Wolverines Tame Seawolves, 13-6

The BA bats continue to pound opposition pitching as they collected thirteen hits, including three home runs, off of four different pitchers as they coasted to a 13-6 victory at the hands of Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.

As they have done many games before, the Wolverines struck in the very first inning as Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) drilled a 2-0 pitch into center field scoring Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA).

After a scoreless second inning, BA scored in the third as MacInnes singled home Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA) to take a 3-0 lead. The Seawolves then tied the score in the bottom of the same inning with three unearned runs, but the Wolverines responded with four runs in the fourth on two run homers by Brown and Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) that upped the score 7-3. Sam Stauber's (Cumberland, ME) two RBI single in the fifth all but put the game out of reach at 9-3, but the hit parade wasn't over as the Wolverines scored four more times in the sixth that included another round tripper, this time by Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA).

The run support was more than enough for Mike Bullett as he picked up his sixth win consecutive of the spring season.

Now 27-9, the Wolverines' final game of the year will be home on Dolman Diamond this Friday at 4:00 against conference opponent, Kents Hill.

Is Tad Gold the best athlete at BA?

All this week Coach Sawicki has been performing exit testing for all the BA athletes. Most of them have been involved with the spring strength program and the SQA program. Meanwhile, all Tad Gold has been up to is going from hitting over .400 for the baseball team in the fall to being the second leading scorer for the hockey team this winter to tearing the cover off the ball again this spring for the baseball team. If that weren't enough, Tad might have proven yesterday to be the best athlete in the school.

Coach Sawicki was testing 40 yard dash times and vertical jump in the ice arena and 20 yard shuttle in the gym. Because the baseball team was rained out and looking for something to do, Tad jumped into the mix. What he did was simply amazing. On three separate tests, Tad registered the fastest times in the school this year with 4.30 seconds all three times. He then jumped into the vertical jump test and recorded a very respectable 30.5 inches. The testing then transitioned to the gym and on a test that Tad had never performed, he ran the fastest time in the school. After getting a feel for the test, he ran a blistering 3.98 seconds.

Coach Sawicki said afterwards, "It was one of the most impressive performances I have ever seen. For someone to come in and never have run any of the tests before and then knock off the best times this year is a thing of beauty. I would love to see what he could do if he had a little time to train."

Wolverines Blinded By Bad Luck

In one of the most bizarre finishes in quite some time, the Monks from St. Joseph’s College scored four unearned runs in the top of the eight inning to hand the Wolverines their second straight loss by the score of 5-1. Behind 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Wolverines tied the score when Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) singled to center. Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA) promptly bunted him to second, and MacInnes scored as Will Whittemore (waltham, MA) ripped a sharp single to left. In the top of the eighth, Whittemore walked the first batter. An attempted sacrifice bunt was foiled for the first out. The next batter walked, but Whittemore came back to strike out the next batter. With two outs and runners on first and second, the next batter hit a routine fly ball to center field to what appeared to be the final out. Unfortunately, the ball was masked by the gymnasium in the background, making it virtually impossible for the outfielders to pick the ball off the bat, so what seemed like a sure out ended up as a base-clearing triple. To add insult to injury the next batter took the very next pitch deep to right center for a two-run homer. The strange ending was no surprise to Coach Smith. “It’s something we’re all aware of. In fact, I mentioned the very same situation just before the game, making sure our guys would run everything out, especially if it looked like a routine fly ball to center or right. Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) always plays right field when we’re home, for the simple reason he has had the most experience seeing balls coming off the gym. Tough loss for Will, but we weren’t able to give him any run support.” Now 26-9, the Wolverines look to get back on track as they travel to conference rival Hebron Academy tomorrow for a 4:00 game.

