Gorman’s homer helps lift Melrose, 7-1

Published April 19, 2019

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—The Melrose Red Raider baseball team picked up their first win of the season with a 7-1 victory over Wayland on the road Tuesday to start their season at 1-1.  

Melrose senior pitcher Pat Coen went the distance with a scattering of hits and Melrose batter Cole Lepler went 4-4 at the plate to help Melrose bounce back from an opening day loss against Super 8 contender Lexington on April 11. 

Against the Warriors on Tuesday, Melrose relied offensively on a spread out contribution on the roster, but notably from junior Cam Gorman, who hit a monster shot over the left field fence, for a total of two big at-bats for the day. 

“Cam had two huge hits for us, and just crushed that homer,” says Melrose coach Scott Searles.

Searles credited Melrose hurler Coen for his complete game. “He went the distance and kept his pitch count down. He did a great job.”

THE MELROSE Red Raider baseball team picked up their first win with a win over Wayland on Tuesday. (file photo)

It was an impressive first win for Melrose against a Wayland team that has scored 25 runs in two games. Melrose junior Matt Morrisey helped make it a 1-0 game, scoring the first run before the Red Raiders took a larger lead of 4-1, giving Coen plenty of run support. 

“This is an example of us doing the little things, like situational hitting, that make it easier to be able to compete with anyone,” Searles said after the game. “If we continue to do it, we will win.” 

Melrose faced a more formidable opponent against Lexington, a team that advanced to Super 8 quarterfinals last season, during Melrose’s season opener on the road on April 11. Melrose senior captain Harry Kelley took the mound, pitted against Super 8 hurler Graham Seed, and the two top hurlers went toe-to-toe in four tight innings, before both taken out for relievers. Kelley exited the game with Melrose down 3-2 before Lexington opened the floodgates and scored 7 runs in an eventual 10-2 Melrose loss. 

“Harry pitched a great game,” says Searles after the game. “I think he walked one batter and I took him out. His pitch count was up there because Lexington waited on him, taking a two-strike approaching, which we were doing too, really making these top pitchers work.” 

In the game, Melrose senior captain Liam Crovo had two doubles and Cole Lepler scored a run to keep Melrose within striking distance at 3-2. 

So far, batting hasn’t been much of an issue for Melrose, who will count on a batting lineup that includes Matt McDonough, Matt Morrisey, Liam Crovo, Harry Kelley, Cam Gorman, Cole Lepler, Brendan McSorley and Dillon Kaliris. Count on contributions from Kevin Nickerson, Dylan Robertson, Zach McGuire, Aiden Ward, Colby Moss, Liam McCall, Brian Pelrine, Mark Aylward, Eric McGovern, Christian Carriere, Gavin Donahue and Ronan Donahue. 

As the early season unwinds, expect Melrose to focus on quality baseball with an IQ-approach to batting and fielding. 

Says the coach, “The Middlesex League is a grind. There is a lot of a strategy in the game behind the plate and on the mound. We’ll see a lot of that when we are up against familiar opponents.” 

That includes Wilmington, whom they host at home on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at Morelli Field.