RallyNorth.net

LAWRENCE - Andover High nearly pulled off the upset of the spring.

Lawrence High nearly fell victim to a defeat that would have paled in comparison on the upset-ometer.

In the end, the matchup most expected for the 29th Lawrence Invitational Baseball final came to fruition as Masconomet rallied to nip the Warriors 6-3 and the Lancers outslugged Tewksbury, 15-10.

Tonight here at Devlin Field, 7 p.m., No. 5 Masco challenges the No. 1 Lancers for the title. Here's how they got here.

Warriors have no charm

"It should have been the charm," said Andover coach Dan Grams, whose club fell to Masco for the third time this spring.

Andover pushed Masco to the brink, plating three runs in the fifth to knot the score at 3-3, but not getting over the hump - stranding the lead run in scoring position - turned out to be deadly for the Warriors, now 9-10.

"I thought we were in a great situation. Unfortunately it didn't turn out the way we wanted it to," said Grams.

"We're playing well as a team, but we're still missing the big hit or the big play."

Down 3-0, Andover willed its way into the tie, finally solving the riddle that was Masco righty Braden Kowalski.

Akira Sembommatsu opend the frame with a single and scooted home on Vince Bellino's double. Pinch-hitter Adam Risman was next, doublling to the gap. Alex Driscoll singled to move the sophomore along, and John Hennessy's sac fly tied things. But Driscoll would be left at second.

Another Warrior sophomore, right-hander Mike Davidson dazzled in four innings of relief, allowing two hits without a walk and striking out four to keep his club in the game.

Andover's momentum came to a grinding halt in the top of the seventh, though, as with one out, the Chieftains used a single, a walk, two hit-batsman and a Warrior error to put the decisive three on the board.

Defense played a huge role as all three Warrior miscues hurt, while the Chieftains delivered their second straight flawless performance of the tourney in the field.

Lancers stretch win into night

Lawrence High had it in cruise control, up 13-1 after five, and nearly got burned by the complacency.

"Hopefully, something like this works for us," said Lancer coach Brendan Neilon, who watched Tewksbury come within a field goal with a nine-run sixth. "Maybe, we would have been a little full of ourselves. I think our guys will realize that something like this just can't happen if we are to go where we want to be."

Junior Yunior Vasquez improved to 6-0 on the hill, but the right-hander lost his grasp of the strike zone in the sixth, forcing a call to the pen. Tito Lluberes stopped the blood flow at 13-10 with two on in the sixth, and staff ace Michael Calzetta - tonight's starter - worked a perfect seventh to preserve the 15-10 win.

Will the inning impact Calzetta tonight?

"No way. I wanted the ball, and I want it again. I can go 600 pitches if I have to," said a clearly charged up Calzetta. "I liked closing. It was intense."

Neilon had no qualms about going to the UMass Lowell bound righty, who hadn't pitched in over a week.

"Usually the day before he pitches, he throws a live bullpen anyway," said Neilon. "He hadn't pitched since BC High, so it was good to get him that inning."

Lawrence built the lead with an opportunistic offensive barrage. Jose Sandoval, Edwin Brito and Juan Ventura all had two hits for the Lancers, who rode the benefit of nine free passes (5 walks, 4 hit batters) from the Redmen.

Knights back on track

Brandon Walsh pitched a complete-game, striking out seven in a four-hitter as North Andover rebounded to knock off Methuen, 9-4, in yesterday's consolation game.

Knight second baseman Brad Patnaude had three hits and three RBIs to lead the offense. Eric Lacroix had two hits and two RBIs for the Rangers. Cal Carroll also knocked home a pair.