The Everett High baseball team rode the big bat and right arm of Shaun McGrath to post a tight 3-2 victory over Greater Boston League rival Malden Thursday. The victory improved the Crimson Tide to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the GBL.
Everett grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the third when McGrath delivered a base hit that scored teammates Shawn Doyle and Matt Costello. However, Malden chipped away with solo tallies in the fourth and seventh frames to send the contest into extra innings.
However, Everett wasted no time in pushing across the game winner in the eighth, thanks to a pair of walks to Chris McCarthy and McGrath and then a double error by Malden on an ensuing bunt by Rob DeLuca that allowed McCarthy to prance home with the winning tally.
McGrath was in command on the mound through all eight innings, scattering six hits and allowing just one earned run while fanning seven and walking only three.
Two days previously the Crimson Tide took on Division 1 powerhouse Xaverian and pulled out a 9-8 triumph. Once again, Everett’s patience at the plate played a huge role in the victory. Crimson Tide hitters drew 11 bases on balls, including three straight to lead off the bottom of the sixth with Xaverian ahead 8-6.
Then with one run already in, a big error by the Xaverian shortstop with two outs allowed two Crimson Tide runners to cross the plate with the tying and winning tallies.
McCarthy enjoyed a monster game at the plate, belting a tremendous two run homer to left center in the first inning that almost got out of Glendale (and that was with a wooden bat) and banging an RBI double in the third.
Costello also enjoyed a fine offensive day, going two for two, drawing two walks, scoring three runs, and stealing a base.
Coach Joe Marchese and his squad continue their battles with GBL foes this week. They took on Medford yesterday (Tuesday) and then will entertain Somerville tomorrow and Cambridge next Tuesday.
Zullo hurls second no hitter of season
Michelle Zullo spun her second no hitter and fifth shutout of the season to lead the Everett High softball team to a 9-0 blanking of Lynn English of the Northeastern Conference last week.
Michelle worked all seven innings for the Lady Crimson Tide, fanning six English hitters and walking only three. Her teammates gave her all the support she would need with a three run uprising in the third inning. Taylor Sweeney doubled and stole third and Zullo reached on an infield hit and stole second. Alea Martinelli then bunted safely, bringing in Sweeney, and Alea got to second on an English error with Zullo going to third. Janyne Sierra came through with a sacrifice fly to bring in Zullo and Erin McLaughlin singled to bring across Martinelli.
Everett posted two more markers in the fifth when Martinelli walked and McLaughlin tripled. Erin herself eventually scored on a ground out. Another tally in the sixth made it 6-0 thanks to heads up base running by Sweeney. Taylor singled, took second on a wild pitch, stole third, and then came home when the English catcher tried to throw out Zullo (who had walked) at second on a steal attempt.
The Lady Crimson Tide put the icing on their victory cake with three more runs in the seventh that was highlighted by back-to-back doubles by Sierra and McLaughlin and base hits by Brianna Uga, Tori Cyrus, Lexi Sowards, and Kayla Lombardo.
However, on Thursday the Lady Crimson Tide dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to Greater Boston League archrival Malden. Zullo once again tossed a fine game, going all seven innings and allowing just five hits while striking out five and yielding only one base on balls.
However, the Everett bats were unable to solve Malden pitcher Kiara Amos, save for the fourth inning when the Lady Crimson Tide scored their lone run of the contest when McLaughlin drew a walk, stole second, moved to third on a hit by Nicole Flores, and then scored on another hit by Rachel Pierce.
That marker tied the scored at 1-1, Malden having drawn first blood with a solo tally in the third. reached. However, Amos popped a home run over the outfield fence in the bottom of the fourth inning for the eventual game winning run.
Everett had a base runner in the sixth when Pierce singled, but she was erased at second on a fielder’s choice, which proved to be Everett’s last chance at tying the game.
“This was a real heart breaker for the girls,” said EHS head coach Stacy Poste. “There is nothing more they would love to do than beat Malden. I would rather see them lose 10-1 than 2-1. With this being such a close game, you just know that if we got two or more hits it could have been a different outcome.
“Defensively, we did everything right. Even when we bobbled a ball we made the out when we needed it the most,” continued Poste. “But offensively we fell short. I could see that we were just getting under the ball. Kiara (Amos) threw hard, but I feel that if one of us started hitting, we all would have gained confidence. She is the fastest pitcher we have seen this season. It is tough when you meet a slow pitcher as we did Tuesday against English and then have to face a hard thrower two days later.
“We got on the bus and it was a quiet ride home,” added the coach. “They just knew, along with the coaches, that they could have won this game. But we’ll be looking forward to meeting them again.”
In the meantime, Poste and her crew traveled to Medford yesterday (Tuesday) and will journey to Somerville tomorrow before returning home Friday to host Boston Latin. The girls then will travel to Cambridge next Tuesday.
Track teams back on track
After two bye weeks, the EHS track teams were back in action yesterday (Tuesday), competing at Medford, and will travel to Cambridge next Wednesday.
EHS tennis teams’ schedule
The EHS girls tennis team plays at Malden today (Wednesday), at Medford tomorrow, at Cambridge Monday, and at Boston Latin Tuesday.
The boys are at Medford Friday, at Cambridge Monday, at St. Mary’s of Lynn Tuesday, and at Boston Latin Wednesday.