Mariners ITL Champions

The Manchester-Essex Mariners beat the Rowley Rams last night 3 to 2 in game 4 of the Intertown Twilight League Finals. With the victory the Mariners clinch their 5th consecutive ITL championship and 8th title in 9 years.

The Mariners scored in the first inning after John Wilcox hit a double and Mike Cain brought him in on a single. Rowley answered back in the 3rd on a Mariner infield miscue that evened the score at 1.

Caulin Rogers reached to lead off the 5th inning after an error by the Rowley 2nd baseman. Wilcox walked and then Rory Gentile's sacrifice bunt put runners on 2nd & 3rd with 1 out. Up stepped Cain, with the infield in Cain sent a 0-1 fastball to right field that plated both runners.

In the 6th the Rams pulled within 1 run on a Justin Bolla RBI fielder's choice.

In the bottom of the 7th Dimitri Hunt lead off with a laser one hopper down the first base line but Cain made a tremendous diving stop and was able to beat Hunt to first for the out. Rusty Tucker then retired the last 2 Rams to clinch the Series win. Tucker finished with 9 strikeouts and 1 earned run on 4 hits. It was Tucker's second win in the Series.

Bolla had a big series for the Rams, reaching base 8 out of 13 times, with 2 homer runs and 5 runs batted in.

The Mariners finish the 2016 season with a record of 25-5.

Mariners 7 Rams 4

Manchester-Essex took a 2 to 1 series lead with a 7 to 4 win last night against Rowley.

Rory Gentile struck out 8 guys over 6 plus innings, allowing just 3 earned runs to earn the victory for the Mariners. Max Nesbit lead the offense going 3 for 4 and Rusty Tucker hit a solo home run.

Justin Bolla and Joe Esposito both had home runs for Rowley.

From the news...

ROWLEY — Joe Esposito had his entire team out of breath.

His teammates were panting, but also smiling after celebrating Esposito’s walk-off shot up the middle that allowed the Rowley Rams to take a 5-4 win over the Manchester Essex Mariners in game two of the ITL finals on Sunday night at Eiras Park.

The hit tied the series at 1-1 after the Mariner’s 7-3 win on Saturday.

“Just had to get something done,” said Esposito. “That’s it.”

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Rams had already pushed across a run to make the score 4-3, then loaded the bases for Esposito.

His grounder skipped by second base, allowing two runs to score and sending the Rams’ bench into a frenzy.

“It felt pretty good,” said Esposito. “The guy was just throwing fastballs. I was seeing it pretty nice.”

His coach, Jeff Wood, was winded when he addressed the late-game heroics.

“Joe Esposito coming up and getting that big, big hit to end the game, you won’t find anybody that works harder than Joe,” said Wood.

The majority of the game, though, seemed as if it was the Mariner’s to win.

The four-time defending ITL champs put runners on in each of the first five innings, scoring first in the second frame, when Paul Crehan singled to lead off the inning and was later driven in by a single from Max Nesbit.

Rams starter Joe White was replaced shortly after by John Rusolillo. White worked one and two-thirds innings and had a strikeout.

The Mariners then tacked on more in the fourth thanks to RBI singles from John Wilcox and Noah Aiello to make it 3-0, then added another one in the fifth off an error to make it 4-1 at the time.

Ryan Marques was solid on the mound for the Mariners, starting the game and working five innings, yielding just two runs on seven hits while striking out one.

But the Rams chipped away.

“We were there the whole game getting guys on base,” said Esposito. “Just a matter of coming through. Not necessarily getting the job done early, leaving guys on base. But later on, when we needed it, we started getting guys on base and we were scoring.”

They got on the board in the fourth when Esposito — who had three RBIs in the game — grounded out, scoring Justin Bolla who had reached on an error earlier in the inning.

Bolla then had a RBI of his own in the fifth, singling in Curtis Putnam who also had two hits in the game.

Heading into the seventh, the Rams were in striking distance thanks to Rusolillo’s effort on the mound. The righty worked four and a third, allowing the two runs, but turned in 1-2-3 innings in the sixth and seventh, keeping his team in the game.

“He didn’t throw that many (pitches),” said Wood. “He had a lot of first-pitch pop-ups and stuff like that. He worked. He just kept throwing strikes and forced them to do something.”

Colby Ingraham had a single in the seventh to score Anthony Conte, then Bolla, Tim Cashman and Dimitri Hunt reached to set up Esposito.

The two teams meet again in game three of the series at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Memorial Field in Essex.

“We saw their best pitcher (Rusty Tucker) (Saturday),” said Esposito. “If we face him again, we’ll be ready... We’re here for a reason. We’re here to stay.”

Rams - 4, Townies - 1

Brad Whitman went 5 innings giving up 1 run, John Russolillo pitched 2 scoreless in relief. Tim Cashman drove in 3. Rowley completes the sweep and moves on to the finals to face Manchester/Essex starting Saturday in Essex.

"ITL Inspiration"

ITL INSPIRATION
Cerebral palsy hasn't prevented Jason Sudol from carving out spot on Rowley Rams
By Connor Whooley staff writer
Aug 6, 2016

On an afternoon in early July, both Rowley Rams coach Jeff Wood and local Rowley resident Jason Sudol headed down to Eiras Park for baseball, unaware that the other would be there.
Neither knew that their paths would cross, and that the subsequent meeting would produce an opportunity 18 years in the making.

Wood had gone down to drag the field before his team’s game that night, and noticed a kid throwing pitches into the ‘L’ screen in front of home plate.  “He throws a pitch into the screen and he runs down and picks it up, and he runs down to the mound to throw another pitch and he runs down,” said Wood. “I’m standing here and I’m looking and I’m going, ‘Who is this kid?’ I watched him for 10 minutes and he never stopped.”

Wood said he noticed that Sudol, who hasn’t played competitively since he was 12, was limping when he ran, but the coach then went about his regular duties of dragging the field.
“He came over to me and asked me if he needed to move and I said, ‘No, you’re fine. I want you to keep doing what you’re doing,’ said Wood.  And when his players arrived, and the Rams needed the field, the young man went out to the batting cage and started throwing in there.

“I stopped and I talked to him here at the cage,” said Wood. “I said, ‘You really love baseball, don’t you?’ And he goes, ‘I do, and I have cerebral palsy and I need to keep my legs strong and this is what I do to work out my legs.’”

Sudol has been coming to Eiras for the past two or three years to exercise his shoulders and legs, which are affected by his cerebral palsy. He’s 30 years old, and said he’ll go down to workout there or throw with his brother, but he’s never missed a season of pitching.
“I’d just been going over there in the batting cage to throw as much as I can,” said Sudol. “I’m trying to do the best I can to work myself up. I’ve always been pitching.”

