No. 4 Bow 6
No. 13 Pembroke 2
Key players: Bow – Ethan Clark (win, 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K), Zach Cross (save, 2.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K), Cam Evans (2-for-3, run), Calen Smith (2 RBI), Kyle Martin (run, RBI), Owen Petretta (run, RBI), Evan Provost (run), Owen Webber (run), Luke Wilke (run, RBI); Pembroke – Preston Wallis (0-for-2, 2 walks, run), Landon Pearson (1-for-4, double, run), Ryan Ardine (2-for-3, 2 doubles), Owen Stewart (2-for-3)
Highlights: The Falcons scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth and all nine batters in the lineup had a hit in Thursday’s prelim. The Spartans took advantage of a pair of Bow errors to plate two runs in the top of the fifth, but the Falcons added a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bow will host No. 5 Hanover in Saturday’s quarterfinal.
Coaches’ quotes: “Great game for us to open the tournament with. Everyone came to play offensively, jumping on pitches early and producing hits through the lineup. Hats off to Pembroke stealing several would-be hits with some tremendous defensive plays. We have some things to review before we take the field on Saturday against Hanover.” – Bow assistant Dennis Ordway
“It was a good playoff baseball game. Both sides executed well and were ready to play. Bow just happened to execute a little better, and in winner-take-all games, that can be the difference. We tip our hat to them.” – Pembroke’s Joshua Coughlin
Records: Bow 13-4; Pembroke 6-11
No. 7 John Stark 2
No. 10 Merrimack Valley 1
Key players: John Stark – Chase Philibotte (win, 6 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 11 K, 2 BB), Anothony Paolicelli (1-for-3, 2 RBI), Nathan Innerfield (1-for-2, run, walk, stolen base; save, 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K), Hayden Nunley (double, run); MV – Luke Dougherty (6 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K), Aidan LaCasse (HR)
Highlights: Pinch hitter Nunley led off the home half of the fifth inning with a double and he came home on a two-run, two-out single by Paolicelli to give the Generals a 2-0 lead. LaCasse’s homer in the sixth inning cut John Stark’s lead in half, but the Pride left two runners in scoring position as Innerfield struck out the final hitter to end the game. The No. 7 Generals advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals when they will face St. Thomas on the road in a rematch of last year’s D-II championship game.
Coaches’ quotes: “Was a great, competitive game today. Both pitchers really battled and our freshman pitched like a senior today. He threw well, mixed his pitches and competed hard. Paolicelli again came up clutch like he has all season, showing again why he is a First Team All-State player.” – John Stark’s Dennis Pelletier
“Luke pitched his tail off, and the boys played hard. We needed to put the ball in play more consistently.” – MV’s Sean Wheeler
Records: John Stark 12-5; MV 8-9
No. 13 Conant 4
No. 4 Belmont 2
Highlights: The Raiders couldn’t replicate their 6-1 regular-season victory against the Orioles, as Conant pulled off the upset in the preliminary round.
Records: Conant 8-9; Belmont 13-4
No. 6 Gilford 4
No. 11 Bishop Brady 2
Key players: Bishop Brady – Michael Thresher (loss, 6 IP, 4 ER, 4 K; double, 2 RBI), Ethan Piotrowski (hit, run), AJ Partington (hit, stolen base), Chris Grimbilas (hit), Bradyn Mundy (hit), Dom DuBreuil (run, walk, sacrifice)
Highlights: Gilford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but a two-run double by Thresher in the top of the third tied the game. The Eagles answered with a single run in their half of the third to take back the lead and added a single tally in the fifth. The Brady offense was not able to push across any more runs in a 4-3 loss at Robbie Mills Field.
Coach’s quote: “Honestly, we hit a lot of balls hard today, but they were right at somebody. That was just the way it went today. It was a hard-fought, well-played baseball game; they just found some open spaces on offense, and we didn’t.” – Bishop Brady’s Skip Foy
Records: Gilford 13-4; Bishop Brady 8-9
No. 8 Hopkinton 11
No. 9 Campbell 1
Key players: Hopkinton – Joe Yanzo (3-for-3, triple, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Colby Boissy (2-for-3, double, RBI), Bryce Charron (2 sacrifice bunts, 3 RBI), Peyton Marshall (double, 2 RBI; win, 5 IP, 2 H, 7 K)
Highlights: With the Hawks leading, 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth, Hopkinton scored five runs to make it 8-1. Marshall earned the walk-off win with a deep single over the center-field fence.
Coach’s quote: “Marshall pitched well, allowing only two hits over five innings while striking out seven. The offense did an outstanding job of following the game plan and helping the Hawks advance to play the No. 1 seed – Monadnock.” – Hopkinton’s Dave Chase
No. 5 Berlin 10
No. 12 Winnisquam 0
Highlights: The Bears were shut out in the preliminary round by the Mountaineers.
Records: Berlin 13-4; Winnisquam 8-9
No. 9 Wilton-Lyndeborough 3
No. 8 Concord Christian 1
Highlights: The Kingsmen won five times as many games as the team did in 2021 but weren’t able to find that elusive tournament victory against the Warriors.
Records: Wilton 11-6; Concord Christian 10-7
No. 6 Colebrook 3
No. 11 Pittsfield 1
Highlights: The Panthers were knocked out in the preliminary round by a hot Colebrook team that has won nine of its last 11 games.
Records: Colebrook 12-5; Pittsfield 9-10
No. 5 Newport 11
No. 12 Belmont 0
Highlights: The Raiders were shut out by the Tigers in the D-III prelims.
Records: Newport 14-4; Belmont 9-8
No. 7 Hopkinton 12
No. 10 White Mtns. 0 (5)
Key players: Hopkinton – Steph Elrick (5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 5 K), Kally Murdough (2-for-2, 3 runs), Lizz Holmes (1-for-2, 2 RBI), Beth Taylor (1-for-3, run, RBI), Maddie Carmichael (2-for-4, run, 2 RBI)
Highlights: The Hawks scored five runs in the bottom of the first, added single runs in the second and third, plated four in the fourth and won their prelim outing due to the mercy rule. Elrick pitched her best game of the season, with a 1-hit, 5K shutout. The Hawk defense was flawless behind her.
Coach’s quote: “Steph pitched great today and our defense looked solid. We put the ball in play and good things happen when you do that.” – Hopkinton’s Dan Meserve
Records: Hopkinton 13-4; White Mtns. 12-7
No. 9 Sunapee 13
No. 8 Pittsfield 12
Highlights: The Panthers improved significantly over their one-win season last year and nearly won their first tournament game in several years against the Lakers.
Records: Sunapee 10-8; Pittsfield 9-8
No. 7 ConVal 7
No. 10 Coe-Brown 6
Highlights: The Bears nearly pulled off the upset in the prelims, but lost a heartbreaker to the Cougars.
Records: ConVal 11-4; Coe-Brown 7-8
No. 9 Gilford 4
No. 8 Kearsarge 3
Highlights: The Cougars beat the Eagles twice during the regular season, but Gilford had the upper hand in Thursday’s prelim.
Records: Gilford 6-9; Kearsarge 7-8