Mustangs Spoil Wolverines’ Bid for a Sweep

The Central Maine Mustangs scored six times in the third inning, thanks to three Wolverine fielding errors, to prevent a sweep as they battled back after a humiliating defeat to down the Wolverines 6-4 in Auburn. BA hurler Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ) was the hard-luck loser, as he held the Mustangs to only four hits and just two earned runs. Former BA alum Kyle Mullins ’08 took the mound for the Mustangs and silenced the BA bats, yielding just one run over three innings. CMCC showed a lot of poise as they responded to several Wolverine threats with excellent defensive plays, including an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and a diving outfield catch that prevented a runner from scoring in the sixth. The BA offense managed ten hits, including three by Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and two each by Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) and Ryan Varounis (Burlington, MA), but they could not sustain rallies in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Brad Smith had a lot of praise for the Mustangs. “They came out determined not to have a repeat of the first game. We didn’t help ourselves in the third, but we had our opportunities, but they came up with big plays when they had to.” Now 26-8, the Wolverines close the 2010 season as they take on St. Joseph’s College at Dolman Diamond in the first of four games this week.

Wolverines Score Early and Often, Crush CMCC 24-2

In one of the most lopsided games in recent years, the BA Wolverines took batting practice, courtesy of the Central Maine Community College pitching staff, on their way to an unbelievable 24-2 win at Austin Field in Auburn in the first game of a doubleheader. The Wolverines banged out twenty-four hits, including ten for extra bases in just five innings, including two doubles and a home run by Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA), a double and a triple by Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA), and a double and a towering home run by Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA). Teammates Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) chipped in with a double, Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) had stand-up triple, and Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA) smacked a two-run homer. BA hurler Mike Bullett limited the Mustangs to five hits while setting down eight on strikes to pick to his fifth win of the spring season. The run production began in the very first inning as the first eight BA batters hit safely on their way to an 11-0 lead before the Mustangs got a chance to bat. Coach Smith had this to say after the game. “That was quite an offensive performance. We took game away from them before they had a chance to hit. But what pleased me more was how focused we were defensively and how effectively Bullett pitched despite a commanding lead.” Smith hopes the run production will continue as they look to sweep CMCC in the second game.

Wolverines KO KH, 17-1

Sparked by a nifty one-hit, eight strikeout performance by Gabe May (Portsmouth, NH), the BA Wolverines rolled to their fifth win in a row, routing MAISAD rival Kents Hill School 17-1 at McKernan Field on the Kents Hill campus. May exhibited amazing control throughout the five inning affair, retiring the sides in the second on just eleven pitches, and striking out the sides in the third using only twelve. His teammates provided ample run support, banging out fifteen hits and scoring three runs in the first two frames, four in the fourth, and seven in the fifth. Leading the hit parade was Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) who hit for the cycle in five trips to the plate. Designated hitter Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) was right behind him with three singles. Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) and Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA) each had two hits apiece. Coach Brad Smith was impressed with May’s performance. “He was very efficient with his pitches today, attacking the strike zone with a lot of authority. Give credit to his battery mate Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA). He sensed that Gabe was on and there was no need to waste pitches.” Now 9-5, 25-7 overall, the Wolverines travel down the road tomorrow to Central Maine CC for a big doubleheader beginning at 10:00.

BA Bombs Flatten Belmont Hill, 10-2

There was a bit of shock and awe among the hometown faithful as the Bridgton Academy nine celebrated after the final out, thrashing the ISL powerhouse Belmont Hill (5-2) by the score of 10-2. BA left in their wake a fourteen hit attack that included three monster home runs, a near perfect defensive effort that included several stellar catches, and a solid five-hit pitching performance by Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) who picked up his first complete game win of the spring season. Scoreless after one inning, the Wolverines got on the board in the second as Kenny Brock’s (Burlington, NJ) sacrifice fly scored Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA) who opened the inning with a double. BA widened its lead to 3-0 in the third on Gummow’s two-RBI singled that scored Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) who both singled. Belmont Hill answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third, but was not able to sustain an offensive threat for the rest of the game. The fireworks began in the fourth as leadoff hitter Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA) launched a 1-1 fastball over the 410 mark in straight away centerfield. Two outs later Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA) drove a hanging slider over the 375 mark in left center to up the score 5-2. The Wolverines put the game away in the next frame as singles by Murphy, Gold, and Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) loaded the bases for Billingham who drove them all home when the line drive he hit was misplayed by the right fielder and rolled to the fence. The home run derby continued with two outs in the sixth as Gold absolutely crushed the first pitch high and deep over the right field fence, the likes of which the home town crowd hadn’t witnessed in years. The win, fourth in a row, puts the Wolverines at 8-5, 24-7 overall. Next encounter comes tomorrow at MAISAD rival, Kents Hill School. Game time is slated for 1:00.

