Dominant pitching performances can keep any team’s hopes alive, and the Belmont baseball found that out firsthand in the team’s season-opening 2-1 win over Laconia. Caleb Drouin went the distance, going the full seven innings with two strikeouts while allowing only three hits. Laconia’s James Salta almost outdueled him by allowing just two hits, but was done in with a lack of command, walking six and hitting one batter.
“It’s a real positive knowing we can win when the bats aren’t going,” Belmont Coach Matt LeBlanc said. “There are 100 different ways to win a baseball game, and that is certainly one.”
Laconia got on the board first in the fifth inning, breaking up a Drouin no-hitter in the process. With one out, Drouin walked a batter and the next batter doubled, driving him in for a 1-0 lead. LeBlanc wasn’t worried about Drouin’s composure, saying “he was settled in for the entire game.”
Belmont bounced back in the sixth inning, when a runner reached first on an error by the third baseman. Two passed balls on the next batter allowed the runner to advance to third, and a walk put runners on the corner.
A passed ball advanced both runners, tying the game at one. Drouin was next up, singling to put runners on the corners again. Two more walks brought in the go-ahead run, allowing Belmont to take a 2-1 lead.
Salta was able to get out of the bases-loaded jam, but his team was still down going into the top half of the seventh. Drouin retired the first two batters, but then Salta hit a deep double.
“That ball would’ve been gone in any other park,” Leblanc said. “We were able to hold him at second, though.”
Drouin retained his compusre and retired the final batter, earning a complete game win.
“Good first game,” Leblanc said. “This will be a springboard for the rest of the season.”
Belmont moves to 1-0 and Laconia sits at 1-1. Both teams will play road games today, as Belmont visits Berlin and Laconia goes to Mascoma Valley.
From coaches’ reports
Belmont 8, Laconia 3
Key players: Belmont – Megan Prescott (complete game, 10 strikeouts), Julianna Estremeara (2-for-3), MacKenzie Donovan (2 doubles).
Highlights/key moments: Belmont scored three runs in the third inning to build a lead for Prescott. The two freshmen, Estremeara and Donovan, played very well at the plate and in the field, while Shannon Davies had a good game defensively at first base.
Coach’s quote: “Nice to see some of the freshmen step up both offensively and defensively.” – Belmont’s Bill Clary
Records: Belmont 1-0; Laconia 0-2
Concord 9, Merrimack 0
Key players: Justin Toler (8-1 win at No. 1), Aidan Connor (8-3 win at No. 2), Adam Bryant (8-0 win at No. 3), Sebastian Hart-Meyer (8-1 win at No. 4), Matt Chorlian (8-2 win at no. 5), Kevin Neary (8-0 win at No. 6), Toler/Connor (9-8 win at No. 1 doubles), Hart-Meyer/Chorlian (8-3 win at No. 2 doubles), Bryant/Neary (8-0 win at No. 3 doubles)
Highlights/key moments: Concord swept Merrimack on Thursday, with Toler/Connor playing the closest match of the day in the No. 1 doubles match. Tied 8-8, the pair won the tiebreaker 7-2 and captured the win for Concord.
Coach’s quote: “We came in with a good mindset in our last match before defending champion Bedford visits Memorial Field on Monday. Adam Bryant and Kevin Neary played especially well, recording shutouts in both of their matches. (We) trailed 7-5 against a hard-hitting Merrimack team at No. 1 doubles, but rallied to with a tiebreaker thanks to improved net play.” – Concord’s Dave Page
Records: Concord 4-0; Merrimack 0-4
Portsmouth 8, Bishop Brady 1
Key players: Bishop Brady – Jackson Bouley/Sam Olson (9-8 (7-2) win at No.2 doubles.
Highlights/key moments: The Green Giants ran into a buzzsaw in the defending champion Clippers.
