Published in the April 20, 2017 edition
By STEPHEN MARTELUCCI
NORTH READING – The North Reading High baseball team improved to 3-0 on Tuesday as they Hornets won a Triton, 8-3. Pitcher Dan Madden went to 2-0 on the hill going six innings. He gave up two runs, four hits, two walks and struck out four.
The Hornet offense had six hits led by Alex D’Ambrosio who was 2 for 3 with two runs batted in.
“He put the ball in play went the other way with the ball,” said Hornets manager Eric Archambault. “He did a good job.”
Ryan Connor was 1 for 2 with a walk and RBI and a run scored. Bob Donohue and John Day both had RBI on sacrifice flies.
North Reading scored three times in the top of the third inning and their other five runs in the sixth. The Vikings scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth and one more in the seventh.
Last Saturday morning, the Hornets defeated visiting Pentucket, 9-3. Conner, in his first-career start, pitched five innings. He allowed two runs (one earned), five hits, two walks and he fanned two Sachems batters.
“He did an excellent job of keeping the ball low,” said Archambault, about the sophomore.
The offense had eight hits led by John Merullo who was a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks, one RBI and a run scored. D’Ambrosio went 2 for 4 with one RBI and he scored twice. Pat Davis added a two-run single.
North Reading scored twice in the first, once in the third, and pulled away with six runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Sachems scored single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
Last Thursday, the Hornets pounded host Newburyport, 18-2, in a game they scored 14 runs in the top of the second to turn the game into a laugher.
Jeff Mejia had a huge game going 2 for 4 with a grand slam and five RBI overall. He also walked twice and scored twice.
Marco Vitozzi was 2 for 5 with three RBI while Day went 2 for 3 with three runs and two RBI. Connor was 2 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Madden pitched five innings to get his first win of the year.
On Thursday morning at 10, the Hornets host Lynnfield. They then welcome Amesbury Saturday morning at 10. Next Tuesday afternoon at 3:45, the Hornets visit Ipswich.
