Tough Stretch for WHS Baseball Team

The Winthrop High baseball team went through a tough stretch this past week, dropping three contests to Northeastern Conference rivals Marblehead, Gloucester, and Danvers.

“The team is overall playing well and working hard,” said WHS head coach Frank DeMarco. “We just need to put it all together and the wins will take care of themselves.”

The Vikings received a strong pitching effort from Anthony Hatzisavas in last Thursday’s contest at home with Marblehead, but managed only two hits, both by Nick McCarthy, against the Marblehead pitcher. The contest was a scoreless duel through the fifth inning until Marblehead broke through Hatzisavas to take a 3-0 lead. Winthrop got one back in the bottom of the inning, but three more Marblehead tallies in the sixth sealed the victory for the visitors.

Hatzisavas worked six innings, allowing just three earned runs on eight hits and fanning six. “Anthony was in control of his pitches,” said DeMarco. “But we didn’t hit the ball and then made a costly error that let in some runs.” .

In Monday’s 8-6 loss at Danvers, Winthrop grabbed a 3-0 lead in the opening inning, only to see Danvers whittle away at the advantage and eventually move out to a 6-3 lead. Mike Paulsen unloaded a three run homer in the fifth to deadlock the score at 6-6, but Danvers scored twice in the home half of the sixth to claim the victory.

Friday’s contest with Gloucester on the local diamond turned into a runaway thanks to a 12 run fourth for the visiting Fishermen, who benefitted from a number of walks and errors. Justin Rowe started the contest for the Vikings and was in command through the first three frames, but was forced to leave with a sore arm in the fourth.

McCarthy had a nice game at the plate for the Vikings with three hits, three runs scored, and a steal.

DeMarco and his crew were scheduled to travel to Swampscott yesterday (Wednesday), and then journey to Saugus Monday before returning home to host Peabody next Wednesday.