Published in the July 27, 2017 edition
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING – It was a tough day for the North Reading A’s on Sunday afternoon as they fell, 13-2, to the Marblehead Seasiders at Seaside Park in a five-inning mercy-rule game. With the defeat, the A’s record dipped to 7-15 overall in the North shore Baseball League while the Seasiders improved to 7-14 and are in the eighth and final playoff spot heading into the final week of the regular season.
“We played poorly,” admitted A’s player-manager Joe Dardeno, whose team committed five errors. “They scored a lot of unearned runs.”
Matt Woods was the losing pitcher going three innings to fall to 1-6. He gave up nine runs, although only three were earned. He allowed six hits, three walks and struck out five.
“Matt pitched better that it showed,” said Dardeno, who went 2 for 3 with one RBI.
Mike Bailey was the team’s other multiple hitter going 2 for 3 as the A’s had seven hits overall.
On July 17th, the A’s defeated the visiting Newburyport NorEasters, 7-4, at North Reading High School. It was their second win over Newburyport in five days.
Mike Bailey and Andrew Ciacciarelli led the offense both going 2 for 4 with one RBI each. Ciacciarelli had a homer to start the sixth inning where the A’s scored six times to turn a, 4-1, deficit to a, 7-4, lead.
“That homer gave us a spark and we were able to draw three walks in that inning,” recalled Dardeno.
Brendan Carter added a two-run single and Anthony Capuano went 2 for 3 with a two-run single.
The A’s had nine hits.
Andrew Lessard was the winning pitcher going to 1-2. He came in relief of Arik Fenstermacer who went 4 2/3 innings. Lessard, in 2 ½ innings, gave up no runs, two hits, two walks and he fanned two.
On July 16th, also at home, the A’s fell, 7-1, to the Kingston Night Owls.
“This game was much closer than the final shows,” said Dardeno, as it was scoreless going into the seventh inning.
Woods pitches six scoreless frames but ran out of gas in the top of the seventh allowing three runs. The Night Owls then plated four more runs to go up 7-0.
Ciacciarelli had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh as the A’s were able to avoid the shutout. North Reading had only four hits in that game.
The A’s beat the host NorEasters, 4-2, on July 13th at Eiras Park in Rowley.
Xavier Nunez was the team’s lone multiple hitter going 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored. Rob Hallowell, John Sirois and Jon McQuarrie all knocked in one run each.
Luis Sosa (1-0) was the winning pitcher while Kyle Flanagan recorded the save for his second of the summer pitching in the seventh inning.
“Luis is normally a catcher and her really stepped up as did McQuarrie who relieved him,” said Dardeno.
Sosa went three innings allowing one run, three hits, five walks and he struck out one.
On Thursday night at 6, the A’s host the expansion Saugus Wings in the regular-season finale.
The playoffs are slated to start on Aug. 1st.
North Reading has lost in the first round the past two years.
