Published in the June 15, 2017 edition
By STEVE MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING – Two members of the North Reading High baseball team made the Cape Ann League First Team All-Stars this spring. Seniors Dan Madden (pitcher) and Jeff Mejia (outfielder) were the two Hornets to make the squad.
Madden went 5-2 on the hill with an earned-run average of 1.80. In 46 innings he struck out 25 hitters. Mejia was second on the team in batting average at .310 behind Pat Davis who hit .322. Mejia led the team in runs batted in with 16.
“Both players were well deserving,” stated Hornets manager Eric Archambault. “They worked very hard during the offseason.”
Along with the two all-stars, the Hornets will also lose five other seniors to graduation, Davis (first base), Mike McCauley (pitcher- center field), Bob Donohue (right field), John Merullo (catcher) and Jon Zewiey (pitcher).
“The seniors were an excellent group,” said Archambault, who just completed his third year at the helm. “They did everything that we asked of them and were all key player in our run to the state title game last year. They also set a tremendous example four our younger players.”
North Reading is slated to return 11 veterans next season.
The Hornets were upset by visiting Saugus, 7-4, at Carey Park in the preliminary round of the Division 3 North state tournament on June 3rd to end the year at 10-11. They finished at 7-9 in the Cape Ann League. They tied for fifth place with Pentucket in the CAL Kinney Division.
“It was positive overall because we did make the states,” said Archambault. “We had our ups and downs during the season but were able to make the state tournament by winning our last game of the year.”
