BOW – The matchups didn’t disappoint – brother vs. brother or Bishop Brady vs. Bow.
Brady senior Tom Blandini pitched a complete game, giving up just one unearned run and striking out seven, to lead the Green Giants to a 3-1 win on Wednesday over rival Bow in the season opener for both teams. And Bow freshman Connor Blandini may have gone 0-for-3 against his big brother, but he made the at-bats interesting and he flashed impressive leather at shortstop.
Before we get to the brotherly details, a quick look at the big picture shows a cleaner game than your average opener. There were only three combined walks and each team made two errors – the two from Bow led to runs and the two from Brady didn’t. In the end, that made the difference, but it didn’t feel like a game decided by mistakes.
“It felt like a clean game,” Brady Coach Skip Foy said. “And I was a little nervous about that because we didn’t play well in our two scrimmages.”
Having the hard-throwing and experienced Tom Blandini on the mound helped the Green Giants settle in. He worked out of a second-and-third jam in the second, pitched around errors in the third and fourth and got stronger as the game went on, finding the break on his curve in the latter stages and striking out the side in the seventh to end the game with a flourish.
“I hit the spots I needed to,” Blandini said, “and when the fastball wasn’t working for me, I had the curveball to back it up.”
He had to be sharp because his counterpart, Bow lefty Brendan Winch, was on top of his game. The junior gave up four hits and three runs, one earned, in 5 innings.
“Winch pitched great for them,” Foy said. “He’s not overpowering, but he throws strikes, moves it in and out and throws just enough of that curveball that he had us out front.”
Blandini also knew he had to be sharp facing Bow’s talented young shortstop.
“I loved playing against him, but I was nervous because I know how good my brother is,” the elder Blandini said. “He’s better than I was as a freshman.”
There was no waiting for the first brotherly interaction. Tom Blandini led off for Brady and hit a ground ball to his younger brother, who made the play (one of his seven assists). Connor led off the bottom of the first for Bow and drilled a 3-1 fastball back up the middle. Tom got a glove on it in self defense, the ball caromed to Brady second baseman Adam Kalil and he got it to first in time to get Connor.
“That scared me,” big brother said of the liner off his glove.
And it didn’t do much to help the nerves of the boys’ mother, M.B. Blandini, who was vociferously cheering for both of them as she paced the sidelines.
“She’s a riot over there,” Tom said.
The Giants opened the scoring in the third when Ian MacDonald led off with a double over the center fielder’s head (best hit ball of the day), advanced to third on a ground ball and scored on a throwing error. Bow tied it in the fifth when Austin Beaudette walked (the only free pass Blandini issued) reached third on two wild pitches and scored on a passed ball.
Brady regained the lead in the sixth when Kalil reached on an error and went to third on an infield single from J.P. Nemcovich, who took second on defensive indifference. Jeff Bell relieved Winch from there, and he issued an intentional walk to Martin Hecka to load the bases. That brought up Mario Fusco, who transferred from Kearsarge this year and delivered in a big way in his first game in green.
“I was just thinking about swinging at a pitch I liked and moving people around,” Fusco said.
He found that pitch, pushed it to right and pumped his fist as he ran to first and Kalil and Nemcovich ran home.
“I was just excited,” Fusco said of the fist pump. “I thought (the right fielder) might catch it, but when I saw him waiting for it to drop, I knew it was going to score somebody.”
Bell (2-for-3) led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, but he was thrown out trying to take second on a dropped strike and the Falcons didn’t threaten again.
“I think everybody settled in early and we were able to have a good baseball game,” Bow Coah Ben Forbes said. “Our pitchers threw to contact and for the most part the defense made plays, we just didn’t hit.”
Blandini had plenty to do with that. After giving up the single to Bell, he fanned four of the final five batters he faced.
“He pitched a phenomenal game,” Fusco said of his new teammate. “He set us up nicely to win only giving up that one run. It’s a great way to start the season.”
(Tim O’Sullivan can be reached at 369-3341 or at tosullivan@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @timosullivan20.)
From coaches’ reports
Merrimack Valley 6, Plymouth 5
Key players: MV – Taylor Hughes (3-for-4, home run), Mark Barton (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Joe Dougherty (2-for-4), Brian Nylen (5 IP in relief, 9 Ks)
Highlights/key moments: Barton drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning with an infield groundout.
