High School baseball roundup

Nick Cardoni pitching

Text and photos by Steev Riccardo

Northbridge beats Pirates to clinch SWCL

Watching the Oxford Pirates play the Northbridge Rams last Friday (May 18) in Oxford was like watching a chess match. 

Even though the Rams beat the Pirates 8-4 and sewed up the top spot in the Southern Worcester County League, the game was closer than it seems and there really isn’t much that separates these two strong teams in talent.

In fact, both times that the Rams (16-3) beat the Pirates (13-5) this season they didn’t have to face Pirates ace Nick Lemay, who has given up one run in 36 innings.  Still, the Rams are the team to beat, and along with the Pirates and the Auburn Rockets, are the cream of the crop as far as the SWCL goes.

Nick Cardoni out at the plate

The Rams jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on Pirates starter Nick Cardoni and were in control, although the Pirates did make it interesting.

Senior First Baseman Tyler Bostek, who is batting a lofty .400, led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, moved to second on an infield hit by Cardoni, and scored the Pirates’ first run on a throwing error.

The Rams added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to make it 5-1, but the Pirates battled back.

Cody Stone (.407) started things off in the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple and was knocked home on a deep double by Nick Lemay (.460).  Bostek then singled to give the Pirates’ runners on the corners and Cardoni came through again, driving in Lemay with the second Pirates run.

The Pirates executed a double steal to make it 5-4, but Cardoni was thrown out in a close play at the plate, trying to score on a fly ball out to centerfield to end the inning to end the rally.

The Rams tacked on a few more runs and this one was history.  You get the feeling that these two teams are going to meet again down the road in District play.

Lemay’s scoreless streak ends

Lemay has had a remarkable season this year for the Oxford Pirates. The left-handed senior went 36 innings without allowing a run until he gave up his first earned run of the season last Tuesday (May 15) in a 5-1 win over the Uxbridge Spartans.

Tyler Barrie

Lemay’s earned-run average is still well below 1 run and he leads the SWCL in strikeouts.

Pirates’ junior outfielder Tyler Barrie had a key two-run single for the Pirates in the victory.

Photo above: Bartlett Players get a smile in

Bartlett slump continues
The Bartlett Indians dropped their fourth straight on Friday (May 18) in a 6-1 loss to the Quaboag Cougars. The loss had the Indians reeling at 3-12.

Bartlett's Justin Caro

Sophomore Justin Caro, who is batting a team-leading .370, tripled for the Indians in one of the team’s few bright spots.

Luis Caro, who took the loss against the Cougars, and Evan Anderson are both hitting over .300 for the Indians this year.

The Indians close out their season with Uxbridge on Wednesday.

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