Wolverines Win a Thriller at New Hampton, 9-7

Down 7-4 in the fifth inning, the BA Wolverines rallied to score five unanswered runs, including three in the top of the seventh to come away with a hard-fought 9-7 victory over the Huskies of New Hampton School.

The Wolverines opened the scoring with two runs in the first as Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) doubled home Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT), but the Huskies answered with single runs in the first and second innings to tie the score. BA took a brief 4-2 lead in the third on back-to-back doubles by Murphy and Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) and a New Hampton throwing error. But the Huskies tied the score in the bottom of the third, then scored three more to take a 7-4 lead into the fifth. BA picked up a run in the fifth and one more in the sixth when Dustin Brown (Falmouth, MA) walked and went to third on Andrew Gummow's (Brookline, MA) pinch hit double to right. Brown then scored on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Sam Stauber (Cumberland, ME), making the score 7-6.

BA's lefty hurler Tom MacInnes, hampered with some control problems early on, settled down to shut out the Huskies over the last three frames to pick up his second win of the spring season BA's big inning came in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs as Gold led off the inning with a single. Then back-to-back doubles by Murphy and Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) scored the tying and go-ahead runs. Then Brown put the icing on the cake with a single off the left field fence, scoring Whittemore with the ninth run. The win is BA's third in a row, upping their record to 7-5, 23-7 overall.

A big game looms on the horizon as the Wolverines travel south to take on Belmont Hill School tomorrow at 4:00.

Wolverines Wallop Exeter

In one of the most lopsided scores in this long rivalry, the BA Wolverines scored early and often to notch their sixth win of the season, crushing Phillips Exeter Academy by the score of 18-0.

The Wolverine offense supported another masterful pitching performance by right-hander Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT), by feasting on Exeter pitching for seventeen hits and scoring in every inning but the fifth. BA opened the scoring with one run in the first, but broke the game open with five more in the second thanks in large part to a booming three run homer by Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) that sailed over the 339 mark in right center. The Wolverines scored single runs in the third and fourth, then erupted with ten over the last two frames. Bullett aided his own cause with three hits, along with teammate Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ) who also had three. Other multiple hit performances were turn in by Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA), Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA), and Whittemore.

But the star of the show was Mike Bullett who held Exeter to just three hits and did not allow a base runner to reach second, en route to his fourth consecutive win of the spring season. Coach Brad Smith was all smiles after the game. “Mike had all three pitches working well today, and he had the confidence and control to use all three in different situations. He had the Exeter hitters off balance all day long.”
Now 6-5, 22-7 overall, the Wolverines travel to New Hampton School tomorrow for a 4:00 contest.

Wolverines Rebound, Beat St. Joseph’s College, 6-4

After two disappointing loses over the weekend, the baseball team took a short road trip to St. Joseph’s College in Standish and played one of their better games of the season, beating the Monks, 6-4.

Once again it was pitcher Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) who picked up his third complete game win after a BA loss, limiting the Monks to just four hits and holding the St. Joe’s offense in check for the entire game. Although he recorded only one strikeout, Bullett was supported by a fine defensive effort from his teammates. Third baseman Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA), shortstop Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA), and centerfielder Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) each made fine plays that kept the Monks off the scoreboard.

BA got untracked in the second as Bullett and Brown both scored. Gold scored BA’s third run in the third and Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ) added BA’s fourth run an inning later. The Wolverines added two more in the sixth as Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and Gold both scored, giving the Wolverines the edge they needed.

