Pitching dominates in EMass all-star matchup

LYNN – All-star games in high school baseball generally feature pitching that?s good enough to stifle any offense.That was certainly the case Tuesday night at Fraser Field as the North and South vied in the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches? Association Eastern Mass. All-Star game, a contest featuring high school seniors from throughout the North and South Shores.?That?s always the case,” said Frank Carey, coach of North Reading High, who has organized this game for many years. “You get a game like this, and the pitching?s just too good. And it?s true what they say … that good pitching will beat good hitting.”The pitching was so good, in fact, that after nine innings, nothing was settled. The game ended in a 1-1 tie with each team scratching out only three hits.One of them, however, came off the bat of Peabody?s Sean McGrath. In the fifth inning, with the game scoreless, McGrath led off with a double — one of only two extra-base hits in the game. McGrath later came around and scored on an infield error by the South team and that was it for the North.For his efforts, McGrath was named the game?s most valuable player.The South tied it in the top of the ninth on a double and two wild pitches by St. John?s Prep?s Evan Roberts.?I didn?t expect to be playing with such a great group of guys,” said McGrath, who will be playing plenty of baseball in the next week. Not only will he — along with three other players from North Shore teams — be going to Middletown, Conn., Saturday to join players from the central and western parts of Massachusetts for an interstate game, he?ll be back at Fraser Sunday for the Agganis All-Star Baseball Game.?There?s a lot going on,” he said. “I?m glad.”The other area players heading for Connecticut Saturday are Roberts; Jordan Roper, Lynnfield; and Peter Clark of Gloucester.?I?m thankful for the chance to keep playing,” said Roper, who, like McGrath, will be in the Agganis Game Sunday. “It was really nice coming here to play tonight along with people I?ve grown up playing with and against.?It never stops,” said Roper about the plethora of baseball games he?ll be playing, “but I?m OK with that. Every day out there is a blessing.”Roper, who was the most valuable player of the Cape Ann League/Small, and whose team won the league title, will be playing next year at Assumption College. Both he and McGrath plan on playing a lot of summer ball, McGrath with the Peabody American Legion team; and Roper with the Peabody Bulldogs of the Intercity League and the 18U Showcase Team out of Lawrence.Carey, who grew up in Lynn, retired from coaching at North Reading this spring after 49 years and 736 victories. When Carey originated it, the game featured seniors and juniors. Three years ago, however, it split into his game, which consists of all seniors, and a junior showcase game that was played this past Sunday in Waltham, and run by Saugus coach Steve Freker and Lynnfield?s John O?Brien.Despite retiring, Carey will continue to coordinate the game.