Newburyport Clippers - 2011 Massachusetts Division 3 baseball champs

Dave Cusack, Connor Wile, Brett Fontaine, and Jimmy Conway await the championship trophy presentation.

(Lynn) The Newburyport Clippers are the Massachusetts Division 3 state champs in baseball for 2011.

The Clippers (23-5) put together a thirteen game winning streak, including six in the state tournament, to win their first baseball state title ever at Fraser Field in Lynn on Saturday afternoon.

Their opponent in the finals was Pioneer Valley from Northfield – winner of the West.

The final score was, 9-4, but trust me, this game didn’t get “comfortable” until Newburyport survived a scary top of the sixth and then put up two insurance runs in the bottom half of the six to get that final-score, five run lead.

Clipper coach Bill Pettingell arrives for his final game.

Clipper coach Bill Pettingell gets to walk away from a 40-year career with a storybook ending.  The team’s goal to get him his 600th win kept their attention in the early part of the season and the desire to get him a state title kept their attention the rest of the way.

I recall reading that he said that this team was “special” and a great team to finish with.  I passed it off as “coach speak,” figuring you’d expect a coach to be positive about the team he has.  But it turns out that this team was special and showed us all that it had what it takes to end up champions.  Good for them!

Let me get that scary top of the sixth out of the way first.  The Panthers (18-8) were down 7-4.  Derek Thayer started the inning with a bullet down the 3rd baseline.  Clipper third baseman Drew Carter made the play of the game with a backhand stab and a strong throw to first.  Drew’s defense looked real important when Newburyport starter Brett Fontaine walked the next two batters before pinch hitter Nick Peduzzi flaired a single to right to load the bases.  That put Pioneer Valley into “one-swing” territory with the top of their order coming up.  However, Brett (11th win) struck out Jordan Stempel (he had singled the inning before) and got Casey Blanchard (he had tripled the inning before) to fly harmlessly to left and the threat was over.

Brett retired the side in order in the seventh with right fielder Sam Barlow handling Joey Larson’s fly for the final out.

Celebrating begins after the final out.

After that there was a Clipper pile-up, team handshakes, medal handouts, and trophy celebration.  And to think, some folks chose the Bruins parade in Boston over this!

The Clippers put plenty of pressure on the Panther defense all game long.  They ended up with eleven hits but it was their aggressiveness on the base paths that forced Pioneer Valley into, what turned out to be, errors and bad decisions.

In the second inning, Dave Cusack (part of state champion hockey team in 2009-10) singled to drive in one run but rounded first and drew a throw that allowed a second run to score.

In the third inning, Jimmy Conway hit was looked like a double play ball but hustled to first.  The throw to first was dropped by Joey Larson giving Newburyport an unearned run as Matt Mottola scored from second.

Pioneer Valley starter Kyle Platner leads off first after driving in the Panthers first run.

In the fourth inning, more pressure came Pioneer Valley’s way.  Sam Barlow led off with a single and Dave Cusack reached on a bunt single.  With both base runners in motion, Colby Morris also bunted.  Third baseman Tyler O’Brien made a wild throw to first and two runners scored.

There’s three unearned runs in the first five the Clippers scored.

Things started well for the Panthers.  In the first they had a single by Casey Blanchard (2 hits/2 runs/1 RBI).  He reached second on the first of Brett Fontaine’s two balks and scored on a single by Panther starter Kyle Platner.

The Clippers took the lead, 2-1, in the second and later 3-1 in the third on the Panthers’ unsuccessful double play.

Tom Malooly scores on a passed ball in the 4th.

Things got a bit ugly for Newburyport in the fourth inning.  A single (Tom Malooly), a passed ball (Connor Wile), a fielder’s choice, and another passed ball, gave Pioneer Valley its second run.

The Clippers responded with four in their fourth to boost the lead to, 7-2.  The mishandled bunt I mentioned before was followed by a Matt Mottola triple to deep center which drove in the third run (Colby Morris) of the inning.  Brett Fontaine’s infield grounder delivered Matt Mottola with the fourth run.

Now down 7-2, the Panthers picked up two in the top of the fifth.  Jordan Stempel singled and reached 3B on a passed ball.  Casey Blanchard’s triple to right center drove in Jordan.  An infield grounder by Kyle Platner brought in Casey.

Matt Mottola sails home in the third inning.

But that would be the last of the runs for Pioneer Valley.  They seriously threatened in the next inning (sixth) but ended with the bases loaded.