Coach’s quote: “Portsmouth sets the bar very high, and it shows us where we need to be if we want to compete for a championship in this division.” – Brady’s Rick Skarinka
Records: Brady 1-3; Portsmouth 2-0
Concord 9, Merrimack 0
Key players: Concord – Becky Cistulli (8-0 win at No. 1), Alex Killinger (8-2 win at No. 2), Colleen Casey (8-0 win at No. 3), Olivia Cattabriga (8-3 win at No. 4), Sabrina Hart-Meyer (8-1 win at No. 5), Irene Escobar (8-5 win at No. 6); Cistulli/Killinger (8-0 win at No. 1 doubles), Casey/Hart-Meyer (8-4 win at No. 2), Cattabriga/Escobar (8-3 win at No. 3)
Highlights/key moments: Concord swept Merrimack, with two shutouts in singles and one in doubles.
Coach’s quote: “Although an easy win, very good practice for all of our girls.” – Concord’s Rebecca Killinger
Records: Concord 2-1; Merrimack 0-3
Bishop Guertin 10, Concord 1
Key players: Concord – Alex Marceau (goal), Ethan Donlon (28 saves)
Highlights/key moments: Bishop Guertin dominated from the beginning, as the Cardinals took down the Tide for their second straight win of the year. Concord’s defensive unit of J.D. Osborn, Dan Kelleher, Chris Cummings and Liam Connolly played tough to limit the BG attack, but ultimately couldn’t keep it off the board.
Records: Concord 1-1; Bishop Guertin 2-0
John Stark 15, Keene 0
Key players: John Stark – Lizzie Brandt (4 goals, 2 assists), Danielle Galli (3 goals, 3 assists), Sara Medvetz (2 goals), Jill Douzanis (2 goals)
Highlights/key moments: John Stark scored early and often, dominating from the outset. The Geneals scored five goals in the first six minutes and held an 11-0 lead at halftime. The defense of macKenzie Nase, Sydney Story, Allie mcKean and Abbey Rancourt supported Sam Porter’s first career shutout in net.
Coach’s quote: “We played well, but we have tougher games ahead of us.” – Stark’s John Warner
Records: John Stark 2-0; Keene 1-2
Timberlane 14, Merrimack Valley 4
Key players: MV – Izzy Hoyt (2 goals), Talia Dinger (2 goals)
Highlights/key moments: Timberlane captured its first win of the season on Thursday while MV dropped its third straight game. MV will have six days before its next game when it travels to Kingswood for its fourth straight road game.
Records: MV 0-3; Timberlane 1-1
Franklin at Laconia
Key players: Franklin – CJ Gaslin (2nd shot put), Damien laflamme (3rd 200), Christian Shepard (2nd high jump), Jacob Weaver (3rd 300 hurdles)
Highlights/key moments: Franklin competed at the Laconia meet, with two athletes placing second and two in third.
Coach’s quote: “This is a very young team with lots of freshman and sophomores and we are scoring points and the kids are excited to be out there competing.” – Franklin’s John Limoge
MV 75, Lebanon 43
Key players: MV – John Barger (3rd 200 in 24.80; 2nd long jump at 17-1.5), Dylan Guinard (1st 400 in 54.87), Herman Nixon (2nd 400 in 56.68), Isaiah Shedd (1st 800 in 2:09.1), David Reynolds (1st 1,600 in 4:58.82; 2nd 3,200 in 10:47.79) Matthew Reynolds (1st 3,200 in 10:40.68), Brandon Wood (1st 110 in 15.4;, 1st 300 in 41.97), Joey Baylus (2nd 110 in 16.37; 2nd 300 in 43.15; 1st high jump at 5-6)
Highlights/key moments: The MV boys’ track team placed first at the Lebanon meet behind six first-place finishes on the day.
Lebanon 56.5, MV 40.5
Key players: MV – Tristan Beyer (1st 200 in 30.39), Kristie Schoffield (1st 400 in 1:00.96; 1st 800 in 2:36.45), Lauren Rouse (2nd 3,200 in 13:29.65), Kaitlyn Covell (1st in 100 hurdles in 17.93; 2nd 300 hurdles in 51.66), Rebecca Williams (2nd 100 hurdles in 23.90)
Highlights/key moments: Lebanon edged out MV by just 16 points on the day, capturing first place at its home meet. MV had just four first-place finishes while Lebanon had eight.