BELMONT – The Belmont baseball team didn’t need any extra motivation for Wednesday’s game against Division III rival Laconia. The Raiders were facing one of the top pitchers in the state in Ryan Dee and knew that a victory would likely secure them the No. 1 seed for the tournament.
And then the Gilford baseball team showed up.
“I liked seeing them there,” Belmont ace Griffin Embree said of the rival Golden Eagles. “That means they’re seeing us so they want that No. 1 seed. I know they want that so it gave me a little more motivation to keep it on our side.”
With one rival on the field and the other watching from the bleachers waiting for the Raiders to slip, Belmont dealt daggers to both.
The Raiders used some clutch hitting from Brett Auclair to rally back and capped off the comeback with a two-run sixth inning to beat Laconia, 6-4, while also knocking Gilford out of first place in D-III.
Both Belmont and Gilford sit at 13-2 with one game to play. The Raiders own the tiebreaker after a 7-6 win over the Golden Eagles on April 17 and can lock down the top seed with a victory over Prospect Mountain on Friday.
“Being the No. 1 seed doesn’t matter unless you do something in the playoffs,” Belmont coach Matt LeBlanc said. “The 15 teams in the playoffs, any of the 15, especially with their No. 1 (pitcher) throwing, they can beat whoever.
“But it has to be the goal,” LeBlanc continued. “You want to be the top team so you fight for it. And you know, if we achieve that goal, great. It would be the first one that we kind of set out for ourselves to achieve.”
With Embree opposing Dee – the Sachems starter who entered the afternoon with a 0.22 ERA – the contest was supposed to be a low-scoring pitchers’ duel, but neither hurler was sharp in the early stages.
Laconia (10-6) touched up Embree in the very first inning, using a single from Cam Haynes to put runners on the corners before Steven Poliquin drove in the game’s first run with a bloop base hit.
The Sachems also scored three times in the third when Tyler Richter lined a two-run double to right and came all the way around to score after a pair of Belmont throwing errors.
“It was nice to see our guys against an excellent pitcher in Embree,” Laconia coach Jon Myers said. “We fought hard, we put the ball in play and we had some nice hits against him. I can’t say that in the past against him because he’s dominated us, and today we got to him a little bit at least.”
Belmont, though, responded with some good swings off of Dee.
The Raiders plated two runs in the second inning. Nate Sottak led off with a walk, stole second and came around to score after two wild pitches. Later in the inning with a runner on second, Austin Didsbury delivered an RBI double to supply Belmont with a 2-1 lead.
But after a messy third inning, Embree and the rest of the Raiders had some work to do with a 4-2 deficit.
“For me, I have to look at myself a little bit and see what I have to fix. But for the most part, I’m just watching (my teammates) hit the crap out of the ball,” said Embree, who recovered nicely and went the distance, striking out 11 Laconia batters. “They do an amazing job of picking me up. I’m usually better than that and they know that.”
Embree didn’t allow another run and gave up just three hits the rest of the way to keep Belmont in it.
The offense did the rest, manufacturing a run in the home half of the third on an RBI single for Lars Major and tying the game at 4-all in the fourth on a key two-out single for Auclair to score senior Colby Brown.
Auclair wasn’t done, either, emerging as the hero in the bottom of the sixth with the eventual game-winning hit.
After Dee walked Jason Gaudette on four pitches to begin the inning, Myers called on Haynes for relief. Haynes recorded the first two outs in quick order, but Cam Magerer singled to keep the inning alive and Auclair then blasted a double just out of the reach of left fielder Jackson Knowlton to score two.
“(Auclair) just hit the ball where it was pitched and I’ll tell you what, that kid, he came through in a big way today,” LeBlanc said. “It’s senior day but the junior came through so we love it for him.”
Embree worked a 1-2-3 seventh to secure the win.
“You want to be playing your best baseball toward the end of the season. I can’t say this was our best baseball today, but it showed character,” LeBlanc said. “You want that character and when the chips are down you want to keep fighting through, give it your best and get a good result.