Wood said he then gave Sudol four game balls so that he didn’t have to chase every pitch in the 90 degree heat.  “He was very gracious and confident and spoke to me and he’s an impressive kid,” said Wood. A student of the game  A week later, Sudol was there again, throwing in the cage. That’s when Rams players like Anthony Conte began to notice. The second time he saw Sudol working on his game, Wood went over again to talk to the big baseball fan.

Wood asked him when the last time he had played baseball was, and Sudol responded that he hadn’t played on a team since he was 12.  “I said, ‘No kidding. You’re a Rowley kid?’ And he said he was from Rowley, so I went to my truck and I got him a shirt and a hat and I said, ‘Get yourself a pair of baseball pants and you can be on the team if you want,’” said Wood.

The first game, Wood said Sudol was late, showing up in the first inning, but when he arrived on the bench, the team immediately jumped up to welcome him.  The Rams won that game 3-2 and after, Wood said he asked Sudol about the game and the player’s response was, “Great pitching, good defense.”  As a true baseball man himself, Wood found no flaw in the analysis.
“He knows what he’s looking at,” said Wood. “He’s awesome.”  And since then, Sudol has been to every game for the Rams, in uniform, sitting in the dugout with the rest of the players.

Both Conte and Wood commented on Sudol’s baseball knowledge, saying he can discuss what is going on in the game, as well as MLB players and statistics.
“He helps out on the bench as much as he can,” said Conte. “He does everything he’s asked to do. He knows the game better than most. It’s been great having him. He’s a great baseball mind to have around here. He’s a good teammate. Picks everybody up.”

After games, the Rams will stick around the field and chat and Wood said Sudol sticks around to talk baseball with the team.  “It’s awesome,” said Sudol. “The male camaraderie. Everyone’s got good vibes. Everyone’s cheering each other on.” His teammates have welcomed him and Wood said Sudol will stretch and throw with the rest of the guys before the game, becoming part of the fabric of the team.

“It’s easy to think about what we’ve done for him to pull him onto our team, but the real story is what he’s done for us to have him here,” said Wood. “Just to see his commitment to it, and see him here all the time, lineup, shake hands with the other team. He’s a very important part of the team right now.”
Getting in on the action Until recently, Sudol said his main duty was cheering for his teammates and putting out good vibes, but that he expected to get some game action soon.

That action came earlier this week, as Sudol got the ball to start the game for the Rams against Ipswich.  “We didn’t tell him until he got to the park,” said Wood a few days after the game. “He was a little bit surprised. I would say nervous.”  Sudol had always been throwing from in front of the mound, but Wood said it wasn’t a deterrent.  “I asked him if he was OK to go from the rubber and he said, ‘Yup, I can go from the rubber,’ said the coach.

With some high gas, Sudol then struck out the batter, and when Wood came to take him out of the game after, he was sent off by all eight position players. “Not just the infielders but the outfielders as well and the whole bench was lined up to meet him when he came off,” said Wood. “He talked about the at-bat all night long, just how he couldn’t believe he got the guy out. It was cool to see.”
A week before the outing, Sudol had said his best pitch was his two-seam fastball and that he also had a cutter and a fastball in his arsenal while also developing a change-up.

He watches the Red Sox every day, but said his favorite pitcher is Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw, who is, in Sudol’s words, “filthy nasty.”  In his outing, Sudol was “filthy nasty” as well.
“You’ve got a 30-year-old guy who hasn’t been able to get onto a baseball field in uniform for 18 years and he loves the game and that was great,” said Wood. “It’s something that I’ll remember for as long as I live.”

The coach said his team started 3-5, before going 14-1-1 to finish 17-6-1 in second place in the ITL, but none of that compares to what Sudol did.  He added that Sudol is welcome on the team for as long as he pleases and that next season, he’ll continue to try to find opportunities for the pitcher.
“He’s a baseball guy and we’re going to help him out,” said Wood.  The Rams finished the regular season earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs where they’ll face Rockport on Monday at Eiras Field, before heading to Evans Field for the second game of the best-of-three series. And, like he has been for the majority of the season, Sudol will be there, cheering on his teammates.

 “I love baseball,” said Sudol. “I’ll watch it. I’ll play it. I’ll cheer people on. It’s something to do. It’s really fun. I love the game.”

Manchester-Essex/Topsfield

The first round series between the Mariners and the Tories concluded Monday night with a 7 to 1 victory for Manchester-Essex.

The Mariners were lead by Max Nesbit (3-4) and Caulin Rogers (2-3).

Nesbit, Rory Gentile (2 RBI), Cole Josselyn, Noah Aiello and Sam Schautt all hit in runs.

Manchester-Essex shortstop Cole Josselyn was flawless on the night recording 10 assists.

Topsfield was lead by Luis Barnes (2-3) and Zack Lampkin.

The Topsfield Tories finished off a successful season, making the playoffs for the first time in over 15 years.

Mariners 7 Tories 1

The Mariners won 7-1 over Topsfield Monday night in Topsfield, completing the sweep. Manchester-Essex advances to the finals where they await the winner of the Rowley-Rockport series. Game 1 of the finals will take place Saturday in Essex

Rowley - 6, Rockport -1

Joe White gave up 1 hit in 6 innings surviving 8 walks and a hit batsman to get the win. Jeff Moore pitched the 7th. The series resumes tomorrow night in Rockport.

Mariners 8 Tories 1

Manchester-Essex takes game 1, 8 to 1. Rusty Tucker picked up the win. Rory Gentile & Mike Cain both had 3 hits. Cole Josselyn and John Wilcox each had 2 RBIs.

Topsfield 4 Rockport 2

Topsfield beats Rockport 4-2 and clinches the final playoff spot

Mariners 7 Generals 3

Manchester-Essex wrapped up the regular season last night with a 7 to 3 win over Hamilton.

Marc Phinney picked up his first ITL victory with 3 scoreless innings of relief.

Bob Whynott closed the game out with a perfect 7th.

ITL Home Run Derby

The 2016 ITL Home Run Derby is set for this Saturday, August 6th.  The festivities are meant to kick off the 2016 ITL Postseason and will begin at 1pm at Patton Park in Hamilton.  All ITL players are encouraged to participate.  Entry fee is $20 / player.

Keep in mind, there could be a play-in-game that day should the final standings warrant one.  Good luck the rest of the way!  See you Saturday for the Derby!

Topsfield 6 Beverly 5

Topsfield beats Beverly 6-5 Wednesday night

Mariners 7 Generals 2

Manchester-Essex defeated Hamilton last night 7 to 2 in Essex. Rory Gentile (3-4, RBI) and Mike Cain (3-4, 2 RBI) lead the Mariner offense.

For the Generals, Huggett was 3 for 4.

