Published in the April 26, 2018 edition

By DAN PAWLOWSKI

NORTH READING — Does three consecutive wins and 25 combined runs including a go-ahead dinger in extra innings sound like an exciting week of baseball?

Yes, that was a rhetorical question asked in order to create a dramatic effect rather than to get an answer.

The Hornets (4-2) beat Newburyport, 11-4 on April 17, Manchester-Essex, 11-10 on April 20 and Ipswich, 3-1 on April 24.

North Reading hasn’t struggled to score runs in any of their first six games of the season, but the offense reached a new level during their win over the Clippers.

ALEX D’AMBROSIO connects on a three-run home run during North Reading’s 11-4 win over Newburyport on April 17. D’Ambrosio’s excellent week at the dish continued against Manchester- Essex when he hit another homer in the top of the 8th to give NR an 11-10 lead which they would hold for another win. (John Friberg Photo)

“Our bats came alive against Newburyport,” said North Reading head Eric Archambault. “We had 12 hits, four of them being for extra-bases.”

Junior Alex D’Ambrosio led the way in the three-hole for the Hornets, going 4-for-4 including a 3-run homer, the first of the season for North Reading, in the bottom of the 3rd. The Hornets scored 8 runs in that 3rd inning to turn a 3-0 deficit into an 8-3 lead.

Four other Hornets (Matt Solecki, Cole Doke, Derek Reilly and Dan Lignos) each had two RBI’s to account for the 11 runs.

Joe Wallace pitched six innings, giving up seven hits and just two earned runs in the victory.

“Joe Wallace had a solid game on the mound, putting us in a great position to win,” said Archambault.

D’Ambrosio belts winning homer in extra innings

On Friday, North Reading traveled to Manchester-Essex High School. The offense, still simmering from their performance against Newburyport, left the burners on against the CAL’s other Hornets.

It was a back-and-forth battle of aluminum, but D’Ambrosio got the final say.

After Manchester-Essex tied the game at 10 in the bottom of the 7th, D’Ambrosio sent a towering solo-shot to left.

“It was an extremely clutch at-bat and we needed it in that situation,” said Archambault. “We relinquished a sizable lead but Alex came through with the home run that gave us the lead for good.”

After giving up the tying runs in the 7th, Jack Keller came right back to the hill in the 8th and shut down the home team.

It was a relatively quiet 3-3 game until the 6th inning when North Reading scored 7 runs and Manchester-Essex scored 4 to stay in it.

Matt DeBenedetto and Cole Doke both had big games at the plate for North Reading. DeBenedetto went 4-for-4 with three doubles and 2 RBI’s. Doke went 4-for-4 including a home run and a double. Lignos and Marco Vittozzi each chipped in with two RBI’s.

Doke, Wallace cage Tigers

On Tuesday, the Hornets hosted Ipswich looking for their third straight win. Cole Doke and Joe Wallace, with help from some stellar defense, shut out the Tigers through six innings on their way to a 3-1 win.

Doke went 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs while striking out four. Wallace pitched the final 2.2, allowing one hit and one run while striking out two.

North Reading picked up one run in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings.

After DeBenedetto singled and reached third base on a dropped third strike to Lignos in the 2nd, Solecki drove in the first run of the game with a base hit.

With two outs in the 3rd, D’Ambrosio manufactured his own run after getting hit by a pitch, stealing second, stealing third and scoring on a passed ball.

In the 6th, North Reading loaded the basses on a DeBenedetto single, a Keller HBP, and a bunt single from Dylan Babcock. Joey Frammartino took one for the team on another hit-by-pitch to score DeBenedetto.

Overall, it was a little different from the previous two victories, but the Hornets are proving they can win in any type of game. In order to keep that trend up, the team must continue to focus on getting better every day.

“It was a good week for us,” said Archambault. “The players are doing a great job of focusing on the process rather than the result. All 19 guys have contributed to our success and all three of these victories were complete team wins.”