Nashua North baseball picks up win over Spaulding

NASHUA – The Nashua High School North baseball team used a three-run fifth inning to put away Wednesday’s game against Spaulding.

Kyle Harvell would have liked to see the Titans do it a little earlier.

North scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings, but had opportunities for more in a 6-1 win over the Raiders at Holman Stadium. Three times, the Titans ran into outs on the bases, ending innings early and keeping more runs off the board.

“We come out hot, we come out with a lot of energy, and then we sit and wait in the middle,” Harvell said. “The game was there for us to take and we waited for them to open the door. We did get through it.

“Base running is not one of our strong suits. It is frustrating, but at the same time, we’re making mistakes aggressively. We’re being aggressive, but just not at the right time. That comes with playing more baseball.”

The Titans (5-3 in Division I) got a solid start from Zach Smith, who picked up the win by pitching five shutout innings, giving up four hits and walking two while striking out three.

Kyle McCarthy led the offense with a 3-for-3 day and two RBIs, while Spencer Madden had two hits, including a double, and drove in a run.

Joshua Gagne took the loss for Spaulding (6-2), going 4 2/3 innings and allowing six runs – two earned – on nine hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Gagne also went 2 for 3 and score the Raiders’ only run on a hit by Mark Leahy.

But Spaulding struggled at times to make plays in the field, and was unable to take advantage of the opportunities North presented.

“We started slow and we didn’t ever really pick it up,” Spaulding coach Paul George said. “I don’t think we played well defensively and we haven’t played well defensively all season.

“(Smith) threw well, he threw strikes and he got ahead in the count. We just didn’t do enough on our part to make it difficult for him. We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we were given.”

Twice the Titans’ miscommunication in the field allowed a popup drop in for a hit with one out or less, but both times, the Raiders stranded the runners.

North got on the board in the first, when Matt Fortin drew a two-out walk, and Mike Roberts and McCarthy followed with back-to-back singles for a 1-0 lead.

In the third, Brendon Martin and Madden led off with back-to-back doubles to make it 2-0, but Madden was thrown out at third trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt.

In the fourth, McCarthy and Brendan Robbins opened with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and third. Harvell called for a double steal that scored McCarthy and when the throw to second from catcher Alex Gray went into center, Robbins advanced to third.

Harvell then called for a suicide squeeze, but Demitri Jackson missed the bunt attempt and Robbins got caught off third for an out.

“That squeeze with Jackson, my fault when everyone in the building knows it’s coming,” Harvell said. “We’ll take the percentages and most of the time, they’re not going to make that play. We have some kids who can swing the bat pretty well, but we have to generate runs. Stealing bases, hit and runs, bunting and squeezing, that’s what we do.”

With Martin and Madden on and two out in the fifth, Roberts hit a fly ball to left-center that Spaulding’s Justin Jewell couldn’t hang on to. Both runners came around to score and Liam Curran came in to run for Roberts and scored on a single by McCarthy to make it 6-0.

The Raiders got a run in the sixth off John Vidal, who was on in relief of Smith. McCarthy came in to pitch a perfect seventh, striking out two in the frame.