Beverly - 5, Ipswich - 4

• The Beverly Giants outlasted Ipswich Chiefs on Sunday after four lead changes, squeaking out a 5-4 win at Cooney Field.
• The Beverly Giants finally managed to grab the lead after a strong seventh inning. A hit by pitch scored Luke McDonald and gave the Beverly Giants the lead for good.
• McDonald put himself in scoring position with two extra-base hits for the Beverly Giants. He doubled in the fifth and seventh innings.
• Dan Cashman kept contact to a minimum, striking out eight Ipswich Chiefs batters. Cashman allowed three earned runs on four hits and two walks over seven innings.
• Pat Curran ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just one inning, walked two, struck out one, and allowed one run.
• The top of the first saw Ipswich Chiefs take an early lead, 2-0. Nate Frongillo started the rally for Ipswich Chiefs with a single. A few plays later, John Panaro stole home. The scoreboard lit up again for Ipswich Chiefs when Frongillo scored on an RBI single by Ahmad Ateyat.

Topsfield 10, Hamilton 2

Topsfield beat Hamilton 10-2 Friday night in Topsfield

Rowley 10 M-E 1

The Rams had an 8 run 4th inning and Joe White picked up the win in Rowley last night.

Wednesday: Rockport - 6, Beverly - 2

• Rockport Townies and the Beverly Giants traded the lead four times on Wednesday, but Rockport Townies ended up on top with a 6-2 win in seven innings over the Beverly Giants.
• Rockport Townies took the lead in the sixth inning and held on for the victory. Rockport Townies went up for good on a two-run double by Kyle Nelson off Josh Levesque, scoring Mike Munizand Keady Segel.
• Segel did his best to jumpstart the offense for Rockport Townies, reaching base three times. He singled in the first inning.
• James Parisi was a workhorse on the mound while bagging the win for Rockport Townies. Parisi allowed two earned runs, three hits and three walks while striking out three over seven innings of work.
• A bright spot for the Beverly Giants in the defeat was Levesque, who allowed only three runs while striking out five.
• Levesque couldn't get it done on the hill for the Beverly Giants, taking a loss.
• Rockport Townies jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Rockport Townies got things going when Reese Fulmer singled. A stolen base then moved Fulmer from first to second. Jay Fulmer singled, bringing home Fulmer.
• After a quick strike from Rockport Townies, the Beverly Giants responded with one run in the third. The Beverly Giants scored on an RBI double by Kevin Harutunian.

Tuesday: Hamilton - 4, Beverly - 0

Luke Painchaud pitched a complete game 5 hit shutout to key the Hamilton Generals to victory.

Sunday: Rowley - 7, Beverly - 0

• The Beverly Giants weren't able to score a run off of Whitman during his seven innings on the hill and the Rowley Rams took home the win, 7-0.
• Whitman allowed six hits, no walks and struck out four.
• The Rowley Rams' bats came to life in the fourth inning. In the inning the Rowley Rams scored four runs. The Rowley Rams scored in the fourth on an RBI double by Marco Luisi, a two-run single by Anthony Conte, and an RBI single by CJ Ingraham.
• Mark Berkland did his best to jumpstart the offense for the Rowley Rams, reaching base three times. He singled in the third inning and tripled in the sixth inning.
• Dan Cashman was the game's losing pitcher. He lasted just four innings, walked five, struck out four, and allowed four runs.

Rams 8 Mariners 6

Rowley beats M-E in a back and forth game last night in Essex 8 to 6. The two teams meet again tonight in Rowley.

M-E 14, Topsfield 3

The Mariners beat the Tories 14-3 in Topsfield Friday night

Rowley/Rockport tie 3-3 8 Innings

Rowley led 3-1 in the bottom of the 7th, Rockport scored 2 runs to tie. Both teams went scoreless in the 8th.

Mariners 8 Giants 7

The Mariners held a 7 to 2 lead into the 5th. Beverly scored 5 runs over the next 2 innings to tie the game. Rory Gentile hit a go ahead home run in the bottom of the 6th and Mike Gibbon struck out the side in the 7th to earn the save.

For Beverly, Andy Brown and Conor Walsh both hit homeruns.

The Beverly Giants fall to the Rowley Rams 7-3

Not even a strong hitting and pitching performance from Andy Brown could carry the Beverly Giants past the Rowley Rams at Eiras Field - 477 Haverhill St Rowley, MA 01969 on Tuesday as the Beverly Giants suffered a 7-3 defeat.  Brown went a perfect 3-3 at the plate for the Beverly Giants. He singled in the first, third, and fourth innings.

The Rowley Rams had no answer for Brown, who kept runners off the basepaths in his appearance. The Rowley Rams managed just three hits off of Brown, who allowed no earned runs, walked two and struck out one during his 3 2/3 innings of work.

The teams traded runs for most of the contest, leading to four lead changes in the game.  The Rowley Rams took the lead in the third inning and held on for the victory. The Rowley Rams went up for good on an RBI single by Justin Bolla off Eric Messina, scoring Dmitri Hunt.   Joe Esposito boosted his batting average thanks to a perfect 2-2 day at the plate to pace the Rowley Rams. He singled in the second inning and doubled in the third inning.  John Rusolillo got the win in relief for the Rowley Rams. Rusolillo pitched two innings and allowed no runs.

Messina couldn't get it done on the hill for the Beverly Giants, taking a loss. He allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings, walked none and struck out none.  The Rowley Rams jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Hunt doubled to ignite the Rowley Rams' offense, before Colby Ingraham singled, plating Hunt.  A key third-inning rally gave the Rowley Rams the lead for good. the Rowley Rams tacked on a total of five runs on A two-run double by Joe Esposito, a sacrifice fly by Mark Berkland, and an RBI single by Ingraham.

Tories 1 Mariners 0

Troy Bunker tossed a complete game shut out and Luis Barnes hit a solo homerun to lead Topsfield past Manchester-Essex 1 to 0.

Hamilton @ Ipswich Postponed

Weather will postpone tonight's game in Ipswich.  Makeup TBD.

Townies Walk-Off Winners 3-2

Townies walked off with the win against the Rams Sunday night - 3-2

Mariners over Giants 7-0

Mariners are now 16-1.

Beverly is now 8-9.

Friday: Rockport - 9, Beverly - 3

Details to follow

Topsfield 7, Ipswich 2

Topsfield beats Ipswich 7-2 Friday night in Topsfield

Fourth-inning rally sparks win for the Rowley Rams, 12-4

The Rowley Rams beat Hamilton Generals 12-4 in seven innings on Thursday at Patton Park - 13 Asbury St. Hamilton, MA 01982 after a seven-run explosion in the fourth inning.

The Rowley Rams scored in the fourth on a two-run single by Anthony Conte, a two-run double by Dmitri Hunt, a wild pitch, an RBI single by Colby Ingraham, and an RBI single by Marco Luisi.
Hunt racked up two RBIs on three hits for the Rowley Rams.  Tim Moore got the win for the Rowley Rams. He allowed four runs over seven innings. He struck out six, walked five and surrendered four hits.

Luke Painchaud couldn't get it done on the bump for Hamilton Generals, taking a loss. He allowed eight runs in 2 2/3 innings, walked one and struck out one.

