4/4 – Andover: 3, Winchendon: 2
4/4 – Andover: 5, Winchendon: 2
4/8 – Andover: 0, Dexter: 1
Baseball (3-2) extended its early-season momentum in a Saturday doubleheader game against Winchendon on home turf. Despite its narrow defeat to Dexter Southfield (Dexter) on Wednesday, the team remains confident.
Owen Prior ’29 described the intense, back-and-forth game against Winchendon on Saturday and credited the pitchers who stood out to take the initiative for the team.
“Our pitchers really set the stage in that first game. Michael Gilligan ’26, our Co-Captain, threw incredibly well and gave us a solid chance to stay in it. Then, Jacob Honor ’27 came in and was outstanding. He has a knack for getting out of jams and is a fierce competitor who always gives 110 percent. Finally, Matthew Ulicny ’26 took the mound in the seventh and held them off, allowing us to win it in the bottom of the inning,” said Prior.
The defensive stability provided the cushion for a high-stakes second matchup between the two teams. The dugout struggled to maintain its high enthusiasm from the earlier walk-off win and faced an early deficit, which required mental stability that tested the team’s performance under pressure. Thomas Perri ’29 highlighted the challenge of the mental reset for the second game of the day.
“After such a high peak in game one, getting a walk-off win and having everyone so excited, we got off to a slow start. [Winchendon] put up two runs in the top of the first [inning], and we didn’t answer until the sixth inning. However, we did a great job of keeping the energy up and trusting our talent. We knew our time would come, and it did. We put together a huge sixth inning to pull off the comeback,” said Perri.
Beyond the technical skills and tactical strategies of both teams, Prior noted the energy of Andover’s dugout culture. This culture proved vital as the slower start of the second match threatened to diminish the team’s fire.
“We all get along incredibly well, and that chemistry translates to the field. We’re always cheering for our guys and staying loud in the dugout. In the second game, we were down [0–2] for a significant stretch before we broke through with a big inning. I remember when we scored the go-ahead run, the entire dugout cleared to celebrate. It’s such a high-energy environment, and everyone is genuinely pumped to be a part of this team,” said Prior.
Transitioning from its tough comeback win on Saturday, the team struggled against Dexter on Wednesday. The game was highlighted by another strong performance on the mound, which kept the team within striking distance until the final out.
“The biggest success was definitely on the mound. [Matt] Shampine [PG ’26] [pitched five innings and two out of the three outs in the sixth inning], only giving up one earned run at the very end. Through the first five innings, he was incredible; he only allowed two baserunners and racked up a bunch of strikeouts. His energy and charisma always keep the team fired up, and seeing him pitch a gem like that against one of the best teams in the northeast kept us locked in defensively the whole game,” said Perri.
Looking forward, the team will use this close loss as a blueprint for future adjustments.
“We definitely had opportunities with baserunners where, if we had capitalized, we could have scratched a few runs across, which was all we needed. There were a few innings where we had guys on second and third with less than two outs. Moving forward, we’re going to work in practice on moving runners over and driving them in so that next time, we have those extra insurance runs to work with,” said Perri.
While the Dexter defeat was a setback, the team remains positive and assured of its abilities. The team’s mindset is rooted in a present-minded philosophy and is hopeful for the future. Shampine described this practical mindset.
“I love this team. We have a mentality that we stay with us, and keep positive energy from pitch one to the last pitch of the game. We have to be where our feet are, or be present, as [Interim Head] Coach Ben [Reinisch ’15] says. We had success defensively today and had some quality at-bats, but failed to execute in some big spots,” said Shampine.
The team will host Belmont Hill on Friday.
