Milano, Hatzisavas notch back to back shutouts for Vikings

Will Milano and Anthony Hatzisavas tossed complete game shutouts to lead the Winthrop High baseball team to victories of 5-0 over Danvers and 3-0 over Swampscott this past week.

“Both Will and Anthony pitched great games for us,” said WHS head coach Jim Gillis of the back to back gems turned in by his starters. “They had good control and our defense gave them the support they deserved.”

Milano’s final line against Danvers last Friday showed him allowing just five hits and walking three while fanning three Falcons in his seven innings of work.

“Will knows how to pitch,” said Gillis of the senior righthander, who extended his scoreless inning streak to 12. “He mixes up his pitches and keeps the hitters off balance.”

The contest was a scoreless pitcher’s duel through four innings until the Vikings, who themselves only had six hits on the day, broke the game open with a five run fifth. Nick McCarthy, Joe Boudrow, Milano, and Tyler Pettee all contributed RBI base hits in the rally.

Three days later, Hatzisavas turned in one of he best pitching performances by a Viking hurler in many years with a one hit, one walk masterpiece against Swampscott. The lone Swampscott safety came in the second frame (on an 0-2 pitch), but thereafter Anthony proved unhittable while whiffing seven of the Big Blue.

Anthony Spinazzola drove in what would prove to be the game winning run with a deep sacrifice fly that brought in Pettee in the fourth. The Viking junior captaincy duo of McCarthy and Boudrow, both of whom had two hits on the day, then scored a pair of insurance runs in the fifth thanks to a two RBI base hit by Milano, who also had a pair of base hits.

“The team is playing very well. Our defense has been solid and that always is a key,”said Gillis, who in particular noted the fine play of Boudrow at shortstop. “We’re getting the strong pitching that we had hoped for at the beginning of the year and the offense is beginning to come around.”

The Vikings now are in the heart of their schedule, with three games per week. They were set to host Saugus yesterday (Wednesday) and then will travel to Peabody on Friday. They return home Monday to host Revere and then host Beverly on Wednesday.