The Clippers put up the “breathe easier” two runs in the sixth inning.  Two walks (Colby Morris and Matt Mottola) off Panther reliever Cory Serviss set the stage for a Brett Fontaine single to left.  Colby scored on that single and Matt reached home when Jimmy Conway singled as well.

Pioneer Valley left Northfield at 8:15AM and arrived at least 1 ½ hours before game time.

Dave Cusack in rundown in second inning that led to a run.

That “game time” thing will be a memory from this contest.  The game was supposed to start at noon.  Everyone was in place at noon except the umpires.  You and I have been to less important games and not had officials show up but this was the state finals!  Three umpires made an appearance eventually and the game started at 12:40.

I asked an MIAA official afterwards about the umpire situation.  He said that he had no idea where the scheduled umpires were.  Could they have gone to the Lowell Spinners park??

He told me that there was an umpire on hand who was working for the MIAA in a different assignment at Fraser so they enlisted him.  Then they made a call to Swampscott and got a father/son team to ump.  The father/son team were college umpires.  The MIAA rep said they (the MIAA) were lucky that these guys were home.

Replacement umpires arrive at 12:40

The umps got a derisive cheer when they arrived but they deserved a warm welcome for filling in on short notice.

The weather was great.  Plenty of sun and a nice breeze.

Matt Mottola was two-for-two, scored three runs, and had an RBI.

Ryan O’Connor warmed up in the bottom of the sixth just in case.

An important part in the Clipper victory was the fact that they played the North final last Saturday after that big rain delay.  The other sections (South/Central/West) postponed their finals and had to scramble to make up the games.  Newburyport was thus able to have its two superb pitchers (Ryan O’Connor and Brett Fontaine) pitch the state semifinal and state final on normal rest.  Pioneer Valley wasn’t able to do that.

(I collect my own statistics, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions.  I apologize in advance for mistakes.)

The pictures below are thumbnail size but if you click on them they become normal size.  I do not take pictures for a living and will send (via email) any that I’ve taken for no charge.  Send me an email if you’re interested.

Clippers arrive for Pioneer Valley game

Casey Blanchard loses ball in the sun in first inning

Tyler O'Brien throws bunt away in 4th

Coach Pettingell checks with Ryan O'Connor in 6th.

Bill Pettingell hits flies

Casey Blanchard scores first Panther run.

2011 D3 championship baseball trophy

Colton Fontaine arrives home in a cloud of dust

Dave Cusack on first after bunt single in fourth

Clipper infielders gather at mound before 7th inning

Jimmy Conway at first after RBI single in 6th

Umpire explains balk to Brett Fontaine.

Catcher Tom Malooly

Sam Barlow singles in 4th

Sam Barlow scores in 4th

Sam Barlow out stealing in 5th

Jimmy Conway scores in 2nd

Jimmy Conway steals second in 2nd

PV starter Kyle Platner

Coach Pettingell congratulates Matt Mottola in 4th

Matt Mottola triples in the 4th.

DH Matt Mottola

Clippers line up for medals

Clipper first baseman Ryan O'Connor

Brett Fontaine collects his batting helmet after a collision with catcher Joe Barry at home in the fifth inning. Brett pitched a four-hitter and drove in two runs for Newburyport.

Ryan O'Connor congratulates Coach Bill Pettingell for a win in his last home game.

(Newburyport) Newburyport broke open a 2-2 game in the bottom of the fifth with six runs and went on to defeat Austin Prep, 8-3, on Lower Field at NHS on Monday afternoon.

The victory in the quarter finals puts the Clippers (19-5) into the D3 North semi-finals against Bishop Fenwick on Thursday at a neutral site.

Junior Brett Fontaine had a lot to do with the win as he pitched a complete-game four hitter and drove in two runs in the game-deciding fifth inning.

That fifth inning will be remembered as very good or very bad depending on where your loyalties were located.  The Clippers will remember the six runs, five hits, and the successful execution of a suicide squeeze.  For the Cougars (13-9), it’ll be the wild pitch, four walks, and mishandling the suicide squeeze.

In that decisive fifth inning, Austin Prep coach Steve Busby opted to have starter Ryley MacEachern intentionally walk Matt Mottola to load the bases and pitch to Brett Fontaine.  That didn’t work out so well for the Cougars as Brett singled to right and the Clippers fourth (Colton Fontaine) and fifth (Ryan O’Connor) runs came in.

Later in the fifth, Connor Wile put down a suicide squeeze bunt with Brett Fontaine heading full-speed from third.  Cougar catcher Joe Barry blocked Brett away from the plate before he had the ball and the umpire awarded Brett home.  Sam Barlow followed with a walk driving in the sixth run (Jim Conway) of the inning and boosting Newburyport’s advantage to, 8-2.