The Rowley Rams jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. A double by Tim Cashman, scoring Ingraham and Justin Bolla started the inning off.

Hamilton Generals quickly matched the Rowley Rams' strong inning with a three-run inning of its own in the first. Hamilton Generals scored on an RBI single by Larry Saggese, a groundout by Bryan Vitale, and a groundout by Justin Tilley.

Mariners 14 Giants 2

Details to follow

Rowley - 4, Hamilton - 3

Joe White gets the win while Jack Clay takes the loss. Brad Whitman gets the save stranding the tying run on 3rd with 2 outs in the 7th. The 2 teams meet again tomorrow night in Hamilton.

Mariners 7 Townies 2

• The Manchester-Essex Mariners beat the Rockport Townies 7 to 2 last night in Essex.
• The Man./Essex Mariners got their bats going early, scoring four runs in the first inning to pull ahead of Rockport Townies. The Man./Essex Mariners scored in the first on an error, an RBI single by Ian Buckley, and an RBI single by Alex Ray.
• Ray had a hot bat for the Man./Essex Mariners. Ray went 2-2, drove in one and scored one run. Johnny Wilcox also added 2 hits.
• Ryan Marques held Rockport Townies scoreless for six innings, allowing 3 hits, one walk and striking out three.
• Mackenzie Quinn was charged with the loss. He allowed seven runs in six innings, walked three and struck out three.
• For the Townies, Tucker Meredith was 3 for 4.

Mariners 10 Townies 9 - (9 innings)

For the second night in three days the Rockport Townies and Manchester-Essex Mariners met at Evans Field in Rockport. In a game that lasted almost 3 hours and had multiple lead changes, the Mariners defeated the Townies 10 to 9 in extra innings.

The Mariners jumped on Rockport Starter James Parisi early for 3 runs in the top of the 1^st on hits by Caulin Rogers (3-4), Rory Gentile and Mike Cain (3-6, 6 RBI). The Townies answered back in the bottom of the 3^rd with 3 runs off RBI hits by Alex Webb and Keady Segal. Parisi settled down and held the Mariners scoreless until the 4^th when Cain put the Mariners up 5 to 3 on a ground rule double.

The Townies answered right back in the bottom half of the 4^th with 2 runs on 2 consecutive sacrifice fly balls by Webb and Bryan Lentz.

The Townies relived Parisi in the 5^th following two singles off the bats of Peter Clark and Rogers. Clark came around to score on a Max Nesbit sacrifice fly to deep left center giving the Mariners a 6 to 5 lead. In the bottom half of the 5^th, Connor Douglass put the Townies back on top 7 to 6 with a 2 RBI single. Townies reliever Shawn Hull shut the Mariners down until the top of the 7^th, when an error and 2 walks lead to another pitching change for the Townies. Jason Vizena came in with no outs, bases loaded and limited the Mariners to 1 run, a Nesbit sac fly.

The Townies had runners in scoring position with 1 out in both the 7^th and 8^th innings, but Mariners reliever Peter Clark was able to escape both situations.

There were 2 outs in the top of the 9th, with runners on 1^st & 2^nd and with the score tied at 7. The Townies intentionally walked Gentile to load the bases for Cain. Cain fell behind 0 & 2 to Townies reliever Jason Vizena, but Cain was able to battle back and line one up the middle for a 2 run single to put the Mariners up 9 to 7. John Wilcox added an insurance RBI single that would prove to be necessary as the Townies didn't go quietly in the bottom half.

Douglass lead off the 9th with a 10 pitch at bat that lead to a line drive single to right field. Next stepped up Mike Muniz, the big first baseman crushed a Mike Gibbon fastball into the center field trees to make the score 10 to 9. An error on a shallow outfield pop fly lead to another base runner for the Townies with no outs. However, Gibbon was able to shut down the Townies the rest of the way, leaving the tying run on 3rd.

Clark picked up the win for the Mariners with 4 solid innings of relief.

Sunday: Beverly - 4, Topsfield - 0

Dan Cashman pitched a three hit shutout to move the Giants past the Tories, 4 to 0 Sunday at Cooney Field.  Cashman and Topsfield's Andy Heath were locked in a scoreless pitching duel until Beverly erupted for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning taking advantage of some errors.  The big blow of the inning was a two run single off the bat of Kevin Harutunian that plated two runs that would be all Cashman would need to earn the victory.

Harutunian added two stolen bases on the night.  In addition, Frankie Messina (2 for 2, 2BB) and Andy Brown (2 for 3, BB) chipped in to lead the offense.

For Topsfield, Andy Heath was the tough luck loser allowing 4 unearned runs over 6 innings.  Heath was also 1 for 3 at the plate with a double.

Friday: Beverly - 5, Ipswich - 4

The Beverly Giants used a four run 5th inning to move past the Ipswich Chiefs and pull out a 5 to 4 win Friday night at Bialek Park.  Ipswich tried to come back from 2 runs down in the 7th but fell just short, plating one run.  The rally was slowed by a 5-4-3 double play after the leadoff batter reached.

Eric Messina earned the win pitching 5 innings allowing 3 runs (2 earned) with 5 strikeouts.  Frankie Messina pitched a scoreless 6th in relief.  Then, Andy Brown earned the save pitching the 7th inning, allowing 1 run.  Offensively, Frankie Messina had the big blow of the 5th inning with a long two run double to left center.  Frankie finished 2 for 3 on the night.  Paul Drinkwater and Joe Bliss were each 2 for 4 at the plate.

Ipswich's Andy Carbone went the distance allowing 5 runs in 7 innings.  Greg Doucette had a monster day at the plate finishing 3 for 4 with a home run, triple, and two runs scored.  John Panaro was also 3 for 4 with a stolen base and run scored.

Mariners 3 Townies 0

• A great effort by Rusty Tucker hoisted the Man./Essex Mariners to a 3-0 win in seven innings over Rockport Townies on Friday at Evans Field - Station Sq. Rockport, MA 01966.
• Tucker struck out 11, paving the way for a the Man./Essex Mariners win. The Man./Essex Mariners' pitcher gave up just three hits over seven shutout innings.
• The Man./Essex Mariners scored three runs in the first inning to build an early lead. The Man./Essex Mariners scored in the first on an RBI single by Noah Aiello and a two-run double by Max Nesbit.
• Derek Osmond ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just seven innings, walked two, struck out three, and allowed three runs.

Rowley 10, Topsfield 1

Rowley picks up the win Friday night 10-1 over Topsfield

Wednesday: Beverly - 4, Hamilton - 3

The Hamilton Generals took a 3 to 2 lead into the bottom of the 7th but the Beverly Giants struck for 2 runs with most of the damage coming after there were two outs.

