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Rockport Townies bid farewell to pair of longtime members

By Dom Nicastro/Wicked Local Gloucester

Cape Ann Beacon

Rockport — While the Manchester-Essex Mariners were winning another title, two key cogs on the last team to dominate the league have retired.

Rockport’s Brent Currier, 29, and Jeremy Spittle, 34, called it quits after this season, ending careers that began when they were teenagers and the Townies were beginning a dominant run in the late 1990s. Spittle served as player/coach, and Currier was a catcher/infielder/pitcher known for throwing back-to-back no-hitters on his devastating knuckleball.

Rockport finished sixth in the seven-team league this summer with a 5-18 mark.

"Fifteen seasons with some of the best teammates you could find," said Currier, describing his career. That career ended with a complete-game effort victory on the mound at Evans Field earlier this month.

"A lot of friendships were made over the years," he added. "Hopefully the team carries on and one day my son will be able to be a Townie. To be able to have the extra time to spend with my son watching him grow up and be able to coach him will make everything worth it."

Spittle and Currier were on teams that won titles from 2005 to 2007. Rockport also won in 1999, 2001 and 2002. Spittle recalled how the Townies, down 7-2 bottom of the seventh with two outs in Game 3 of the 2007 finals against Hamilton, scored six runs all with two outs to cap off a sweep and to make it three straight titles.

"[The years of] 1999 to 2007 was an incredible stretch," said Spittle, who caught Currier’s consecutive no-hitters. "We could have added one more in '09, '10, or '11 but did not get it done. I really could not tell you what my personal numbers were. All I cared about was winning. That's all that mattered in the end."

Spittle was a fine player for Salem State College (now University). As a sophomore, he was part of the team that won the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title. In his senior year, Spittle batted .380 for Ken Perrone’s Vikings.

Currier was an all-star and multi-sport athlete at Rockport High School, and then played for Central Connecticut State University.

Spittle said he is leaving the Townies in "uncertain" but hopeful times. The team hasn’t won a title in six years now, and last year’s season was its worst in some time.

"The future of the Townies is uncertain," Spittle said. "There is some potential, but really what the team needs is a rebuilding effort led by someone locally with roots already instilled in the community. In other words, someone who is connected to the local baseball programs who can get guys to commit to playing. It will take time, but with the right effort, the Townies will be back. I have no doubt."

Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com/gloucester/newsnow/x511615784/Rockport-Townies-bid-farewell-to-pair-of-longtime-members#ixzz2d5eENr5l

From Gloucester Times

August 19, 2013

Mariners win second straight ITL crown

By Nick CurcuruSports Editor

The Manchester Essex Mariners have been an Intertown Twilight Baseball League dynasty in every sense of the word over the last six years.

On Saturday, the Mariners added some more hardware to their already crowded trophy case with a 6-3, championship clinching win over Rowley Saturday on the road at Eiras Park. With the win the Mariners have now won two straight and five out of the last six ITL championships. The Mariners also avenged a 2011 ITL playoff loss to the Rams, who are the only team to have bested the Mariners in the last six seasons.

The Mariners took home the ITL title in dramatic fashion on Saturday, fitting for a series that has gone down to the wire in almost every game. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning Manchester Essex pulled ahead scoring four runs in the frame.

Centerfielder Rory Gentile, who picked up a win in Game 3 on the mound, delivered what turned out to be the game winning hit in the form of a two-out, bases clearing three-run double in the pivotal sixth inning. Gentile’s double scored Mike Cain, Ian Buckley with what ended up being the winning run, and Max Nesbit. Caulin Rogers drove in Gentile one batter later for another insurance run and the Mariners closed the door in the sixth and seventh to preserve the win.

Rusty Tucker picked up the win on the mound, his second win of the series as he also won a hotly contested Game 1. The former San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox farm hand used his signature fastball to keep Rowley’s high powered offense at bay.

Saturday’s win caps off a highly competitive ITL Championship series and the young Rams were right there in every game and proved that they will be a dangerous team in the ITL for years to come.

The Mariners took Game 1 3-2 in dramatic fashion with another late rally as they were trailing 2-1 heading into the sixth inning. A Cain home run tied the score at 2-2 and Rogers sent the Mariners home with a walk-off win in the seventh with a RBI single.

The next day Rowley pulled even with a tight 6-5 win at Eiras Park. Rowley trailed heading into the sixth in that game but scored a pair of runs in what turned out to be its last at bat to even the series at 1-1.