Coach Smith was pleased with his team’s overall effort. “That’s the best Mike Bullett has looked all year. His velocity was as good in the seventh as it was in the first. And with only one strikeout, the defense rose to the occasion and did not give up the big inning.” The win puts the Wolverines at 5-5. Next up for the Wolverines will be Southern Maine Community College on Friday at 4:00.

Eagles Hand Wolverines Second Straight Loss, 10-6

The Boston College Eagles scored six times in the fourth inning, then held on as BA mounted a seventh inning rally, to defeat the Wolverines 10-6 at Chestnut Hill. BA's Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) was dominant for the first three innings, shutting out the Eagles on one hit while striking out five. The Wolverines provided Whittemore with run support in the very first inning as Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA) singled home Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) for the game's first run. In the third, Mike Bullett's (Stanford, VT) two RBI double scored Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) and Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) to give BA a 3-0 lead. However, control problems and several defensive errors opened the floodgates for the Eagles as they rallied for six runs in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Billingham (Oak Bluffs, MA) scored a lone run on the sixth on a booming triple to center and scored on a throwing error, but the Wolverines could not capitalize on the momentum. BC took a 10-4 lead into the seventh, but the Wolverines pushed two more runs across and had the tying run at the plate when the final out was made. BA slips a game under .500 at 4-5, and hopes to get back on the winning track as they travel to St. Joseph's College tomorrow for a 4:00 game.

Holderness Stun Wolverines in Seventh, 11-10

The Holderness baseball nine came roaring back in the home half of the seventh inning, erasing a four run deficit to overtake the Wolverines in a stunner, 11-10. BA battled back all game long as Holderness scored four times in the second inning off of starter, Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ). Down 4-1, BA tied the score in the fourth as Brock led off with a double to left and later scored the tying run on a Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) sacrifice fly. The Wolverines then opened the fifth by adding three more runs as Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA), Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA), and Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA) all scored. Holderness closed he gap to 7-6 in the sixth, but the Wolverines responded with what seemed a comfortable lead, scoring three more times in the seventh frame to up the score 10-7. Down but not out, Holderness came roaring back with four runs in the bottom of the inning to come away with their second win of the season. “You can’t defense a walk,” Coach Brad Smith said after the game. He pointed out that eight of Holderness’ runs came from guys who walked. The loss evens BA’s record to 4-4, 20-6 overall. The next encounter for the Wolverines will come tomorrow as they travel to Boston to take on Coach Smith’s alma mater, Boston College. Game is set for 3:00.

Wolverines Roll to Fourth Win

The BA baseball team notched their fourth win in seven games with a decisive win over conference rival Hebron Academy.

Gabe May (Portsmouth, NH) went the distance for the Wolverines, scattering just four hits while striking out seven. May was most effective in the fourth, striking out the sides on just ten pitches. Unlike his first start against Andover, May was supported by his teammates with fifteen hits, including five doubles. Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) and Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) led the way with three hits each. Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) and Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA) had two apiece. It is noteworthy that each player who batted had at least one hit.

Coach Smith had this to say about the game. “I was pleased with Gabe’s performance. I thought he got stronger through the middle innings. I also like the way we supported him offensively. We’ll need some of that same offensive output in our next several games.”

Now 4-3, the Wolverines head south for a big game against ISL powerhouse, Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, in Cambridge, MA, at 4:30.

Billingham's Bomb Sinks Tilton

Nick Billingham (Edgartown, MA) broke open a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth with a grand slam home run that gave the Wolverines the breathing room needed as they coasted to their third win of the season, beating the Rams of Tilton Academy by the score of 12-4.

BA struck early with two runs in the first and one in the third, but Tilton scored three times in the second and once in the third to take a 4-3 lead into the fifth. In the top of that inning Billingham ripped a one out double to left and advanced to third on Mike Bullet’s (Stamford, VT) single. Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ) then flew out to deep center, scoring Billingham easily with the tying run. A Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) single, a Dustin Brown (East Falmouth, MA) walk, and a Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) single set the stage for Billingham in the sixth, as he took a 3-1 fastball deep over the right center field fence for his first home run of the spring season.