Rocky Pisa Jr., making his ITL debut, led off the 7th inning with a single.  After two outs were recorded, Pisa scored all the way from first on an Andy Brown single that was misplayed in the outfield.  A couple of batters later the bases were loaded for Joe Bliss.  Bliss came through with a run scoring single giving the Beverly Giants their second walkoff win in the last three games.

Josh Levesque went the distance for the Giants allowing 3 runs (1 earned) in seven innings with 10 strikeouts.  Offensively, Brown was 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored while Bliss, Pisa, and Levesque all collected 2 hits.

Hamilton only had 3 hits on the night but made the most of them plating 3 runs.  Drew Taylor was charged with the loss pitching 6.2 innings and allowing 4 runs (1 earned) while striking out 6.

Tuesday: Rowley - 7, Beverly - 1

Joe White allowed only 1 unearned run over five innings for the win.  White gave up just 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 4.  Mike Sloban finished the game off with two scoreless innings.  Colby Ingraham was 3 for 4 with a stolen base to lead the offense.  Justin Cashman was 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored.  For Beverly, Dan Cashman took the loss allowing 6 runs (4 earned) over six innings.  Cashman struck out 8 Rams on the night.

Mariners 9 Chiefs 8

• The Manchester-Essex Mariners and Ipswich Chiefs lit up the scoreboard on Wednesday as they combined for 17 runs and 31 hits. In the end, the Mariners won the offensive battle 9-8.

Manchester-Essex had 18 hits on the night with Noah Aiello (4 hits), Caulin Rogers and Max Nesbit (3 hits) leading the way.

For Ipswich, Jake Greaney was 4 for 4 and Louis Galanis was 3 for 4.

The Mariners erased an 8 to 6 deficit in the top of the 7th with 3 runs. With 2 outs, Aiello's clutch RBI double gave the Mariners the lead.

Peter Clark picked up the win in relief and Mike Gibbon recorded the save.

Manchester-Essex improves to 11-1, Ipswich falls to 4-10.

Mariners 9 Ipswich 4

The Mariners picked up a 9 to 4 victory over the visiting Chiefs last night in Essex. Rory Gentile held Ipswich to 1 run in 5 innings of work to pick up the win. Cole Josselyn recorded 3 hits & 3 RBIs, Gentile added 3 hits including a solo homerun and Ian Buckley had 2 hits.

Thursday: Beverly - 3, Rockport - 2 (9 innings)

The Giants came from behind to beat the Townies 3 to 2 in 9 innings Thursday night at Cooney Field.  Rockport jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two out single by Kyle Nelson followed by a run scoring error on a fly ball.

Beverly scraped out a run in the fifth on a dropped pop fly and then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a two out single from Kevin Harutunian.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the ninth. With one out Frankie Messina walked, then Luke McDonald reached on a throwing error moving Messina to third. Conor Walsh drove the ball to right field for a sac fly bringing home the winning run in walk off fashion.

Dan Cashman earned the win with four innings of shutout relief. Eric Messina allowed only two unearned runs in his five innings of work. For Rockport, Sean Gillon was charged with the loss allowing one unearned run in two innings of relief. James Parisi started and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in seven innings.

Rockport 13, Topsfield 3

Rockport beat Topsfield Friday night 13-3

Mariners 11 Generals 2

Caulin Rogers went 4 for 5 in the lead off spot and Ian Buckley was 3 for 4 with a triple to power the Mariners to an 11 to 2 victory.

The Mariners fell behind 2 to nothing until a 7 run 3rd inning.

Topsfield - 7, Beverly - 6

• Details from Tuesday's game.
• Eric Messina both hit and pitched well for the Beverly Giants, but it wasn't enough as the Beverly Giants fell to Topsfield Tories 7-6 at Proctor School.
• Messina racked up two RBIs on two hits for the Beverly Giants. He singled in the sixth inning and tripled in the seventh inning.
• Topsfield Tories couldn't get anything going as long as Messina was pitching. Messina held Topsfield Tories hitless over two-thirds of an inning, allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out none.
• Topsfield Tories staved off the Beverly Giants as the Beverly Giants were unable to match Topsfield Tories down the stretch.
• The Beverly Giants scored on and a two-run single by Andy Brown in the fifth inning and a two-run triple by Messina in the seventh inning. Despite their efforts, the Beverly Giants couldn't get over the hump.
• Luis Barnes had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits. He doubled in the first and third innings.
• Ryan Beaton got the win in relief for Topsfield Tories. Beaton pitched three innings and allowed three runs.
• Topsfield Tories was sparked by Andrew Heath and Barnes, who teamed up for four hits and two RBIs.
• Brown was the game's losing pitcher. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings, walked one, struck out none, and allowed five runs.
• The top of the first saw the Beverly Giants take an early lead, 1-0. The Beverly Giants got things going when Kevin Harutunian doubled. A passed ball then moved Harutunian from second to third.
• Topsfield Tories answered the Beverly Giants' top inning with one run of its own in the first. Topsfield Tories scored on an RBI single by Andrew Heath.
• The lead stayed with Topsfield Tories after the third, when it scored two runs on an RBI double by Barnes and a sacrifice fly by Zack Lamkin.
• Topsfield Tories added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. A ground out scored Alan Nahigian to get Topsfield Tories on the board in the inning. That was followed up by Beaton's double.
• Topsfield Tories pushed across one run in both the fifth inning and the sixth. In the fifth, Topsfield Tories scored on a sacrifice fly by Ben Panunzio, plating Andrew Heath.

Topsfield 7, Beverly 6

Topsfield held on to win 7-6 against Beverly Tuesday night in Topsfield

Mariners 12 Generals 1

Rory Gentile hit a grand slam and Rusty Tucker struck out 16 in 6 innings as the Mariners won in Essex 12 to 1.

The Rowley Rams escape Ipswich Chiefs behind John Rusolillo's 10 strikeouts, 8-0

An ace performance by John Rusolillo hoisted the Rowley Rams to an 8-0 win in seven innings over Ipswich Chiefs on Monday at Bialek Park - 13 Linebrook Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938.

Rusolillo's 10 strikeouts were enough to push the Rowley Rams past Ipswich Chiefs. The Rowley Rams' pitcher tossed seven innings of shutout ball and allowed only two hits.  The Rowley Rams beat Ipswich Chiefs thanks to 12 hits, including two extra base hits. The Rowley Rams scored four runs in the first on the Rowley Rams scored in the first on a wild pitch, a single by Colby Ingraham, an RBI single by Joe Esposito.

The Rowley Rams' Ingraham, Jordon Silva and Shawn White combined for seven hits and two RBIs.
Greg Doucette was charged with the loss. He allowed six runs in five innings, walked three and struck out four.

Ipswich Chiefs defeats the Beverly Giants after late game single, 4-3

Ipswich Chiefs outlasted the Beverly Giants on Sunday after four lead changes, squeaking out a 4-3 win at BALCH.   Ipswich Chiefs took the lead in the seventh inning and held on for the victory. Ipswich Chiefs scored on a two-run single by Jake Greaney off Josh Levesque, scoring Connor Henry and Greg Doucette.

