Sports Highlights
By Don Lyons - May 25, 2006
Little League
The Dodgers continued to dominate the Little League with two wins over the Mets last week.
After losing the season opener to the A's, the Dodgers have rolled off seven straight wins, dividing pitching chores between Ben Ciciora and William Stewart, each going three innings.
Wednesday, at Veira Park, the Dodger duo struck out 16, walked four, and allowed no hits. Dodgers Mike Cutrer, Ben Ciciora and Ramon Espino each had two hits; one of Espino's was a double. Stewart also doubled.
Andrew Hakala and Andrew Williamson pitched for the Mets, fanning seven, walking four and giving up nine hits.
Defensive play of the game was by Williamson at the hot corner, scooping Tony Canha's hard grounder, stepping on third and firing to first for a 5-3 double play.
Friday, at Nunes Field, the Dodgers won, 4-1.
This time the terrible twins fanned a dozen, walked three and allowed one hit, a single up the middle by Eric Bryant in the fourth. Bryant scored on an over-thrown pick-off attempt.
The Dodgers loaded the bases in the third and Espino drove in two with a single to right.
In the fourth inning, Chris Morris drove in two with a triple to the fence in center field.
Andrew Williamson and Jordie Abrams took the mound for the Mets, allowing four hits, striking out nine and walking four.
Babe Ruth softball update
The Braves improved their record to 5-1 with wins over the A's and Devil Rays. Katie Hines, Gail Herman, Caroline Davies, Phoebe Kelleher, and Taylor Perrotta all played well for the Braves.
The A's, 3-3, are led by Emma Frizzell, Olivia Higham, Kate Mahoney, and Jenna Pothier.
The winless Devil Rays, 0-5, have strong play from Martha Scheffer, Emily Williston, Jenna Lambert, and Kia Minor.
The 4-0 Diamondbacks are the team to beat, and thus far no one has. Team leaders include Cayla Morris, Erin Morris, Jesse Cummens, Leanne Jackson, and Jessica Willoughby.
The Yankees, youngsters of the league, are steadily improving, led by Molly Ciciora and Holly Robinson.
The game of the week was a 21-20 marathon Diamondback defeat of the A's. Leanne Jackson recorded the win; Emma Frizzell took the loss.
Make-up games are being played with just two weeks left in the scheduled season.
Baseball's minor key
Last Wednesday the Marlins bested the Indians, 9-5 with Ben Lukowitz and Curtis Farrell sharing the mound. Farell hit a two-run homer. Lukowitz hit two doubles and drove in four runs.
Thursday the Twins dropped the Rockies, 9-3 behind the pitching of Eric Persanowski and timely hitting by Adahy Gonsalves. Colin Cameron's hurling and Andrew Fournier's base running keyed the Twins win.
Saturday the Marlins scored 19 runs to trounce the Devil Rays, 19-7. Joey Uva was dominant in relief.
The Marlins edged the Blue Jays, Sunday, in a rain-delayed game, 7-5. Monday, the Marlins won again, this time 15-11. Mike Ducatt hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth. Tyler Todd and Joey Uva took turns on the mound.
Minor League standings
G W LT pct. GB
Blue Jays 9 8 0 .889 -
Twins 9 8 0 .889 -
Indians 9 5 4 .667 2
Marlins 8 6 3 .500 3.5
Rockies 6 3 3 .500 3.5
Orioles 7 2 5 .286 5
Reds 9 2 7 .22 6
Devil Rays 9 0 9 .000 8
Softies split
Dighton-Rehoboth, the top softball team in the South Coast Conference, shut out the Vineyarders, 5-0, Wednesday. Falcons pitcher Jen Gilbert limited MV to three hits - by Kelly Silvia, Brittany Stone, and Kathryn DeBettencourt - and drove in two of the D-R runs with two hits.
The next day, the Islanders scored 10 runs in support of Brielle Leonard, who held Bourne (1-15) to four hits and struck out five.
MV jumped out to a four-run lead in the first inning without benefit of a hit.