Coach’s quote: “(The) kids battled today. Feels good to get the first one under our belt.” – MV’s Sean Wheeler
Records: MV 1-1; Plymouth 0-2
Franklin 5, Gilford 1
Key players: Franklin – Brendon Frechette (complete game one-hitter), Brian Sweet (double, 2 RBI)
Highlights/key moments: Franklin turned a key double play in the third inning after giving up a walk. Frechette then induced a pop-out on the next pitch to get out unscathed.
Coach’s quote: “Brendon showed his maturity after walking the first batter of the game (and) threw only 56 pitches the entire game. That was key for us getting ahead in the count and making them swing the bats. They put the ball in play and our defense took care of business.” – Franklin’s Dave Joyce
Records: Franklin 1-0; Gilford 0-1
Kearsage 2, Hopkinton 0
Key players: Kearsarge – Zach Mattos (7 IP, 2 hits, 5 walks, 4 Ks, RBI); Hopkinton – Ben McManus (5 hits allowed, no-hitter through five innings)
Highlights/key moments: With runners on second and third in the top of sixth, Zach Mattos executed a squeeze bunt and Jake Vieren scored to take a 1-0 lead.
Coach’s quote: “Great first game of the season. It was a true team effort and I am just proud of the way we executed on the mound, Defensively, and offensively in all the pressure situations.” – Kearsarge’s Travis Pelletier
Records: Kearsarge 1-0; Hopkinton 1-1
Fall Mountain 13,
Hillsboro-Deering 1
Key players: H-D – Brandon Soules, Cameron Parris, Kevin McCaffrey, and Devon Tarbox (all had hits), Garret Miller (played well in the field)
Coach’s quote: “We had a rough second inning and couldn’t recover against a tough pitcher.” – H-D’s Mike Donnell
Records: Fall Mtn. 1-0; H-D 0-2
Newmarket 10, Pittsfield 3
Key players: Pittsfield – Noah McGlashing (4 IP, 2 runs, 4 Ks), Casey Clark (2-for-3, double, 2 RBI), Kyle Stockman (2-for-2, walk)
Highlights/key moments: The Panthers held tough into the fifth, trailing 3-2 when the wheels fell off. Seven walks and four errors gave Newmarket seven runs over the next two innings.
Coach’s quote: “I thought the boys played a better game than the score indicates, but we definitely showed our youth in the fifth and sixth innings and we didn’t keep our composure.” – Pittsfield’s Rob Stockman
Records: Newmarket 1-1; Pittsfield 1-1
Plymouth 5, MV 4
Key players: MV – Sam Hodkinson (3-for-4, 2-run home run; complete game, 7 hits, 3 ER, 9 Ks), Alani Ramas (RBI)
Coach’s quote: “We just didn’t execute the way we need to in a close game. Plymouth kept chipping away and scored 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win. It was a good game and one we need to learn from and improve going forward.” – MV’s Sam York
Records: Plymouth 2-0; MV 0-2
Windham 12, Coe-Brown 2
Key players: Windham – Jaime Cleasby (18 Ks); Coe-Brown – Emelia Cronshaw (double), Mallory Perron (hit)
Highlights/key moments: Windham started off quickly, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Coe-Brown answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Windham scored nine runs over the next two innings to put the game away.
Records: Windham 2-0; Coe-Brown 0-2
Franklin 2, Gilford 0
Key players: Franklin – Hailey Haskins (CG, 3 hits, 11 Ks), Hanne Nichols, Meghan Johnston, Breanna Styles (great plays on defense)
Highlights/key moments: Franklin’s Haskins pitched herself out of a no-out bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth inning.
Coach’s quote: “It was great to see such a good defensive effort so early in the season and Hailey’s effort on the mound was outstanding.” – Franklin’s Skip DuBois
Records: Franklin 1-0; Gilford 0-2
Hopkinton 14, Kearsarge 1, 5 inn.
Key players: Hopkinton – Alexis Blanchette (complete game, 1 hit, 6 Ks; 2-for-2, double, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Gabby Lajeunesse (2-for-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Caroline Flood (triple, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Alexis Ferns (triple, run scored, 2 RBI); Kearsarge – Ashley Thompson (run), Rachel Breault (hit)
Highlights/key moments: Kearsarge scored the first run of the game, but Hopkinton scored three runs in the first and had another big inning in the fourth.
