Andover Baseball climbed to the top of the league standings this week as PA swept a doubleheader against Worcester Academy Saturday, 4-3 and 9-2. Co-Captain Matt Boylan ’06 went 4 for 5 in the DH, with two walks, a double, triple, and a crucial go-ahead home run. PA also hosted the ISL squad BB&N Friday afternoon, and tied the visiting Knights 7-7, while Wednesday brought the Tufts JV team to Andover, but PA was unable to string together groups of hits as the Blue lost in a fast-paced 4-1 game. Friday marked the first varsity start for John Gardner ’08 as the Blue took on BB&N, but Gardner was forced to leave after pitching a 3-run 1st inning due to an injury. Will Sherrill ’07 stepped in for the 2nd inning, seeing his first varsity action, and fired 4 strong innings in relief, while the PA offense piled up 7 runs with 3 scored by Chris Bramwell ’07. BB&N evened the game at seven in the 6th inning, but Peter Casey ’07 closed out the 7th inning with a quick, 1-2-3 inning. Andover could not score again however in the bottom of the 7th, and the game was called as a draw due to darkness. With overcast skies and rain probably, PA took the field Saturday afternoon against the visiting Worcester Hilltoppers. J.R. Santaniello ’08 took the mound for the Blue in his first varsity start, and pitched a very strong game for Andover. A liner just off and over the third baseman’s glove in the top of the 1st scored the first run of the game for Worcester, but Andover would answer with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st on a Bramwell line drive triple to center, a Co-Captain Tom Dignard ’06 RBI single, and a Boylan RBI line drive double down the right field line. Santaniello would scatter 4 hits in the next 4 innings, while allowing a single run in the 3rd, and the game would remain tied until the 6th inning. Worcester’s number 5 hitter would draw a walk with one out, and come around to score on a single to take the 3-2 lead late in the game. Sam Conte ’07 would work a hit-by-pitch to start the bottom of the 6th, and was followed by Co-Captain Boylan. On a 1-1 count, Boylan would greet a high fastball by sending a long fly ball to right field, and deposited it beyond the fence for a 2-run home run and a 4-3 lead. Mike Ciummei ’08 came in for the save in the top of the 7th, and worked quickly, but drama struck when a 2-out single was followed by a lined fly ball to right-center field. Joe Smith ’07, after making a running catch to save a run in the 4th inning, tracked down the deep fly, dove and extended his glove for a spectacular catch to win the game. Andover would start the second game of the DH by getting six consecutive batters on base on route to a 7-run 1st inning, knocking out the Worcester starting pitcher before he recorded an out. PA would score again in the 2nd and 3rd to increase the lead to 9-0, while Tommy Arrigg ’06 cruised through 7 innings, giving up 3 hits, and threw consistent strikes with the lead. PA would finish with a 9-2 win, Arrigg’s 3rd win of the season, and Dignard, Boylan, Conte, and Smith would all finish with two hits on the day. Andover finished the doubleheader hitting .373 on the day, with 6 extra base hits, and only committed 1 error on defense. Sherrill received the start against Tufts, and allowed 1 run on 3 hits in 4 innings, but the Blue offense would only get multiple runners in an inning once, scoring a run in the 6th inning, as PA dropped the mid-week contest 4-1 for the first loss of the season.
