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Good times at North Shore Tech

Wednesday, May, 07 By Phil Stacey
Sports editor

Despite a last-inning loss at unbeaten Shawsheen yesterday, times are good over at North Shore Tech. This mostly junior-laden team has started to perk up offensively as the weather warms up, and its defense is now playing up to par.

Those two elements, combined with a very good pitching staff, have the Bulldogs (7-5) thinking playoffs after missing out on the postseason by one game a year ago.

The team's two seniors, catcher J.J. Navas of Beverly and center fielder Ben Dora of Danvers, have provided stability, terrific defense in the middle of the diamond and some pop in their bats. Junior first baseman Zach Newman of Salem has also been a find in the field, saving potential errors with diving stops and scoops in the dirt.

On the hill, junior righty Ryan Mahan of Beverly is the staff ace, having run his record to 5-1 after Monday's 9-2 triumph over Chelsea. Sophomore righty David St. Pierre of Salem is a strikeout artist who has morphed into a very successful No. 2 man, and Dora has filled the role of closer nicely.