don't know what it is, but they're all starting to hit the ball at the right time," said Methuen coach Jason Smith. "We did what we had to do against a good team. North Andover doesn't usually make mistakes and can be tough to beat."

For the Knights, Krissy Whitley clouted a long triple on the first pitch of the game and scored on a wild pitch and Ali McCarthy was 3 for 4.

North Andover will face Lawrence (7-12) in the consolation game at 5 p.m. today.