Five Hornets play in All-Star game

Published July 25, 2019

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

NORTH READING — The North Reading Northeast League (ages 15-18) baseball team hosted Wilmington in the semifinal round of the best-of-three playoffs on Tuesday evening at North Reading High.

The Hornets ended up winning the game 3-1 to go up 1-0 in the series.

Demitri Boulas was the story in this game as the pitcher went all seven innings improving to 2-0. He allowed one earned run, four hits, five walks and he struck out nine.

“He threw hard and was able to get ahead in the count,” said North Reading manager Marco Vittozzi, whose team improved to 11-4 overall.

FIVE HORNETS played in the Northeast Summer Baseball All-Star game on July 13 in Westford. Pictured from left to right are Cam Randazzo (OF), Nick Ciardiello (C), Jack Keller (P/1B), Jimmy Currier (P/OF), Frank Casserino (SS) and NR manager Marco Vittozzi who was coaching the South Division All-Stars. (Courtesy Photo)

All three Hornet runs came in the bottom of the fifth inning as Joe Frammartino smashed a two-run triple to right-center to score Matt Ryan and Frank Cassarino. Frammartino then scored on an error on the throw to third base.

The Wildcats (7-6-1) scored their run in the bottom of the seventh before Boulas closed the door.

The Hornets, who are the defending league champions, ended up coming in first place in the South division going 10-4 despite losing their final two games of the regular season.

On July 20, the Hornets were nipped 4-3 by host Dracut on a scalding hot day.

“We were shorthanded for that game,” pointed out Vittozzi.

The day before, the Hornets lost at home to Lowell 9-6.

“We got ourselves into too big of a hole,” said Vittozzi.

Ryan led the North Reading offense going 2 for 2 with a solo homer in the sixth inning. Ryan Baker had an RBI single while Joe Giacalone had an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

On July 16, the Hornets defeated host Billerica 4-1 at Shawsheen Tech.

JOEY FRAMMARTINO connected on a two-RBI triple then scored on a bad throw to third helping the Hornets to their 3-1 win over Wilmington in game one of the Northeast semifinals on Tuesday. (Dan Pawlowski File Photo)

Tim McCarthy was the story of this game as, in his first game pitching this summer, he went all seven innings. He gave up one run, five hits, one walk and he struck out nine.

“It was a great performance,” said Vittozzi. “He was able to mix his pitches well.”

North Reading had nine hits led by Mike Vittozzi who went 2 for 3 with two steals and two runs scored.

Nick Ciardiello, Mario Perrone, Rob Tammaro and Cam Randazzo all had one RBI.

“We got the key hits when we needed them,” said Vittozzi.

On July 13, the Northeast League had its All-Star game in Westford. Randazzo, Ciardiello, Cassarino, Jack Keller, and Jim Currier were the five North Reading players to participate.

The South, of which Vittozzi was the coach, won the game 11-4 over the North. The five Hornet All-Stars combined for six hits in that game.

Game two of the Wilmington series was on Wednesday night (results not available at press time). If necessary, the third game will take place at North Reading High on Thursday (July 25) afternoon at 5:45 p.m.

The winner of this series will take on the winner of the Dracut-Westford series in the finals which will start this weekend.