Ryley MacEachern breaks into a home run trot after his shot over the left field fence in the sixth inning.

Ryley MacEachern led off the sixth with a homer over the left field fence to make it 8-3 but the Cougars went quietly (one hit) the rest of the way.

This was the last home game for Newburyport’s 600+ win coach Bill Pettingell.  You could see/hear that he was fired up during this game.

The weather was excellent with plenty of sunshine although I’m not sure that the left fielders for each team were that thrilled with the sun being directly in their eyes.

Austin Prep put up a run in the first inning.  Bobby Batchelor walked and reached third after a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice.  He scored easily on Ryley MacEachern’s double to right center.

Sam Barlow tallies Newburyport's first run in the third.

Newburyport received two gift runs in the third inning.  A two-base throwing error by left fielder Mark Mezzina followed Clipper singles by Sam Barlow and Colby Morris.  Sam scored on the error and Colby reached third.  He later crossed the plate on a MacEachern wild pitch.

The Cougars got a gift run in the fifth inning.  The visitors from Reading, loaded the bases on a single (Chris Bundock) and two walks.  Jon Saurman (pinch running for Chris Bundock) reached home on a Fontaine wild pitch.

Newburyport erupted for six runs in the bottom of the fifth and that was enough to carry them in with an 8-3 win.

Catcher Connor Wile made a nice play on a popup in the fourth inning.

Brett Fontaine - complete game 4-hitter

Winning pitcher Brett Fontaine had seven strikeouts to go with three walks.

Newburyport had eight hits including two each by leadoff batter Colby Morris and left fielder Jim Conway.  Colby also scored two runs.

Ryley MacEachern had two of the four Cougar hits, including the long home run to left in the sixth inning, and two RBI.

Austin Prep stranded five runners.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures.  Inaccuracies happen unintentionally.)

Ryan O'Connor reaches home in the fifth

Newburyport viewers

Bobby Batchelor scores AP's first run

Matt Mottola beats the throw home in the fifth inning

The scoreboard after the game

(Lowell)  I was at sunny LeLacheur Park in Lowell and watched Georgetown hang on to defeat Newburyport, 4-3, to gain the North Sectional Championship in Division 3 on Saturday afternoon on June 6th.

This game was tense from beginning to end.  Newburyport ended the game with runners on second and third just a hit or an error away from winning the game.

It somehow made sense that pitcher Andrew Sinkewicz fielded the last grounder and tossed to first baseman Marco Luisi for the final out.  Andrew and Marco were the two difference makers in my opinion.  Andrew pitched a complete game in the biggest game of his life and also drove in what turned out to be the game winning run in the top of the 7th with an infield grounder.  Marco launched two homers (2nd & 6th innings) over the left field fence that were the only runs on the board until the final inning.

The Clippers put plenty of pressure on the Royals with baserunners aplenty.  Only in the fifth did they go quietly.

Ryan O’Connor started for Newburyport and was relieved by Tommy Morris in the 7th.  Except for the two bombs by Marco Luisi, Ryan pitched very well.  He had the misfortune of making the last out of the game which necessitates reminding folks that no one person ever loses a team game. 

The coaches involved,  Bill Pettingell(Newburyport) and Mark Rowe(Georgetown),  have known each other for years.  Bill coached Mark and later Mark was on Bill’s coaching staff.  Those facts probably made the victory a little bittersweet for Mark Rowe. 

I took quite a few pictures.  Clicking on anything underlined will bring up a picture. 

The teams wait for the North Andover/Reading game to end.

Mark Rowe and Bill Pettingell meet with the umpires before the game.

Tyler Stotz, Kyle LeBlanc, Joe Clancy, Matt Mottola, and Kyle McElroy line up during introductions.

Ryan O’Connor pitches for Newburyport and Andrew Sinkewicz pitches for Georgetown.

Marco Luisi mobbed in the second inning and the sixth inning after hitting homers.

Joe Clancy scores Newburyport’s first run in the sixth inning on Tommy Morris’s sacrifice fly.

Mike Ruh scores Georgetown’s 3rd run coming home on Anthony Conte’s triple in the top of the 7th. 

Anthony Conte scores the eventual game-winner after Andrew Sinkewicz’s grounder to first in the 7th.

Coach Pettingell gathers his team together before their last at-bats in the bottom of the seventh.

Georgetown celebrates after recording the final out.

Joe Clancy leaves the field unable to score the tying run.

Georgetown celebrates the championship trophy.

The two coaches shake hands afterwards.