The Mariners, however, would take control three nights later in Game 3 with a 10-6 win. A five-run first inning gave the Mariners a comfortable lead, a lead that would balloon to 10-2 before Rowley predictably staged a late rally to cut the score to 10-6.

Mariners 6 Rams 3

Manchester-Essex clinched the ITL championship last night in Rowley, winning Game 4 by a score of 6 to 3. The Mariners were trailing 3-2 heading into the top of the 6th, but pulled ahead scoring 4 runs. The inning was highlighted by a two out 3-run double off the bat of Rory Gentile.

More details to follow..

Mariners 10 Rowley 6

Manchester-Essex took Game 3 by a score of 10 to 6 in Essex last night. The Mariners now lead the series 2 games to 1.

M-E got on the board early as they plated 5 runs in the first inning and held onto the lead the remainder of the game.

Mike Cain hit a 3 run home run and Rory Gentile had a solo homerun leading off the game. Nate Bertolino and Caulin Rogers each had 2 hits.

Marco Luisi had 2 homeruns and Cam D'Agistino went deep for the Rams. Cory Ingraham, Koby Thibealt and Joe White each had 2 hits.

Rory Gentile got the win, going six plus innings, allowing 5 runs. Nick Liguori took the loss for the Rams.


The teams meet again in Rowley on Saturday, first pitch slated for 2:00PM.

Rams 6, Mariners 5

Rowley scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the 6th when Drew Carter scored from 2nd base on a Mariners error at third. Adam Newell got the win in relief and Joe Martin picked up the save. Ryan Marques took the loss for the Mariners. With the series tied at 1 the two teams head back to Essex Wednesday at 530 PM.

Mariners 3 Rams 2

Mike Cain hit a game tying homerun in the bottom of the sixth and Caulin Rogers hit a walk off single in the 7th as the Mariners took game one 3 to 2. Mariners starter Rusty Tucker picked up the win. Mike Sloban pitched well in the loss and Justin Bolla hit a 2 run homer for the Rams.

Game 1 start time changed

The start of game 1 of the finals has been pushed to 4pm due to field conditions.

Rams -15, Giants -6

Nick Liguori pitched 4 innings for the win as the Rams built a 15-2 lead through 5 and advanced to the finals with the 15-6 win.

Rams over Giants

The Rams won game one 10-1 behind 6 solid innings from Mike Sloban. Josh Levesque went the distance and took the loss for Beverly. Game 2 is tonight 5:30 PM @ Balch Park in Beverly.

Mariners 13 Chiefs 2

Manchester-Essex beat Ipswich 13-2 last night at Linebrook Field. With the win the Mariners have won the first round series two games to zero and advance to the ITL Finals this weekend.

Rory Gentile and Mike Cain powered the Mariners offense with three hits each and Peter Clark picked up the win in relief with 5 strong innings allowing just 1 run.

Ipswich was lead by Dylan Cain's 1st inning home run and Ryan Montecalvo's two hits.

Game 1 - Mariners 22 Chiefs 9

August 5, 2013

Late rally moves Mariners to within one game of ITL Finals

By Nick CurcuruSports Editor

ESSEX-- Heading into the fifth inning of Sunday’s Intertown Twilight Baseball League semifinal tilt between the first place and defending champion Manchester Essex Mariners and No. 4 Ipswich Chiefs, it appeared that Ipswich was well on its way to a game one victory.

The Chiefs held an 8-2 lead over the Mariners while receiving offensive production up and down the lineup and solid pitching from starter Greg Doucette. But it all unraveled from there.

Over its final two offensive innings of the night, Manchester Essex showed off its offensive mettle exploding for 20 runs going from being blown out to blowing out the Chiefs to the tune of a 22-9 victory at Memorial Field.

With the win, the Mariners are now just one win away from their fifth trip to the ITL finals in six years. Manchester Essex has won four of the last five league titles and defeated the Chiefs for the ITL crown just last season.

“They just didn’t quit tonight,” Mariners manager Bryan Lafata said.

“We were pressing a little bit early after falling behind but we stayed focused and started squaring up on the ball which led to a lot of runs.”

The Mariners started the rally in the bottom of the fifth inning plating five runs to cut the Chiefs lead from 8-2 to 8-7. Nate Bertolino cut the Chiefs lead to 8-3 when he singled in Rory Gentile, who led off the inning by reaching on an error. Two batters later, Mike Cain singled in Bertolino to make it 8-4 and was followed by Max Nesbit, who singled in Brett Cahill (walk) to cut the lead to 8-5.

Cain came in to score from third on an errant pickoff throw to first base and Adrian Frattini doubled in Nesbit to cap the scoring in the inning, bringing the Mariners to within one run at 8-7 chasing Doucette in the process.