“I think that’s what happened today. We got a good result.”
(Jay McAree can be reached at 369-3371, jmcaree@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JayMcAree.)
No. 1 Bow 9, No. 8 Kingswood 0
Key players: Bow – Olivia Parzick (8-5 win at No. 1 singles), Emma Conley (8-2 at No. 2), Lauren Goyette (8-0 win at No. 3), Miah Munro (8-0 win at No. 4), Alyssa Harpring (8-1 win at No. 5), Isabelle Dolcino (8-0 win at No. 6).
Highlights: Bow finished the victory by sweeping doubles with three 8-0 wins from the teams of Parzick and Harpring, Goyette and Munro, and Conley and Dolcino. The win advances the Falcons advance to Thursday’s semifinal where they will play No. 4 Oyster River, and pushes Bow’s winning streak to an even 50 matches.
Coach’s quote: “The girls played well today. Our doubles teams were especially focused, playing their best doubles of the season.” – Bow’s Jonsey Rainville
Records: Bow 15-0; Kingswood7-8
No. 3 Kearsarge 8,
No. 6 Gilford 1
Key players: Kearsarge – Addy Stadler (8-5 win at No. 1 singles), Olivia Lord (9-8, 9-7 win at No. 2), Becca MacDowell (8-5 win at No. 4), Callie Valeri (8-3 win at No. 5), Estelle Chmura (8-1 win at No. 6)
Highlights: The Cougars were pushed by Gilford, but managed to pull out all the tough matches. Not only did Lord win her singles match in a tiebreaker, she and Stadler teamed up for a 9-8 (7-5) tiebreaker win at first doubles. Valeri and Felicia McSweeney claimed an 8-5 decision at second doubles, and MacDowell and Chmura won, 8-2, at third doubles. Kearsarge will travel to No. 2 Littleton (15-0) for Friday’s semifinals.
Coach’s quote: “The girls really came to play today. Their effort was there across the board and they showed mental toughness in many matches. I am proud of how they handled themselves and hope to carry that momentum into the next playoff match.” – Kearsarge’s Liz Lincoln
Records: Kearsarge 14-2; Gilford 9-6
Concord 1, Portsmouth 0
Key players: Concord – Ryan Merchant (6 IP, W, 2 K, 0 BB, 4 H; hit), Zach Miles (1 IP, save, 2 K, 1 H), Sean McDonough (2-for-3, RBI), Trevor Smith (double, run)
Highlights: Smith led off the top of the sixth with a double and scored on a two-out single from McDonough.
Coach’s quote: “Ryan Merchant pitched a tremendous game for us and Zach Miles came in to close the door. We got the big hits from Trevor and Sean and played some very good defense, turning two double plays.” – Concord’s Scott Owen
Records: Concord 16-2; Portsmouth 9-8
Bow 9, Kingswood 4 (9 inn.)
Key players: Bow – Ben Harris (2-for-4, HR, double, RBI, 2 runs), Kyle Martin (2-for-2, 3 RBI), Nick Kiah (3⅔ IP, W), Connor Blandini (save)
Highlights: The Falcons scored five runs in the top of the ninth, highlighted by RBI doubles from Harris and Blandini and a two-run single from Martin, to earn the extra-inning win in Wolfeboro.
Records: Bow 14-2; Kingswood 2-13
MV 8, Kearsarge 0
Key players: MV – Kyle Dube (7 IP, W, 10 K, 2 H), Caleb Heath (2-for-2, 2 walks), Dillon McCarthy (2-for-3, 3 runs), Will Furtkamp (1-for-1)
Records: MV MV 9-6; Kearsarge 2-13
Hopkinton 10, Conant 2
Key players: Hopkinton – Colby Marshall (4 IP, 2 H; 2 hits, 2 RBI), Sam Crawford (3 IP, 2 H, 6 K; 2 hits, double), Kevin Newton-Delgado (2 hits, 2-run HR), Mike Baer (2 hits, RBI, 3 runs)
Highlights: Marshall connected for a two-out, two-run single in the fourth to help extend Hopkinton’s lead to 4-0 and Newton-Delgado put the game away with long a two-run home run in the next inning.
