The Everett High baseball team put it all together in both of its games this past week outstanding pitching, timely hitting, and stellar defense to earn a pair of victories and improve to 4-1 on the season.
The Crimson Tide pulled out a nail-biter in a 3-2 triumph over Greater Boston League rival Malden at Pine Banks Wednesday morning.
The contest began as if it wold be a cakewalk for Everett, which scored three runs in the opening inning. Starting pitcher Zerif Pajazetovic doubled home two runs and then came across the plate himself on a base hit by Matt Pothier to account for the three run rally.
However, that would prove to be the extent of the Crimson Tide run production for the rest of the morning, which meant that Pajazetovic would have to be stingy in his role on the mound. Zerif proved more than equal to the task, as he shut down the Malden offense, limiting the Golden Tornadoes to just one run while fanning 11 enemy batters over the next six innings.
However, when the lead off Tornado singled to start the seventh, EHS head coach Joe Lento turned to Lawrence Falter for an inning of relief. Falter fanned a batter and got another to ground out, but then a hit, an intentional walk, and then another walk made it a 3-2 affair with the bases loaded and two outs.
However, the gritty Crimson Tide sophomore bore down and fanned the final Malden hitter to end the game and preserve the victory. “Lawrence really came through in the clutch in a tough situation,” noted Lento.
Falter got th starting nod Saturday against Methuen, a team who probably wanted to see anyone but him on the mound, given that Lawrence had pitched a one hitter against them the week before. Although Methuen had a bit better luck this time around with five hits and a run, the final outcome proved to be even more decisive in favor of Everett, 8-1. Falter fanned six and walked only two batters over the full seven inning route.
Mac Singleton wielded the big bat for the Crimson Tide, with three hits, including a two run double. Mike Vitukevich and Stephen Faia both had RBI doubles and sophomore Justin Johnson added two hits as part of the 13-hit Everett attack.
“Our defense has really been a big strength for us thus far,” said Lento. “We committed no errors in both games this week, which is pretty amazing considering that we do not have a field to practice on full time. Everybody has been playing well, but we’ve been especially solid up the middle with Tommy Woodward behind the plate, Mac Singleton at short, Justin Johnson at second, and Shawn Doyle in center.”
With Glendale Park torn up and under repairs, Lento and his crew either have been sharing the Florence Street diamond with the JV and freshman teams, staying indoors, or going to Everett Stadium whenever they have the opportunity.
“We try to grab whatever we can,” said Lento, whose squad will be on the road for the entirety of its 20 game schedule this season.
Lento and his crew of wanderers will face three GBL rivals in succession in the coming week, playing at Playstead Park against Medford on Friday; traveling to Somerville Monday; and then to Cambridge Wednesday.
Softball team edges Latin Academy in extras
The Everett High softball team picked up its second win of the season with a 5-4 victory over non-league rival Latin Academy that went nine innings.
Everett pitcher Franki Perreault went all nine frames, allowing just two earned runs on six hits while fanning seven enemy batters and walking only one.
The Lady Crimson Tide got on the board in the third stanza when Alea Martinelli walked, stole second, and came home easily when Samantha Batres tripled. A sacrifice fly by Janyne Sierra allowed Batres to tag up for a 2-0 Everett lead.
The Lady Crimson Tide put together a two-out rally in the fourth which once again was instigated by Martinelli wen she bunted safely, stole second, and scored on another clutch hit by Batres, this time a double.
However, Everett’s 3-0 advantage disappeared in the sixth when Latin put up four runs, thanks primarily to three Lady Crimson Tide errors.
Everett responded right away in its next at-bat. Sophomore Sophia Marchant doubled to start the inning and promptly stole third. A fly ball into center by Sierra proved to be just deep enough for Sophia to tag up and scoot home with the tying tally to send the game into extra innings.
Everett pushed across the winning run in the ninth when Sierra led off with a double and advanced to third on a bunt by Talia Mirra, who reached first safely. After Jess Wade was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Kylie Jepson hit a short fly down the right field line that was caught by the Latin right fielder in foul territory. Sierra tagged up to race home with the game-winner.
“This was not the prettiest win, but we’ll take it,” said EHS head coach Stacy Poste. “We made mistakes that should not happen on things that we practice daily.
“Our bats were just not there from everyone. Samantha Batres hit very well this game with a single, a double, and a triple. Sam also is very aggressive running the bases which often leads to the other teams making mistakes,” added Poste.
“Franki pitched well for the nine innings,” continued the coach, “but I told the team they need to help her out by getting the plays down correctly and getting hits. It was the longest game I have seen her pitch and she held up.”
Poste and her crew had been scheduled to take on Marblehead Saturday, but a flooded Lafayette Park field forced postponement of the game. They were set to travel to Marblehead yesterday and will host archrival Malden tomorrow (Thursday) at 4:00. The girls will travel to Medford Friday.
EHS track competes in GBL Fr.-Soph. meet; Josephs wins 200 m. dash
The freshman and sophomore members of the Everett High boys and girls track team competed in the Greater Boston League Freshman and Sophomore Meet last week.
For the girls, Lauryns Joseph won the 200 meter dash in a time of 29.0
Other teammates who placed well were Vesna Imsirovic, who brought home a second place medal in the 400 meter low hurdles in a time of 85.9 seconds, and Victoria Thistle, who did likewise in the triple jump with a hop, skip, and jump of 21-6.
Djenny Lorjuste turned in a nice effort with a third place finish in the 100 meter dash in 14.0. Chrystal Duchiene added a point to the EHS scoresheet with a sixth place in the 200 dash in 31.0.
The 4 x 100 relay foursome of Sharyn Gladstone, Lauryns Joseph, Thistle, and Lorjuste grabbed fourth place.
On the boys’ side, Gabriel Cazeau, Fritzbert Jonathas, and Edwin Gonzalez were the top finishers for Everett, grabbing second places in their events. Cazeau took second in the shotput; Jonathas came home in second in the 800 meter run; and Gonzalez took second in the 200 meter dash. All three also were members of the Crimson Tide 4 x 100 relay team that came around in fourth place. Jose Gonzalez was the fourth member of that relay quartet.
Also adding points for Everett were: Edwin Gonzalez, who grabbed a fourth place in the long jump; Jose Gonzalez, who placed fifth in the 200 meter dash and sixth in the long jump; and Denny Le, who took sixth in the 200 and fourth in the triple jump.