LYNN — The North Shore Phillies battered the North Reading A’s 12-1 in a North Shore Baseball League Matchup that lasted five innings Friday night at Breed Middle School.
The scoring started early, with the A’s striking first. Derek Hoh started the game off with a double, and after a tough grounder hit by Michael Bailey, runners were at first and third. Hoh would score to end the inning after Bailey was caught in a rundown just long enough to let the runner score.
However, the top of the first was the only bright spot for the A’s as the Phillies responded straight away with a long double by Kurtis White and a single by Sean Devin. The next batter Nick Powers drove them in with a 3-run home run to take a 3-1 lead.
After Phillies pitcher Ed Deren dispatched the A’s in short order, the home run show continued in the bottom half of the second.
White continued his excellent night with a three-run bomb after A’s pitcher Michael Overlan hit a batter and allowed Jomar Moreta to double to left center. White’s homer extended the lead to 6-1 for the Phillies, and they never looked back.
As the game continued, the Phillies continued to pour it on with insurance runs that made the lead insurmountable for the A’s.
Much like the previous two innings, the Phillies put up multiple runs; this time, it was four. After a single from Kyle Devin and numerous walks, Moreta reached base again, driving in another run. A single to centerfield by White followed by a walk stretched the Phillies’ lead to 10-1.
North Reading continued to be anemic on offense, and after two more Phillies runs from a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly, the game was in slaughter rule territory at 12-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Phillies came out and put the final nail in the coffin with a one-two-three inning ending the game in 5 innings.
On his team’s performance, Maxx Sheehan said the key to the game was everyone seeing the ball well and capitalizing.
“We were all seeing the ball really well, taking pitches that we needed to take and swinging at good pitches to hit,” said Sheehan.
As for the A’s, Coach Joe Dardeno says poor pitching and mistakes made it difficult for them to have a chance to win this game.
“Our pitchers need to get strike one; we need to stay ahead of hitters. Every guy that was ahead in the count for the Phillies made us pay,” said Dardeno.
He added, “We just made stupid mistakes, making errors, and making base running mistakes, things like that, and you just cannot win that way.”
The Phillies, who lost their first three games, are on a roll and have not lost since May 26. Now, the team is looking to keep the hot streak going.
“It was tough in the beginning for sure. Since then, we have turned it around, and we are having fun now,” said Sheehan.
