NR beats Lynnfield in season opener
Published in the April 12, 2018 edition
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
RYAN CONNOR got the 2018 season off to a great start, pitching a complete-game shutout against reigning CAL champion Lynnfield. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
LYNNFIELD — North Reading baseball has always been about the team first.
From NR Little League all the way up to Eric Archambault’s NRHS varsity squad, being a Hornet ballplayer means being a great teammate first, no matter your role.
This is why the Hornets don’t stress about individual titles as much as they do about Div. 3 North Sectional ones. If you want to fall in love with the process and give everything you have to your teammates, you’re going to have a lot of fun, and win plenty of games.
With that mentality, the 2018 NRHS baseball team began their campaign with a resounding win over rival Lynnfield on Tuesday. Going up against the reigning CAL champions and against one of the league’s best pitchers might have felt daunting to most teams. Especially considering how the poor weather affects preseason practice for turf-less teams like North Reading, whereas Lynnfield has been practicing on a diamond for weeks.
“We haven’t been outside really at all,” said Archambault. “We’ve been on the football field a few times but we haven’t had one practice on a baseball field.”
Apparently the indoor drills were working just fine.
ALEX D’AMBROSIO and assistant coach Eddie Blum were locked in against Lynnfield on Tuesday. The Hornets beat the Pioneers 7-0. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
The Hornets put together a near perfect performance against the Pioneers in all phases to leave town with a resounding 7-0 win to start the season.
“They stepped up to the challenge,” said Archambault, who is in his fourth season as the head coach. “I was pumped, I was really excited for them. Hopefully we can use that momentum moving forward.”
Junior Ryan Connor got the start for North Reading, and pitched a complete game shutout against the reigning CAL champs.
“He was awesome today,” said Archambault. “He gets ahead of hitters and keeps it low. He does everything your taught to do. He’s a competitor and thats the number one thing, he just competes every time he’s out there and that’s what separates him from other pitchers that might have close to his stuff.”
The defense was excellent as well. After the Hornets put up four runs in the first, second baseman Dante Centofanti made a diving catch to his left on a flare pop up to end the inning, stranding runners at second and third. That play, like many in this game, got the North Reading bench going. It might not seem possible, but the energy and support from each player in the dugout clearly affected this one.
“This team has come together tremendously well. They are there for each other and from one to 19 they’re supportive of each other and that’s awesome to see,” said Archambault.
Senior Matt DeBenedetto ripped a base hit up the middle to score senior Marco Vittozzi for NR’s first run. Sophomore Jack Keller found the gap on a base hit to score junior Alex D’Ambrosio. Centofanti grounded out the opposite way for a productive out and an RBI. A passed ball scored Keller and the Hornets had a 4-0 lead before the Pioneers could blink.
In the bottom of the 2nd, the defense made another highlight play as senior first baseman Derek Reilly did his best Mitch Moreland impression on a sharp liner that he snagged and zipped over to second for a double play to end the inning. The Hornets tacked on one more in the third after D’Ambrosio got on again and stole third, setting up an opportunity for Centofanti to hit a sacrifice fly for his second RBI. He would get his third on a base hit in the 5th inning to make it 7-0.
In between the offensive production, Connor continued to roll and the bench continued to roar, as NR made a statement to their rivals, to the league, and to themselves.
It all starts with that process. Something that will hopefully come easier as the weather turns. The Hornets aren’t focused on the tournament so much as they are on getting better everyday.
“We do set goals as a team,” said Archambault. “But we try to focus on things we can control, so the process of it rather than the results. Usually if you handle the process and you work hard everyday, the results will hopefully take care of themselves.”
For a program used to success, not just under Frank Carey, but also coach Archambault and his staff including Eddie Blum, Matt DiVechia, pitching coach Eric Diffily, JV coaches Eric Popp and Dave Giannattasio and freshman coach Michael Leyden, that process program wide will pay off. The Hornets won the Div. 3 North and were state runners-up in 2016, a place they are looking to return after dropping a first round game in the tournament last season.
It’s a realistic goal if these Hornets continue to focus on being good teammates first.