Greaney racked up three RBIs on two hits for Ipswich Chiefs.  Conor Walsh racked up two RBIs on two hits for the Beverly Giants. He singled in the fourth inning and doubled in the sixth inning.
Andrew Carbone got it done on the rubber on the way to a win. He allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five, walked two and surrendered six hits.

Levesque couldn't get it done on the hill for the Beverly Giants, taking a loss. He lasted just 6 2/3 innings, walked three, struck out six, and allowed four runs.

Ipswich Chiefs closer Jon Simard put away the final two outs to record the save.  Ipswich Chiefs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Pat Curran started the rally for Ipswich Chiefs with a single. A single by Connor Henry then moved Curran from first to third. Ipswich Chiefs pushed more runs across when Henry scored on an RBI single by Greaney.

Townies 4 Generals 3

Townies beat the Generals 4-3 with a walk off infield single by Keady Segel.  Townies got some clutch hits in the bottom of the seventh by Nick Scatterday, Reese Fulmer and Tucker Meredith to set up Segel's dramatic 10 pitch at bat.  Derek Osmond went the distance for his fourth win of the season.

Topsfield 4, Hamilton 2

Topsfield picks up the win over Hamilton Friday night 4-2

Beverly - 11, Ipswich - 5

Details to follow.

Generals top Tories

Generals won tonight 13-9 over Topsfield. Hamilton was up most of the evening but things got interesting late as Tories tried to come back. Teams play again Friday. 

Generals 9 Giants 7

• Hamilton Generals Defeats The Beverly Giants 9-7 
• Tuesday was a rough outing for Jack Clay, but Hamilton Generals still managed to pull out a 9-7 victory over the Beverly Giants in seven innings at Patton Park - 13 Asbury St. Hamilton, MA 01982. 
• Clay gave up seven in 6 2/3, but the bullpen surrendered no runs and the offense banged out nine to pick up the slack and secure the win for Hamilton Generals. 
• The game was back-and-forth heading into the third, with four lead changes. 
• Hamilton Generals took the lead in the third inning and held on for the victory. Hamilton Generals scored on a two-run single by Avon Stewart off Andy Brown, scoring Chris Huggett and Larry Saggese. 
• Hamilton Generals would not relinquish the lead as the Beverly Giants were unable to weather a seven-run fifth inning deficit. 
• The Beverly Giants scored five runs in the seventh on a two-run double by Dan Cashman. Still, the Beverly Giants couldn't draw even. 
• Larry Saggese was hot from the plate for Hamilton Generals. Larry Saggese went 2-4, drove in one and scored one run. He singled in the first and third innings. 
• Brown took the loss for the Beverly Giants. He lasted just three innings, walked four, struck out two, and allowed five runs. 
• The Beverly Giants jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A double by Josh Levesque, scoring Conor Walsh started the inning off. 
• Hamilton Generals added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. A hit into a fielder's choice scored Dan Curran for the inning's first run. That was followed up by Joe Desjardins's single, bringing home Neil Simmons. 
• Hamilton Generals built upon its lead with four runs in the fifth. Ben MacDonald kicked things off with a single. That was followed up by Simmons' single, scoring MacDonald. 

Rams - 6, Mariners - 4

Joe White got the complete game win. Marques went the 1st 3 and took the loss, Gentile pitched 2 and Gibbon 1 in relief.

Townies Take 2 from Ipswich

Sunday - Kyle Nelson gives Rockport Townies late push to beat Ipswich Chiefs, 5-4.  Kyle Nelson brought home the winning run to give Rockport Townies the lead in the sixth inning, as Rockport Townies hung on to beat Ipswich Chiefs 5-4 on Sunday.

Fulmer racked up two RBIs on one hit for Rockport Townies. He doubled in the sixth inning.
Jake Greaney racked up four RBIs on two hits for Ipswich Chiefs. He singled in the fourth inning and doubled in the sixth inning.  Derek Osmond recorded the win for Rockport Townies. He allowed four runs over seven innings. Osmond struck out four, walked none and gave up nine hits.

Chris Mitchell was charged with the loss. He lasted just six innings, walked two, struck out 10, and allowed five runs.  Two runs gave Ipswich Chiefs a leg up after neither team scored for most of the game. Ipswich Chiefs got on the board thanks to a two-run single by Greaney.  Rockport Townies didn't give up the lead after the sixth inning. Additional runs came from a two-run double by Fulmer.


 Monday - Ipswich Chiefs falls 12-4 at the hands of Rockport Townies.  Rockport Townies beat Ipswich Chiefs on Monday 12-4 at Bialek Park - 13 Linebrook Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938 in seven innings.  Keady Segel racked up six RBIs on four hits for Rockport Townies. He doubled in the third and fifth innings and singled in the first and sixth innings.

Connor Henry put himself in scoring position with two extra-base hits for Ipswich Chiefs. He doubled in the fifth and seventh innings. Jason Vizena got the win for Rockport Townies. He allowed three runs over five innings. He struck out four, walked three and surrendered seven hits.  Andrew Carbone was the game's losing pitcher. He allowed seven runs in five innings, walked one and struck out one.  Rockport Townies closer Marcus Cottone put away the final six outs to record the save.
The game was never in doubt after the first, as Rockport Townies scored two runs on a two-run single by Segel.

Rockport Townies added four more runs in the top of the fifth. Kyle Nelson doubled, scoring Jay Fulmer to start the inning. That was followed up by Segel's double, plating Nelson and Tucker Meredith.

Three runs in the bottom of the fifth helped Ipswich Chiefs close its deficit to 7-3. An RBI single by Greg Doucette, a sacrifice fly by Chas Rousseau, and an RBI triple by Jake Greaney triggered Ipswich Chiefs' comeback. Finally, Vizena got Corey Macnamara to strike out to end the threat.

Rockport Townies increased its lead with five runs in the sixth. Segel's single got things going, scoring Jay Fulmer and Nelson. That was followed up by Nick Scatterday's single, bringing home Segel, Brian Lentz and Reese Fulmer.

Topsfield 4, Rowley 3

Result from Monday night in Topsfield

Hamilton - 9, Beverly - 7

The Hamilton Generals held on to beat the Beverly Giants 9 to 7 Tuesday night at Patton Park.  This was not the cleanest played game of the season as the teams combined for 14 walks, 6 wild pitches, and 5 errors.  But, Hamilton held together a little bit better than Beverly to emerge as the winners.

The Giants jumped out to an early 2 to 1 lead highlighted by a Josh Levesque RBI ground rule double.  But, in the bottom of the third inning the Generals took the lead for good on an Avon Stewart two run single.  They increased the lead in the fourth on Larry Sagesse and Joe Desjardins RBI singles.  In the bottom of the fifth the Generals jumped out to a big lead plating 4 more runs to take a 9 to 2 lead.  The first two runs scored on singles by Neil Simmons and Chris Huggett.  The last two runs scored on an error.

