RallyNorth.net

St. John's Prep baseball thumps Cambridge

St. John's Prep is a No. 16 seed in the Division 1 North Tournament, but it doesn't perform like a No. 16 seed.

The Eagles got off to a rip-roaring tourney start yesterday, drubbing Cambridge, 12-0, as Jordan Edgett and reliever Chris Carmain combined for the shutout and Trevor Manzi triggered the offense with a double, home run and five RBI.

"It's a confidence builder for us," said St. John's Prep coach Pat Yanchus, whose 13-9 team travels to top-seeded Westford Academy (18-2) tomorrow in a 2 p.m. game. "Cambridge beat Andover and Malden Catholic during the season, so they're no (slouch)."

But St. John's Prep was all over Cambridge in this one. Edgett, a senior right-hander from Lynn, gave up just one hit, struck out three and walked four in six innings. Carmain went the final three innings and allowed two hits and struck out two.

"Edgett had a pickoff in the first inning and the kids played good defense behind him," said Yanchus. "We had 17 assists and no errors."

Manzi had his best game of the season, said Yanchus. "He's hitting in the high .300s, so it's no fluke," said Yanchus.

Edgett also had a big day at the plate with a three-run homer and two hits overall and Carmain was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. Dan Haugh and Derek Coppola each had an RBI single.

The Eagles turned up the pressure early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first and six in the second. They collected 12 hits in all.

"We have some momentum and we'll need it in the next game, taking on a high seed like Westford," said Yanchus.