Coach’s quote: “I thought we really came to play today. Alexis pitched a fantastic game and we had some strong at-bats against a good pitcher in Ashley Thompson.” – Hopkinton’s Dan Meserve
Records: Hopkinton 2-0; Kearsarge 0-1
Bishop Brady 21, Bow 1
Key players: Bishop Brady – Emily Manning (no-hitter, 7 Ks, double, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Lily Rivera (3-for-3, triple, 2 RBI, 2 runs), Becca Olson (2-for-4, 4 runs, RBI), Emily Santis (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Jamie Cookingham (triple, RBI), Jackie Hill (triple, 2 runs, RBI), Emma Bradley (triple, run, RBI), Abby Santis (triple, run), Jess Beeso (run, 2 RBI), Aniecia Vargas (RBI), Gwen Tupman and Meghann Haley (run each)
Highlights/key moments: Manning tossed a no-hitter, while the Bishop Brady offense pounded out 16 hits.
Coach’s quote: “We set the tone early in the first inning scoring four runs; good solid defense behind a good pitching performance by Emily Manning.” – Bishop Brady’s Freddy Rivera
Records: Bishop Brady 1-0; Bow 0-1
Hillsboro-Deering 5,
Fall Mountain 1
Key players: H-D – Maggie Atkins (complete game one-hitter, 6 Ks), Melissa Veitch (double, 2 RBI)
Highlights/key moments: Veitch had a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI double to open the game up for H-D.
Coach’s quote: “We came out swinging and played a great game all-around.” – H-D’s Shawn Atkins
Records: H-D 1-1; Fall Mtn. 0-1
Keene 15, Merrimack Valley 5
Key players: MV – Madyn Kenney (3 goals), Izzy Hoyt (goal), Brannigan McNeil (goal), Brittany Leonard (great saves in net)
Highlights/key moments: Lauryn Masse, Christa DeMichelas, Sara Osbourne and Misty Martell played well on the defensive end.
Coach’s quote: “Keene played a great game, but we weren’t going down without a fight … Our team is excited to continue growing together throughout the season.” – MV’s Anna DeVylder
Records: Keene 1-1; MV 0-2
Derryfield 16, Kearsarge 11
Key players: Kearsarge – Anna Stowell (6 goals), Eleanor Angus (3 goals, assist)
Records: Derryfield 2-0-0; Kearsarge 1-1-0
Concord 16, Merrimack 2
Key players: Concord – J.D. Osborne, Dan Kelleher and Alex Marceau (good defense), Ethan Donlon (9 saves)
Highlights/key moments: Concord came out firing on all cylinders to win its season opener.
Records: Concord 1-0; Merrimack 0-1
Bishop Brady 17, Stevens 0
Key players: Bishop Brady – Chris Thurber (4 goals, 2 assists), Rich Sullivan (4 goals, 2 assists), Bryce Johnson (3 goals, 3 assists), Connor Dougherty (2 goals), Nick Stuart (goal, 2 assists), Cooper Nadeau (first career varsity goal), Kyle Cioffi (first career varsity goal), Aidan Plumpton (goal)
Highlights/key moments: Bishop Brady jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and didn’t let up en route to the shutout.
Coach’s quote: “We need to improve our ground balls a lot. They seemed lazy and nonchalant, which will kill us down the line. Our attack did most of the damage on the scoreboard and we only had two man-up chances. If we can get our passes to be crisp and win those 50-50 balls, we’ll be on the right track.” – Brady’s Justin Loring
Records: Bishop Brady 1-0; Stevens 0-1
Pembroke 14, Milford 5
Key players: Pembroke – Peter Caraway (11 saves), Glenn Dion (5 goals), Pat Berry (3 goals, assist), Chris Arvantis (3 goals), Drew Berry (3 assists), Kam Anderson (2 goals)
Highlights/key moments: Pembroke had a 7-4 advantage at the half. In the third quarter, it held the Milford offense scoreless while causing several turnovers and clearing 100 percent of its clears.
