No. 5 Hopkinton 14, No. 13 Monadnock 4
Key players: Hopkinton – Maddie Carmichael (3-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, 3 runs), Steph Elrick (7 IP, 2 ER, 8 K; 2-for-5, triple, 3 RBI), Beth Taylor (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, run), Lizz Holmes (gorgeous catch)
Highlights: Carmichael’s solo shot gave the Hawks had a 4-0 lead through three innings. In the fourth, the Huskies used three hits and two Hawk errors to score three and put the tying run on third with nobody out. The next batter hit a sinking line drive to center, but Holmes read it beautifully, and made a diving catch on the ball, getting the first out and leaving the tying run on third. Elrick struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam and hold Hopkinton’s 4-3 lead. The Hawks pounded the Huskies for 10 runs in the next two frames, highlighted by Taylor’s home run. Elrick was superb in the circle and the Hawks defense made the rest of the plays to close out Saturday’s quarterfinal. The Hawks will play the defending champions, No. 1 Prospect Mountain, in Wednesday’s semifinal at Plymouth State’s Chase Field.
Coach’s quote: “Lizz showed why she is an All-State centerfielder today. That was one of the best catches I have seen in a long time and at such a key moment – really took the wind out of (Monadnock’s) sails and then our bats started coming alive.” – Hopkinton’s Dan Meserve
Records: Hopkinton 13-5; Monadnock 8-11
No. 2 Coe-Brown 7, No. 10 Sanborn 0
Key players: Coe-Brown – Madison DeCota (7 IP, 3 H, 9 K; 3-for-4), Haile Comeau (triple, 2 RBI), Jayden Porter (2-for-3), Bella Pelletier (hit, defense), Kylie Bieniek (hit, defense)
Highlights:
Coach’s quote: “Great team win, high energy, hitting up and down the line up and some great defense. Pitching and catching were right on point. All facets of the game were great today.” – Coe-Brown’s Dave Allis
Records: Coe-Brown 14-3; Sanborn 9-9
No. 3 John Stark 12, No. 6 Campbell 3
Highlights: The Generals are making a return trip to the final four following a commanding victory over the Cougars, eliminating Campbell in the quarterfinals in its first season in D-II.
Records: John Stark 14-3; Campbell 11-7
No. 7 Concord 5, No. 2 Exeter 4, 8 inn.
Key players: Concord — Matt Drewes 5 1/3 IP, 6 hits, 0 BB, 3 K’s & had a hit. Zach McCoy(WP) 2 2/3 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 2 K’s. Nater Wachter 3-3, 2 RS. Mitch Coffey GW RBI single top of 8th.Dawson Fancher hit,2 RS including GW. Brooks Craigue RS.
Highlights: Fancher scored on an RBI single from Coffey in the top of the eighth and McCoy pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half of the frame as the Tide upset Exeter in extra innings in Saturday’s quarterfinal. Exeter scored twice in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead, but Craigue scored on a wild pitch in the top of the third to make it 2-1. Concord scored twice in the top of fifth when Fancher and Wachter scored on wild pitches. Exeter tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and the Blue Hawks tacked on another in the sixth to go up 4-3. Concord tied it in the top of the seventh when Lauris reached on an error, scoring Wachter, to force the deciding eighth inning. The Crimson Tide will play No. 3 Pinkerton at Holman Stadium in Nashua in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Coach’s quote: “What a great high school baseball game! Both teams battled. We got a great starting performance from Matt Drewes and Zach McCoy was electric in relief! Huge RBI single by Mitch Coffey to put us up 5-4 in the eighth. So proud of this whole team!” – Concord’s Scott Owen
Records: Concord 16-5; Exeter 16-4
No. 2 Hollis-Brookline 3, No. 7 Bow 1
Key players: Bow – Dillan Abbate (3 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 1 K, 1 BB), Mark Folsom (3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 K, 4 BB), Cam Evans (hit), Zach Cross (hit), Luke Wilke (run, HBP)
Highlights:
Coach’s quote: “We played great baseball in most all aspects of our game. We just didn’t string enough hits together to produce the runs we needed to get the win.” – Bow assistant Dennis Ordway
Records: Hollis-Brookline 14-3; Bow 11-7
No. 3 St. Thomas 20, No. 6 John Stark 0
Highlights: The Saints knocked the Generals out of the playoffs for the second year in a row with a victory in Saturday’s quarterfinal.