The score remained 9 to 2 until the top of the seventh inning when Hamilton starter, Jack Clay appeared to tire.  The Giants cut the lead to 9 to 4 with two out and the bases loaded.  That's when Hamilton went to Luke Painchaud for the save.  Beverly managed a walk and a two run double by Dan Cashman that moved the tying run to second base with two out.  However, Painchaud bore down and got the final batter to pop out.

Jack Clay earned the win allowing 7 runs (6 earned) in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 6.  Luke Painchaud got the save.  Andy Brown (3IP, 5R, 3ER) took the loss.  Hamilton's Huggett and Saggesse had two hits each.

Mariners 12 Rams 5

Beverly - 6, Rockport - 2

Josh Levesque allowed 1 run in 6 innings while striking out 5 to earn the win over the Rockport Townies.  Levesque's bat also contributed as he reached base four times with an RBI single and three walks.

The Giants scored a run in the top of the first on the Levesque single.  Rockport answered right back in the bottom half on Mike Muniz' RBI single.  Beverly went ahead for good in the second when Levesque walked with the bases loaded pushing home a run.

Beverly tacked on single runs in the fourth and sixth and then plated two in the seventh on a Kevin Harutunian double.  Conor Walsh and Frankie Messina each finished the game with two hits.

Rockport used 5 pitchers in the game and as a group had a hard time finding the plate issuing 11 walks to go with 10 hits.  Shawn Hull took the loss allowing 2 runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief.  Mike Muniz was 2 for 4 with 2RBI.

Mariners 9 Topsfield 4

Details to follow.

Strong pitching leads Ipswich Chiefs past Hamilton Generals 4-0

Jake Greaney kept Hamilton Generals off the board during his seven innings of work and Ipswich Chiefs beat Hamilton Generals, 4-0.

Greaney allowed two hits, three walks and struck out four.   Ipswich Chiefs couldn't get anything going as long as Jack Clay was on the hill. Clay held Ipswich Chiefs hitless over two innings, allowed no earned runs, walked one and struck out three.  Andre Painchaud ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just five innings, walked one, struck out eight, and allowed four runs.

The game was never in doubt after the third, as Ipswich Chiefs scored three runs on two singles.

Rowley - 7, Rockport - 3

Joe White got the win in 5 innings of 1 run ball. Vizena gets the loss for Rockport. Justin Bolla had 3 hits for the Rams. The Rams play Topsfield Monday in a makeup at Topsfield. Rockport is at home Friday night.

Mariners 5 Tories 0

Details to follow.

Rowley - 2, Beverly 1

Tim Moore went the distance for the win. Cashman pitched well in the loss. Each pitcher went 7 giving up 2 hits a piece in a game that was over by 7:20. Rowley hosts Rockport tomorrow night 545, Beverly plays Friday in Rockport.

The Rowley Rams starter Tim Moore doesn't need much run-support when he is on the hill and he showed it on Tuesday at Eiras Field - 477 Haverhill St Rowley, MA 01969 against the Beverly Giants. Seven strong innings by Moore carried the Rowley Rams to a 2-1 victory over the Beverly Giants in seven innings.

The Rowley Rams held off the Beverly Giants, as the Beverly Giants were unable to overcome a two-run third inning deficit. The Beverly Giants scored one run in the fourth on an RBI single by Dan Cashman. Despite their efforts, the Beverly Giants couldn't finish the comeback.  Cashman ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just six innings, walked one, struck out eight, and allowed two runs.

The Rowley Rams didn't relinquish the lead after scoring one run in the first inning when they scored on an RBI single by Justin Bolla.  The Beverly Giants scored their only run of the game on an RBI single by Cashman in the fourth inning.

Hamilton Generals defeats Ipswich Chiefs 5-1

Chris Huggett went 2-4, helping Hamilton Generals to a 5-1 victory over Ipswich Chiefs on Monday at Bialek Park - 13 Linebrook Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938.

Pete Duval recorded the win for Hamilton Generals. He allowed one run over seven innings. He struck out six, walked six and surrendered nine hits.  The Generals also welcomed back a familiar face to the line-up.  Mark Ruggiero dusted off the glove and made this his season debut, welcome back!

Greg Doucette was charged with the loss. He lasted just five innings, walked none, struck out five, and allowed four runs.

Hamilton Generals went up for good in the first, scoring two runs on a sacrifice fly by Avon Stewart.  Hamilton Generals piled on two more runs in the top of the second. Brian Nicoll singled, plating Joe Desjardins to start the inning. That was followed up by Huggett's single, bringing home Nicoll.

Ipswich Chiefs' lone run of the ballgame came in the seventh inning on an RBI double by Jake Greaney.

Mariners 5 Giants 1

Noah Aiello drove in the winning run to give the Man./Essex Mariners the lead in the sixth inning, as the Man./Essex Mariners hung on to beat the Beverly Giants 5-1 on Sunday.

Dan Bonito doubled to get on base in the sixth. He then went from second to third on a passed ball.

Bonito racked up two RBIs on one hit for the Man./Essex Mariners. He doubled in the sixth inning.

Ryan Marques shut down the Beverly Giants while he was on the rubber. The Beverly Giants managed just two hits off of Marques, who allowed no earned runs, walked one and struck out six during his four innings of work.

Rory Gentile got the win for the Man./Essex Mariners. He allowed one run over two innings. He struck out two, walked none and surrendered four hits.

Sean Martin ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just one-third of an inning, walked none, struck out none, and allowed two runs.

The lone run of the game for the Beverly Giants crossed the plate in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Andy Brown.

The Man./Essex Mariners never surrendered the lead after the sixth inning. The runs piled on thanks to an RBI double by Bonito.

The Man./Essex Mariners added three more runs in the top of the seventh. A error scored Caulin Rogers for the inning's first run.

Rockport 5 Rowley 4

Derek Osmond picked up his second win in as many starts.  He pitched six strong innings giving up three runs on six hits. Alex Webb, Tucker Meredith and Brian Lentz each had two hits.  Lentz drove in the winning run with his double in the bottom of the sixth.

Topsfield Tories falls 11-3 at the hands of Ipswich Chiefs

Ipswich Chiefs beat Topsfield Tories on Friday 11-3 at Proctor School - 60 Main St Topsfield, MA 01983 in seven innings.

Ipswich Chiefs scored five runs in the fourth on Ipswich Chiefs scored in the fourth on an RBI single by Pat Curran, a fielder's choice, an RBI single byConnor Henry, and a two-run single by Jake Greaney.

Henry racked up four RBIs on three hits for Ipswich Chiefs.

Chris Mitchell got the win for Ipswich Chiefs thanks to nine strikeouts. Chris Mitchell allowed one earned run, six hits and two walks over six innings.