Coach’s quote: “It was nice to get out on a full field. We had to play disciplined team lacrosse. Transition was a big part of our game plan going in. We knew Coach Urda was going to have Milford playing a disciplined game and we had to do the little things right.” – Pembroke’s Tim Vasconcellos
Records: Pembroke 1-0; Milford 5
Concord 7, Nashua South 2
Key players: Concord – Justin Toler (8-0 win at No. 1 singles), Aidan Connor (8-2 at No. 2), Adam Bryant (8-4 at No. 3), Matt Chorlian (8-1 at No. 5), Kevin Neary (8-5 at No. 6), Toler/Connor (8-1 at No. 1 doubles), Bryant/Neary (8-5 at No. 2)
Coach’s quote: “We weren’t as sharp today as we were last Friday at Exeter but we were still able to get past a scrappy South team. Justin Toler and Aidan Connor played well in winning decisively in both singles and doubles.” – Concord’s Dave Page
Records: Concord 2-0; Nashua South 2-2
Coe-Brown 7, Bishop Brady 2
Key players: Coe-Brown – Gareth Owen (8-3 singles win, 8-1 doubles win), Brian Gordon (8-0), Tom Mellor (8-3), Nate Griffiths (8-0 singles, 8-1 doubles), Tyler Holman (8-0), Nick Sangerson and Donovan Corliss (8-2 doubles); Bishop Brady – Danny Bryck (8-2 singles, 8-4 doubles), Tom MacMullin (8-4 doubles)
Records: Coe-Brown 3-0; Bishop Brady 1-2
Concord 9, Nashua South 0
Key players: Concord – Becky Cistulli (8-0 win at No. 1 singles), Alexandra Killinger (8-2 at No. 2), Colleen Casey (8-1 at No. 3), Olivia Cattabriga (8-0 at No. 4), Sabrina Hart-Meyer (8-0 at No. 5), Irene Escobar (8-0 at No. 6), Killinger/Cistulli (8-1 at No. 1 doubles), Casey/Hart-Meyer (8-1 at No. 2), Cattgabriga/Escobar (8-0 at No. 3)
Coach’s quote: “Good, solid win for us.” – Concord’s Rebecca Killinger
Records: Concord 1-1; Nashua 0-4
Sanborn 8, Kearsarge 1
Key players: Kearsarge – Morganne Flinkstrom/Miranda Bonin (8-4 win at No. 2 doubles)
Coach’s quote: “It was our opening match of the season and though it was a loss, I am very proud of the way our players competed today. I have no doubt that they will all continue to improve as the season progresses.” – Kearsarge’s Laura Joslin-King
Records: Sanborn 2-1; Kearsarge 0-1
ConVal 6, Bishop Brady 3
Key players: Bishop Brady – Sydney Herrington (8-0 win at No. 1), Ravalika Damerla (8-3 at No. 2), Herrington/Damerla (8-4 at No. 1 doubles)
Coach’s quote: “Alexa Bonvie lost in her varsity debut, but played well.” – Brady’s Lee Herrington
Records: ConVal 2-1; Bishop Brady 1-3
Pembroke 6, Milford 3
Key players: Pembroke – Nicole Carr (8-3 win at No. 1 singles), Alison Sobezenski (8-6 at No. 5), Nora Sansoucie( 8-4 at No. 6), Carr/Emmi Ferrera (8-6 at No. 1 doubles), Jaden Russell/Sadie Fox (8-6 at No. 2), Sobezenski/Sansoucie (8-4 at No. 3)
Coach’s quote: “Milford won at the number two, three and four singles, so Pembroke Academy was down, 1-3. The girls pulled it together and won the last six matches.” – Pembroke’s David Goulet
Records: Pembroke 1-2; Milford 0-2
Boys’ volleyball
John Stark 3, Salem 0
Key players: John Stark – Aeden McCarron, Robbie Yelle, Cody Lemay and David Hewey (outstanding blocking and hitting), Robert Blouin and Sawyer Lemay (great job managing offense), Griffin Caswell (anchored the defense)
Highlights/key moments: John Stark came out fast to take the first set, 25-18 and second set 25-15. They then pulled out a come-from-behind 25-23 win to close out the match.
Coach’s quote: “This was a great effort from start to finish. We covered the entire court on defense, communicated consistently, and made excellent decisions on offense. The hard work in practice, including both individual skills and team play, paid off against a very strong opponent.” – Stark’s Dave Simeone
Records: John Stark 1-1; Salem 1-1
Timberlane 3, Coe-Brown 0
Key players: Coe-Brown – Liam Clinch (5 assists), Josh Moreshead (3 kills, 7 digs)
Highlights/key moments: Coe-Brown lost the three sets 25-16, 25-8 and 25-17.
Records: Timberlane 2-0; Coe-Brown 1-1