Records: St. Thomas 13-4; John Stark 11-7
No. 2 Bishop Brady 5, No. 7 Fall Mountain 3
Key players: Bishop Brady – Mike Thresher (win, 7 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 12 K, 0 BB), Winn Thomas (hit, walk, run), Chris Grimbilas (hit, 2 RBI, run, stolen base), Bradyn Mundy (2 hits, RBI, run), Charlie Bolnick (2 hits)
Highlights: Bishop Brady was trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth at White Park, and was able to rally to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the bottom of the sixth to hold on for a 5-3 quarterfinal victory. Thresher threw a complete game three-hitter, only allowing one earned run and striking out 12. Brady will face No. 3 White Mountains at Robbie Mills Park in Laconia in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Coach’s quote: “Honestly we didn’t play our best today, but we still were able to get the win, and in the tournament you take wins any way you can get them. Mike gave us another great effort on the mound today. But we threw the ball around to give them two runs in the fifth and we left guys on base all day. We need to start hitting the baseball better and driving in more of these baserunners.” – Bishop Brady’s Skip Foy
Records: Bishop Brady 16-1; Fall Mtn. 12-6
No. 1 Bishop Guertin 22, No. 8 Concord 5
Key players: Concord – Carter Doherty (3 goals), Joey Tarbell (2 goals, 2 assists), Logan Shimer (many saves in goal)
Highlights: The Tide’s season came to an end in Saturday’s quarterfinal at the sticks of the top-ranked Cardinals.
Records: Bishop Guertin 16-3; Concord 5-13
No. 1 Bow 11, No. 8 Gilford 4
Key players: Bow – Ryan McCabe (4 goals, assist), Gavin McCabe (4 goals), Ben Berube (3 goals, 2 assists), Brodie O’Neil (assist), Will Bennett (assist), Hollis Jones (won 16 of 18 faceoffs)
Highlights: Bow exploded for three goals in the fourth quarter to extend an 8-4 lead to an 11-4 victory, sending the Falcons into Wednesday night’s semifinal against No. 5 Hopkinton.
Coach’s quote: “Happy to earn a few more days together with this group. Proud of the guys for sticking together and making the plays we needed to win.” – Bow’s Devin Calkins
Records: Bow 15-0; Gilford 9-7
No. 5 Hopkinton 13, No. 4 Plymouth 4
Key players: Hopkinton – Nick Martel (3 goals, 2 assists), Patty Buss (3 goals, 2 assists), Lincoln Wilson (3 goals, 5 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers), Gavin Davies (goal, assist), Robert Rinden (goal, 5 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers), Steven Reddy (10 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers), Avery Condon (10 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers), Cam Bassett (5 ground balls, 8 caused turnovers)
Highlights: The Hawks set the pace today and created nice scoring opportunities in a big quarterfinal win over the higher-seeded Bobcats. Hopkinton’s defense regularly shut Plymouth down both 1-on-1 and with slides. The Hawks dominated transition, clearing the ball easily and getting big stops on the ride. After a relatively close first half (5-1 lead) and third quarter (7-3 lead), the Hawks broke the game open in the fourth to book a spot in Wednesday night’s semifinal against No. 1 Bow.
Coach’s quote: “We did a great job of controlling the ball and pressuring on defense. Our offense was on fire and totally selfless. The boys kept their composure well in the face of an aggressive Plymouth defense, and we kept it clean, getting only one penalty to their five. We are pumped for our third matchup of the season with undefeated Bow in the semifinals.” – Hopkinton’s Deacon Blue
Records: Hopkinton 11-5; Plymouth 11-6