16 - April 13, 2012


by Marc Ayotte It was a rough day on the diamonds for Pelham teams as the Python’s softball and baseball teams took it on the chin with opening day defeats at Campbell. Neither team was able to muster up an offense with the boys dropping a 5-0 decision to the defending D-3 state champs. In another silent bat encounter, the Lady Pythons managed to stay close through three innings before their D-3 defending state champ foes exploded for a 10-0 victory. With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Cougar starting pitcher Travis Manning helped his own cause when his sacrifice fly to center field plated the first run of the season, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead. As it turned out, that would be all that the starting hurler needed to support his effort on the hill. Campbell added another run in the second to lead 2-0 after two. After scoreless third and fourth frames, the Cougars struck for another pair in the home half of the fifth, to take a 4-0 lead. But that was not before Manning mowed down the Pythons in the top of the fifth with an impressive and ultra- efficient four-pitch inning. The Cougars added another insurance run in the home half of the sixth, leading to the 5-0 home opener final. In addition to starring on the mound, Manning went 1 for 1 at the plate, including his run producing sac fly. Catcher Cody Caron, in addition to calling a great game, singled and doubled as well as scored a run. Cade Lacroix, in the fifth inning, used his one hit on the day to drive in two of the Cougar five runs on the day.


Jackson Musco also registered one hit while scoring a run.


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Pythons Take a Double Dip on Opening Day


Pythons by adding three more in the fifth, along with another in the sixth leading to the double digit win. The Cougar attack was spearheaded by catcher Brittany McNulla, who went 2 for 3 on the afternoon, including a crucial double that was instrumental in the Campbell pivotal fourth. McNulla, who finished her day with three RBIs, was followed by King with two runs batted in, as well as Carrie Fernandez who was perfect on the day, going 3 for 3 at the plate. Shannon Lavigne contributed with a pinch-hit RBI single. For Pelham, the offense never did get on track.


The bats that were red hot during pre-season cooled off in Cougar Country as the Pythons managed only four hits. Elissa Mogauro and Julia Barsalou picked up two of Pelham’s safeties. As part of the silver lining in an otherwise opening day dark cloud, Python Coach Todd Lozeau pointed out that half of the team’s hit production came from rookies. Kelsey Grimard (1 for 2) and Jill Spatola (1-1) each picked up hits in their first


Python first baseman Devin DeCarteret receives the throw just in time from third baseman Justin Moran to nail Sean Gray


Although the Cougars picked up only seven hits on the day, it was a solid, team-errorless defensive effort that allowed the defending champs to knock off the D-II Pythons. According to head coach Jim Gorham, the Cougars had two defensive gems. The first was what the Cougar skipper called “an unbelievable catch” off the bat of Python second baseman Alex Newton. In the top of the sixth, first baseman Nick Freson made a diving stab of a line drive to his right. Freson, in turn, stood up and alertly threw to second for an inning-ending double play; “that was huge to end the sixth” recalled Gorham.


Although the Python bats were effectively silenced by Manning throughout the afternoon, Justin Moran and Ryan Frank did pick up singles for Pelham. In the top of the third, Pelham squandered its first scoring opportunity. After Frank singled, he then stole second base before the inning ended with him stranded at third. Again in the fourth, the Pythons threatened to score when catcher Evan Sage had a strong at bat, earning a base on balls. Sage proceeded to steal second (two steals on the day) and then was advanced to third on a rope single to left by Moran. But once again, the Python rally fizzled, as their one-out threat led to runners being left at the corners without producing a run. In defeat for the Pythons, Nick Roussel was


what head coach Billy Beauchesne called “the hard luck loser.” Roussel pitched admirably, allowing only three hits over five and a third innings on the hill. For Cougar pitcher Travis Manning, he said getting the opening day nod was an honor. In addition to having tremendous control (only two walks), Manning attributed much of his pitching rhythm and success to the game called by his battery mate Cody Carron; “Cody is a good catcher” sited Manning “I never shook him off.” Softball Action


Catcher Evan Sage uncorks a throw to gun down a Cougar runner attempting to steal second


Pelham’s Kathryn Mostone makes a nice stretch at first base to just get the runner


On the 60-foot base paths, the Lady Cougars broke open a scoreless deadlock by erupting for six fourth inning runs, giving the win to starter Emily Paquin. Campbell closed the door on the


Windham Girls’ Tennis Wins One of Two


adverse cold and windy weather conditions. The Jags earned wins in four out of six singles matches and then took two out of three doubles matches to secure the victory. Windham’s singles winners included Loren Bostic (8-5), Rachel Ward (8-4), Basie Bostic (9-7), and Deirdre Sanders (8-6). Loren Bostic, Ward, and Basie Bostic played in the first, second, and third singles matches, respectively, while Sanders represented the Jaguars in the sixth singles match. Windham won the first and second matches in doubles play. Loren Bostic and Rachel Ward took an 8-4 victory in number-one doubles, as Basie Bostic and Tess Powell also won the number-two doubles match, 8-4. Windham’s next match will be on Friday, April