Kathryn DeBettencourt had three hits, two RBI's and stole two bases. Brittany Stone hit safely twice and scored thrice. Brielle Leonard helped her cause with two hits and scored three times.
Monday, Case's Amanda Brewer pitched a no-run, no-hit, no-reach game as her teammates were crossing the plate 14 times. It was no fluke. The Cardinals ace entered the game with an ERA of 0.17.
Shay's shut-out
Max Shay picked up his and the team's second win of the season shutting out Case, Monday, 6-0. Shay allowed just two hits and fanned nine.
Billy Johnson doubled twice and scored three times. Both Mike Cecilio and John Nelson had two hits and an RBI. The teams played errorless ball.
Dighton Rehoboth (13-2) won its 13th baseball game against two losses, here, Wednesday, 13-0.
Falcon hurler Adam Gustafson went the distance, fanning 11. D-R batters hit three home runs. Martha's Vineyard fell to 2-16.
Bourne qualified for the MIAA baseball tourney by handing the Vineyard its 17th loss, 7-4, at Bourne Thursday. It was a battle of the relief pitchers as Max Shay hurled four innings of scoreless relief for the Vineyard and Canalman Nick Buttrick took the mound in the fifth with bases loaded, no outs, one run in, and doused the fire
MV is 2-17 on the year.
Raiders sweep
The powerful Barnstable girls tennis team (15-0) made quick work of the Vineyarders (3-9) at Hyannis, Wednesday, winning all the matches in straight sets except second doubles which they won by default.
Boys lacrosse
fortunes
Arlington, one of the top-ranked Division II teams, defeated the Vineyard boys varsity lacrosse team at Arlington, Wednesday, 11-6.
The Vineyarders threw a scare into the Spy Ponders and led 4-0 after the first quarter. But the home team shifted into high gear and won going away.
Taylor Pierce scored three times. Pete Ferrini, Duncan Meyst, and Riley Dobel also scored. Assists were credited to Dobel (2), Meyst, and Ferrini.
On Sunday at Austin Prep, the Islanders dominated from the beginning and won handily, 14-3.
Tuesday, Nantucket gave the Vineyard a 13-6 pasting, closing out the MV season with an 11-4 record. Nantucket finished at 13-4. Both Edison Parzanese and Whaler Ethan Farrell scored five times. Taylor Pierce also scored. The busy Whaler goalie, Tucker Harvey, made 21 saves. It was Nantucket's 12th straight win, nailing the Maritime League championship. Both island teams have qualified for the MIAA tournament.
JV jottings
Wednesday, the MVRHS junior varsity softball team gave D-Y a run for its money, finally losing by one run, 8-7.Team Captain Amira Madison collected three hits. Jasmine Wafer had two.
The next day the jayvees wore out the basepaths, scoring 24 runs against Bourne's three. Capt. Madison was 4-for-4 at the plate. Jena Pothier was 2-for-3. It was the team's ninth win of 15 games played.
The girls lost to Case, Monday, at Seekonk.
They close out their season playing Carver here, yesterday and Fairhaven there today.
Netmen lose, win
The MVRHS boys tennis team lost its match with Cape Cod Academy (CCA) at Osterville, Wednesday, 4-1, then won by the same score against Sturgis at Cape Cod Community College on Friday.
The lone Vineyard win versus CCA was at third singles. Timo Nivala defeated Nick Clark in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. CCA advanced to 10-1.
Friday, Tim McHugh, Andrew McHugh, and Timo Nivala all won their single matches in straight sets. At second singles, John Marshall, Andrew's opponent, did not score a single point.
At first doubles, Dylan Hutchinson and Daniel Wan won 6-3, 6-3. Only Evan Wardell and Nik Wojtikield, in their first-ever varsity start, lost, but they gave a good account of themselves in the longest match of the day, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Tuesday the singles players won their matches at Case easily. Coach Fennessey moved up some junior varsity players to play doubles. Jonah Lipsky and Ben Ferry made a good showing but lost, 7-5, 6-4. Evan Schwab and Noah Mayrand never gave in but struggled and lost, 6-0, 6-2.
The Vineyarders have won five and lost eight matches.
