RallyNorth.net

Thu, May 01, 2008 04:00 PM @ Gloucester

Team	Final
Peabody	12
Gloucester	1

After loss to Peabody, Gloucester searching for wins

Friday, May, 02 By Matt Langone
Sports editor

At the halfway point of the spring season, the Gloucester High School baseball team is in desperate need of wins.

Unfortunately, Gloucester's schedule isn't doing it any favors, and neither are the recent powerhouse ballclubs that the Fishermen have been facing.

Yesterday afternoon Gloucester was introduced to Northeastern Conference-newcomer Peabody at Nate Ross Field, and the first meeting couldn't have been more unpleasant for the Fishermen, who lost 12-1. Nothing went right for the hosts, who registered just two hits and committed three errors, while Peabody exploded for 17 hits.

Gloucester now sits at 3-6 in the very competitive NEC with some serious work to do if it wants to make the state tournament. But things won't get any easier, as the Fishermen travel to 6-3 Salem today in what Gloucester manager Joe Orlando calls a "must-win game,"  after having lost to Peabody and Beverly already this week.

"Peabody is good and we knew they were good," said Orlando. "We knew this was going to be a tough week. Beverly threw its No. 1 pitcher (Jack Leathersich) against us, and then Peabody threw its No. 1."

The latter would be Peabody senior lefty Kevin Skop, who was able to contain Gloucester hitters all afternoon. The senior mixed in a change-up and a curveball to hold the Fishermen to two hits and zero earned runs in five innings. He also fanned four and walked just one.

Before Skop even took to the mound he was spotted a 2-0 lead after the Tanners got a pair in the top of the first off Gloucester starter Taylor Burbine (3 innings, 9 runs, 4 strikeouts). Peabody then got two more in the second inning to make it 4-0 early. Leadoff hitter Gary Girolomo led the way in those innings with two hits, including an RBI double.

"We were fighting an uphill battle all game, which hurts us because we can't get on the bases and run," said Orlando. "We also need to hit the ball and we're just not doing that."

The Gloucester offense showed some life in the bottom of the second, when the team's only run was plated. Sophomore Brett Cahill started the inning with a walk and then junior Trevor Curley was hit by a pitch. Junior Dylan Maki then dropped down a perfect bunt and forced a poor throw from the Peabody third baseman, which went all the way into right field. Cahill scored on the play but Maki was thrown out trying to advance to second. After that sequence, the inning fizzled with two straight outs.

The door was slammed shut on Gloucester in the fourth, when the Tanners rallied for seven runs on six hits to extend the lead to 11-1. Third baseman Danny Mello's three-run homer over the right-center fence highlighted the barrage. One inning later, senior Josh band added a solo shot for good measure.

In the two losses to Beverly and Peabody, Gloucester was outscored 19-2. What's particularly baffling about that is the fact that the Fishermen registered wins over NEC powers Swampscott and Danvers just last week. It appeared that they had found their grove after starting the season 1-4, but not so much.

"We need to look back at the Swampscott and Danvers games and start doing whatever we did to win those games," said senior Zak Kendall. "I really can't pin-point why we've been inconsistent."

With time running out on the Fishermen's playoff hopes, they will need to solve their inconsistency soon. A winning streak would be just what the doctor ordered.

"Our team is good, I just need to find a lineup that works," said Orlando. "We will have to wake up and play some good baseball over the next two or three weeks. We need a winning streak and it starts with Salem."