Andrew Heath was solid at the plate for Topsfield Tories. Andrew Heath went 2-4, drove in one and scored two runs. He doubled in the fourth inning and singled in the sixth inning.

Troy Bunker ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, charged with the loss. He lasted just three innings, walked six, struck out three, and allowed one run.

Hamilton Over Rams 7-1

Generals defeated the Rowley Rams at Patton Park Thursday evening 7-1.

Make ups

6/20 Rowley @ Topsfield 5:45pm
7/5 Rowley @ Beverly 5:45pm @ Balch
7/8 Mariners @ Rockport  6:30pm
7/20 Beverly @ Mariners 5:45pm

Rowley - 4 Hamilton - 3 (8 Innings)

Hamilton scored 2 in the 3rd and 1 in the 5th and Luke Painchaud took a no hitter into the 5th but Rowley scored 3 in the 6th to tie it and Anthony Conte drew a bases loaded walk to end the game. Both teams had multiple opportunities late, Painchaud pitched out of a bases loaded no out bottom of the 7th and Joey Martin pitched out of a bases loaded 1 out jam in the 8th. Duval gets the loss for Hamilton and Martin picks up the win for the Rams. Painchaud and Tim Moore both pitched well in the no decisions. The 2 teams play again tonight in Hamilton.

Beverly at Manchester Postponed

Makeup date TBD.

Mariners 2 Rockport 0

Rory Gentile hit a go ahead 2 run homer in the bottom of the 6 to take the lead. Rusty Tucker picked up the win, Mike Gibbon recorded the save.

Former Ipswich Chief Greenleaf inducted into Intertown Twilight League Hall of Fame

"Former Ipswich Chief Greenleaf inducted into Intertown Twilight League Hall of Fame"

By Joshua Boyd
Posted May. 14, 2016 at 8:52 PM IPSWICH

Bob Greenleaf still salutes and supports what the Intertown Twilight League provides for baseball players today, more than 10 years after his final games with the Ipswich Chiefs.To the 45-year-old Ipswich resident, the country’s oldest adult amateur league is an indispensable competitive outlet for players coming from so many different backgrounds.

“Throughout my time playing with the Chiefs [from 1988 through 2002], I played with college players from all divisions, and at least a dozen if not more who played professional baseball with Major League organizations,” said Greenleaf, who also was a coaching “mentor” from 2003 through 2005 for the Chiefs. Greenleaf was a player-coach from 1992 through 2002 for Ipswich’s ITL entry, taking over that job for the retiring legend Mike Singer.

On Saturday, Greenleaf – a multiple batting title winner in the ITL – joined Singer and other former Chiefs in the Intertown Twilight League Hall of Fame during its annual induction ceremony.

“It’s a really nice mix of players who made it very competitive. It also gives high school players a little higher level than they’re used to playing,” Greenleaf added, on the wide appeal of the ITL. “If you played high school and you don’t compete in college, or if you played in college and don’t go pro, you’re a competitor and you lose something if you don’t have that opportunity to compete.”

The ITL gave many players like Greenleaf, who played baseball for Ipswich High but switched to golf in college at North Carolina’s Catalba College. After his college athletic career was over, he knew he could always play golf, but also wanted to get back to his love of baseball.

With the ITL being so extremely competitive, Greenleaf remembers paying his dues during his first couple of years under Singer.

“Like in most leagues, you have to earn your stripes, and it took me a couple of years to steadily start playing for the team,” said Greenleaf.

In 1992, perhaps the most memorable conversation in his baseball life happened when Singer approached Greenleaf about taking over management of the Chiefs.  “Because I loved the sport so much and wanted the team to continue, so I took on the responsibility as a player-coach for those years [1992-2002],” said Greenleaf, who currently works as a general manager with a commercial moving company out of Boston.  During these times, not only was Greenleaf in charge of game-time decisions, but he also made impacts during the games. Along with a pair of batting titles, he also made the ITL All-Star team nine times. Those ITL All-Star teams would go on to play against All-Star teams from the Intercity League and North Shore Baseball League.

“Bob is a Chiefs icon,” said longtime Chief and later player-manager and manager Gardy O’Flynn. “He was such a steady player at third base for so many years, and he was instrumental in keeping the Chiefs going for over a decade.”

O’Flynn and Greenleaf were teammates in the early 1990s and later again in the 2000s as either teammates or as player (O’Flynn) and coach (Greenleaf). Joining other Chiefs staples like Ryan Montecalvo, David Shoreman, Andy Workman, Brad Eaton and others, they helped Ipswich win the 2003 ITL championship. It was Ipswich’s first since back-to-back titles in 1974 and 1975.

“For several years, Ipswich didn’t have a team that competed. We dedicated the championship to Mike Singer,” said Greenleaf. “He is the reason why the league is still where it is, through his love of the game. That was a huge accomplishment.”

Singer shocked Greenleaf a bit last year, when Singer invited Greenleaf and his wife Megan to join Singer and his wife at the Ipswich Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There, Singer was inducted primarily for his contributions to Ipswich High sports prior to his graduation in 1947.  “He was certainly a mentor to me. I hadn’t seen Mike in a while, but he asked me and my wife to attend the Hall of Fame banquet with him,” said Greenleaf. “We enjoyed every part of it.”

Like Singer before him, Greenleaf hung up the cleats and glove, and just coached the team for three years, though he considers it more of a “mentor role” prior to handing over the reins of the team to Shoreman, Montecalvo and O’Flynn.  “I played if the team needed me to play because of a lack of numbers in a game, but mostly I mentored Gardy, Ryan and Dav. Mostly, I just managed the team and made sure there was a team to play for within Ipswich,” said Greenleaf.  Because the Chiefs, he feels, is important as part of the fabric of life in Ipswich.  “As a baseball player, as someone who loves the game, the Chiefs are one of the most important things to a player in town,” he added. “The competition between the teams within the league is fantastic. The fun part is that you’re competing against seven different towns, and you make friendships.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into someone I played against from Rockport or Manchester or Beverly and the common theme is, ‘let’s get together for a beer,’” said Greenleaf. “It’s a nice bond throughout the years.”

Today, Greenleaf is the parent of an Ipswich High School student-athlete, his daughter Mackenzie. She was a member of the varsity swimming team this past winter and also was a member of the high school golf program last fall.  Bob himself remains a competitive golf player, playing in many area golf tournaments.  “I love the ability to compete, and it allows you to use what you’re born with, this fight and drive to win,” added Greenleaf.  That fight and drive helped Greenleaf steer his favorite baseball team to the 2003 ITL title, and it has helped Greenleaf into the ITL Hall of Fame.

“It was really a pleasant surprise [when he heard about the HOF nomination],” said Greenleaf. “It’s really nice to be able to say you’re inducted into a Hall of Fame. The ITL is the oldest twilight baseball league in America, so I’m certainly proud to be inducted.”