Windham’s Kaitlyn Gallagher returns a serve to her Portsmouth opponent


by Chris White The Windham High girls’ tennis team earned one victory in two matches last week, falling to Portsmouth 7-2 and beating Hollis-Brookline 6-3. Windham improved its record to 2-1 on the season with the win over Hollis-Brookline. The Jaguars played Portsmouth at Griffin Park


in Windham on Friday, April 6. Portsmouth took victories in two out of six singles matches and then swept doubles match play. Windham’s two winners on the afternoon were Loren Bostic by the score of 8-5 in the number one singles match, and Tess Powell by the score of 9-7 in the fourth singles match. The Jaguars also faced Hollis-Brookline at Griffin Park on Monday, April 9, under some


13, at Trinity High School in Manchester. The match will start at 4:15 p.m. The Jags will return to Griffin Park on Wednesday, April 18, to host St. Thomas Aquinas at 4:15 p.m.


Python starting pitcher Nick Roussel fired five and two- thirds solid innings, giving up only three hits


varsity at bats. With his top five batters going a frigid and combined 1 for 17 at the plate, a disappointed Lozeau admitted that weighed heavily on the outcome of the game. Defensively, both teams were a little rusty with


Pelham’s three and Campbell’s five combining for eight errors in the game. Pelham starter Jordan Parece went four and two-thirds innings, giving up six earned runs while fanning four. Megan Scalia threw the final inning and a third, striking out one.


Python Tennis Records First Wins by Marc Ayotte


Both the girls’ and boy’s tennis teams entered the win column this past week. On Friday, April 6, the Lady Pythons used strong performances from Rebecca Day and Courtney Shay, who each went 2-0 on the day, to register a 6-3 team win against Milford. Two days earlier, the boys, on the strength of convincing wins from their top two seeds, Matt Smith and Jared Taylor, respectively, edged out visiting Hollis-Brookline by a final team score of 5-4. While the boys were winning at home against


Windham’s Deirdre Sanders makes a play on a ball at the net versus Portsmouth


the Cavaliers, the girls were in the midst of a 9-0 beat down in Hollis. According to girls’ tennis head coach Casey Tryon, “a few of the scores did not reflect the competitiveness of the match.” Indicative of that was Day’s 2-8 defeat to Lian Tumas; “Rebecca Day played excellent and much improved from Monday”, noted Tryon, adding “it looks like she is heading in the right direction and shaking the cobwebs off – she played hard and hit some great shots”. However, in the Python win over the Spartans of Milford, Pelham put together 4 singles match wins to go along with taking two out of the three doubles matches to record their first team victory of the season. One again, Rebecca Day shined, winning twice on the day. She was joined by teammate Courtney Shay, who in addition to winning her first singles match of the young season, also picked up a pair of wins. On the doubles scene, number one seed Laura Tocco and Day combined to defeat Marybeth Sareault and Shannon Kolasinski by an 8-5 margin. Other Lady Python winners in singles action


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were: number four Marissa Daigle 8-5 over Kathryn Shangraw; number five Courtney Shay 8-2 over Sam Guiry and Lauren Carrick with an 8-3 win over Anna Thonis in the number six seed match. Marissa Daigle and Courtney Shay with their 8-0 win over the Spartan doubles team of Anna Thonis and Isabelle Rivas solidified the win for Pelham. Boys Tennis


After splitting the singles matches with Hollis- Brookline as well as the first two doubles matches, it was the combined effort of Pelham’s Adam Duff-Marsh/Andrew Janocha, whose resounding 8-0 defeat of H-B’s Tamposi/A. McCalmont that ultimately brought home the victory for the Pythons.


Although number one seed Matt Smith admitted he did not play his best tennis, the Python acknowledged “I felt very good with my serve. I felt on today.” Smith’s 8-2 win made him 2-0 on the young season in singles competition. Meanwhile, number two seed Jared Taylor blasted his way past Cavalier Taron Gunderson, 8-0 to make it a 1-2 sweep for the Pythons. Taylor who will be attending Franklin Pierce University in the fall on a tennis scholarship said he played pretty well; “my serve was really working for me (today) – I had a couple of aces”, adding that “I was able to locate it today”.


Python Jared Taylor rips into a backhand in his 8-0 trouncing of Hollis-Brookline’s Taron Gunderson at Pelham


The only other Pelham win in singles action came via Andrew Janocha’s 8-6 verdict over Alex McCalmont. Janocha with his doubles win went 2-0 on the day. Also racking up two wins on the day for the Pythons were Smith and Taylor, as the two teamed up in doubles action to defeat Noval/ Duhaime (HB) 8-1. Results for the boys match against Milford were unavailable.


Number one seed Matt Smith serves his way to an 8-2 home court win over Cavalier Nick Noval


Staff photos by Chris White


Staff photos by Marc Ayotte


Staff photos by Marc Ayotte


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