Coach’s quote: “I think Mike Baer continues to be one of our unsung heroes. The junior scored three runs on two hits, had three stole bases and continues to make all the routine plays at short.” – Hopkinton’s Dave Chase
Records: Hopkinton 13-3; Conant 9-6
Pittsfield 14, Nute 0
Key players: Pittsfield – Jesse McGlashing (4-for-5), Gavin Bedell (3-for-5), Kyle Stockman (2-for-3), Ben Stephens (2-for-3, 4 RBI)
Highlights: Stockman recorded his 100th career hit, the Panthers knocked out 14 hits as a team and Caleb Stopyro got his first varsity win.
Coach’s quote: “Very happy the way the boys played after a long night. ” – Pittsfield’s Rob Stockman
Records: Pittsfield 16-1; Nute1-12
Concord 6, Portsmouth 0
Key players: Concord – Alice Rosenberg (7 IP, W, 11 K, 3 H, 0 R), Autumn Nudd (3-for-4, RBI, SB, run), Elizabeth Blinn (2-for-3, 2B, RBI, SB, run), Abby Rochette (reached base 4 times, 3 runs, 2 SB), Elise O’Neil (2 RBI, double, run, SB), Abby Corbett (RBI), Anna Brock (hit) Portsmouth – Arianna Hebert (threw 2 runners out at home from CF)
Highlights: Rochette led off the first with the 100th hit of her career, becoming the first Tide player to reach that milestone since Katie Kennard in 2013. She also scored as part of Concord’s two-run opening frame, giving Rosenberg all the support she’d end up needing.
Coach’s quote: “Alice was in total control out there today. She pitched a terrific game, just what we needed. And what more can you say about Abby? It’s nice to see her reap the rewards of all her hard work.” – Concord assistant coach Sandy Smith
Records: Concord Concord 13-4; PortsmouthPortsmouth 10-8
Belmont 16,
Winnisquam 2 (6 inn.)
Key players: Belmont – Morgan Hall (6 IP, W, 8 K, 8 BB, 3 H), Becca Fleming (3-for-4, double, triple, 4 RBI), Lizzie Fleming (4-for-5, 4 runs), Julianna Estremera (3-for-5), Savannah Perkins (2-for-3)
Highlights: Belmont scored runs in five of the six innings and finished with a season-high 19 hits.
Coach’s quote: “Not the best pitching performance, but when we hit like we did today it helps to pick up our pitchers.” – Belmont’s Bill Clary
Records: Belmont 12-2; Winnisquam 7-7
Pembroke 11, Campbell 9
Key players: Pembroke – Cierra Hill (6 G, A), Savannah Wallace (2 G, A), Ali Corriveau (G, 5 ground balls), Britney Hill (G, 5 ground balls), Kerra Vallee (G)
Coach’s quote: “Extremely proud of my players for coming out of the regular season with a winning record. It’s been a great season with a lot of growth for our young team, many of our starters never played lacrosse before high school. We worked hard and had some big wins, and a few close games against very competitive teams. We’re hoping to find ourselves in the playoffs for the first time in at least five years.” – Pembroke’s Kayla Granoff
Records: Pembroke Academy 8-6; Campbell 6-7
Kearsarge 19, Belmont 10
Key players: Kearsarge – Caroline Camp (3 G, 2 A), Brie Von Beren (4 G, A), Ally Wilson (4 G), Megan Norris (3 G, A), Jordan Pollard (2 G), Ellie Camp (G), Emilie Webster (G), Ellie Madigan (G)
Records: Kearsarge 12-3; Belmont 1-11