After a shaky start, BA pitcher Mike Bullett shut down the Rams’ offense over the last four innings en route to picking up his second complete game win of the season. Bullett aided his own cause by picking off two Tilton base runners in the first inning. The victory evens the Wolverines’ record at 3-3. The team looks forward to the home opener Thursday against conference rival, Hebron Academy. Game time is set for 4:30.

BA Loses a Heartbreaker, 2-1

Monday’s game at Tufts University had all the elements of the previous two outings. It was a very exciting game marked with excellent pitching, good hitting and good defense, but the Wolverines were stung in the bottom of the seventh as the Jumbo’s scored on a wild pitch to win the game 2-1.

Both Will Whittemore (Waltham, MA) and his Jumbo counterpart pitched masterfully, but it was a game of defense as both defensive units accounted for thirty-seven of the possible forty-two outs.

Tufts had men in scoring position in six of the seven innings. In the second, they had the bases loaded with no outs, but could score only one run. Tufts also loaded the bases in the fifth, but could not score.

BA’s only run came in the third as Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA) doubled home Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) to tie the score, 1-1. In the top of the seventh with Murphy on third and one out, the Wolverines were posed to score the go-ahead run, but an alert Jumbo defense foiled the attempted suicide squeeze that resulted in a double play. The winning run in the bottom of the seventh soured an otherwise well-played game by the Wolverines.

“That (the loss) was a tough one to swallow,” lamented Coach Smith. “It was a great game, nonetheless. More importantly, it was a complete turnaround from Saturday’s loss to Andover.” Now 2-3, the Wolverines’ next encounter will be on Wednesday at the Tilton (NH) School at 3:30.

Two Bad Innings Doom Wolverines

Phillips Andover Academy scored six runs in the second inning and six more in the fourth to coast to an easy 14-2 win over the Wolverines.

BA gave the home team a taste of what they could expect as Tad Gold (Vineyard Haven, MA) and Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) both singled to open the first inning. Gold then gave BA a short-lived 1-0 lead as he scored on Dustin Brown’s (East Falmouth, MA) sacrifice fly to right field.

Andover tied the score in the bottom of the first despite three strikeouts from Wolverine starter Gabe May (Portsmouth, NH). But in the fateful second and down 3-1, the Wolverine defense allowed the third out to reach on an error which opened the gates for three more runs to score.

Coach Smith was somewhat philosophical in assessing the loss. “You can’t get too high after a win, and you can’t dwell on the negatives after a bad loss. The beauty of the game is that you can redeem yourself in the very next contest.” The Wolverines (2-2) will have that opportunity on Monday as they travel to Medford to face Tufts University at 3:45.

Wolverines Top Milton Academy, 4-3

The Wolverine baseball team traveled to Massachusetts to face the Mustangs of Milton Academy and came away with a very thrilling 4-3 victory.

BA opened the scoring in the second as Mike Murphy (Lancaster, MA) singled home Andrew Gummow (Brookline, MA). The Wolverines rode that slim margin on the arm of pitcher Kenny Brock (Burlington, NJ) who held the Mustangs hitless until the fifth inning when Milton scored an unearned run to tie the score. Milton then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth as they pushed two runs across to go ahead 3-1.

In the top of the seventh Mike Bullett (Stamford, VT) singled and Gummow reached on an infield error. After several attempts to advance the runners on a bunt, Mike Murphy planted a 3-2 pitch off the left field fence for a stand-up double that scored both Bullett and Gummow. Dillon Flynn (Chapel Hill, NC) then bunted Murphy to third. Murphy then score the go-ahead run on Sam Stauber’s (Cumberland, ME) well-executed suicide squeeze to take the lead 4-3. Tom MacInnes (Plymouth, MA), in relief for Brock, shut the door on the Mustangs in the bottom of the seventh to earn the win.

Coach Smith liked what he saw. “Hats off to these guys for hanging in against a very tough Milton team. We executed the little things very well.” Now 2-1, the Wolverines travel to Phillips Andover Academy on Saturday for a 2:00 encounter.