In the top of the sixth, the Chiefs answered back with an insurance run thanks to a Matt Small solo shot, but the Chiefs bullpen could not hold the lead.

In the decisive sixth inning, Manchester Essex sent 15 runs to the plate as the Ipswich bullpen came unglued.

The Mariners only had six hits, but two of them were grand slams off the bats of Bertolino and Frattini. On top of that, four Ipswich pitchers combined to walk four, hit three batters, and committed a balk that allowed a run to score while the defense committed three errors in the frame.

Ian Buckley drove in what turned out to be the winning runs breaking a 9-9 tie with a two RBI double scoring Bertolino and Cahill who each walked.

Mariners starter Ryan Marques bounced back from a tough first inning to pick up the win. It was a tough night for both starting pitchers as both the Mariners and Chiefs were putting good swings on the ball throughout the contest.

According to Lafata, the familiarity between the two teams may have been what led to such an offensive outburst.

“He didn’t have his best stuff tonight but the offense picked him up,” Lafata said.

“It was tough for both pitchers tonight because these two teams are so familiar with each other. These two guys faced off just last week so both teams know what’s coming. But Ryan hung in there and made some pitches to prevent the game from getting out of hand.”

The Chiefs started the game off on the right foot, plating five runs before the Mariners could even come to bat. Andy Knox delivered an RBI double to make it 1-0 and Tom Radzim followed with a two run shot to make it 3-0 Chiefs just three batters into the game. Chris Zaremba would make it 5-0 later in the inning with a two-RBI double of his own.

Doucette helped out his own cause in the fourth with a two run shot to make it 8-2 Ipswich, but it was all downhill for the Chiefs from there.

Frattini powered the Mariners offense Sunday with three hits and seven RBIs, Buckley had two hits and three RBIs and Bertolino had three hits and five RBIs. Radzim and Zaremba led the offense for Ipswich with three and two RBIs respectively.

The teams have no time to dwell on last night’s game one of the series because game two is tonight in Ipswich (5:30 p.m.).

The Chiefs must win to stay alive, the Mariners will be sending Adam Philpott to the hill with a chance to clinch a spot in the finals.

“We are looking to keep the momentum going and do what we did (last night),” Lafata said. “We just don’t want to put ourselves in a big hole again.”

Mariners over Townies

6-2 win for the Mariners.

Rams -7, Chiefs -0

The Rams won the final regular season game of the ITL season tonight 7-0. Playoff matchups are set with Ipswich travelling to Essex Sunday night while the Rams will host Beverly Monday night.

HW 3 - M/E 2

Hamilton defeated Manchester/Essex 3-2 Thursday night at Patton Park.  Avon Stewart broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to left.  Mike Chandler went the distance turning in another strong performance, finishing with five strikeouts to earn the win.  Rusty Tucker started for the Mariners and pitched four hitless and shutout innings.  Max Nesbit took the loss in two innings of relief.

The Generals finish their season in 5th place at 11-13.  Manchester/Essex finishes the regular season at 18-4-1 and enter the playoffs as the top seed.

Beverly - 10, Topsfield - 7

Sean Martin won his second start of the week as the Beverly Giants (13-11) close out the regular season with a 10-7 win over the Topsfield Tories (4-17).  The Giants started the season 2-8 before finishing on an 11-3 run to make the playoffs.

Beverly has moved into 3rd Place, one point ahead of Ipswich.  Final seeding will be determined by how Ipswich finishes out the schedule.

Manchester has clinched 1st Place and Rowley has clinched 2nd Place.

Mariners 6 Generals 5

M-E beat Hamilton with 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th to pull ahead 6-5, a lead they would hold onto. Caulin Rogers sparked the late Mariners rally with a lead off double, Rookie Cael Schwartz (2-2 3RBI) drove in Rogers on a suicide squeeze to tie the game, and a string of three walks allowed the Mariners to go ahead. Rory Gentile had the start for M-E going 5 2/3 innings allowing 5 runs (4 earned) but did not factor into the decision. Rusty Tucker went the last 1 1/3 innings for the win. For Hamilton, Jack Clay went the distance and Jim Maloney was 3-4 with a double. M-E improves to 18-3-1 while Hamilton drops to 9-13, the two teams meet again tonight at Patton.

Ipswich - 6, Rowley - 3

Ipswich beat Rowley last night in Georgetown. The win clinches a playoff spot for the Chiefs and with Beverly's win last night the playoff teams have all been determined. Ipswich and Rowley are scheduled top play again Friday night in Rowley.