2009 Team Records

Varsity 09 Record W L T 14 3 0

JV 09 Record W L T 13 2 0

First Team 09 Record W L T 10 2 0

8th Grade 09 Record W L T 8 2 0

7th Grade 09 Record W L T 8 2 0

 

2009 Varsity Team Roster

6/11/09 Press Herald Summary - Quarter Finals
Westbrook (3) v. S. Portland (5)

The 10th-ranked Red Riots (10-8) scored five runs in the sixth inning to upset the second-seeded Blue Blazes (14-3) in a Western Class A quarterfinal at Westbrook. Westbrook starter Scott Heath allowed three hits through five innings, but separated his shoulder diving for the final out of the fifth. He was replaced by Christian Hamilton, who allowed six hits, including an RBI triple to Mike Foley and an RBI single to Mike Dicenzo. Foley, Dicenzo and Evan Indorff each had two hits for South Portland. Zach Gardiner had three hits and Jake Gardiner added two for Westbrook.

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Deering wins a classic Telegram League final
The Rams score three runs in the bottom of the eighth to escape with an 8-7 win over Westbrook.

PORTLAND — Telegram League playoff games may not count in the season records for the teams involved, but that doesn't make them any less significant.

That was very apparent Friday afternoon, when unbeaten Deering rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Westbrook 8-7 for the Telegram League baseball championship at Harlow Field.

It was a game played with the intensity of a state final, as each team fought back from deficits. Westbrook was down 4-0 in the first inning. Deering trailed 7-5 entering the bottom of the eighth.

"Even though the game doesn't count, it's nice to be undefeated," said Deering's Luke Hammond, who drove in the winning runs with a bases-loaded double. "We'd have a completely different mind-set now if we had lost to them."

"Now," said Deering senior Regan Flaherty, "we have momentum going into the playoffs."

Besides, said Deering Coach Mike Coutts, it's just nice to play a really good team again.

"It was good for them, it was good for us to have a competitive game," said Coutts. "You need to see how your kids will respond to adversity.

"I know their kids compete like crazy. And give our kids some credit. We may have some periods of lulls out there, but when the game gets to where it was, they respond."

Deering is the top-ranked team in Western Class A with a 16-0 record, not counting the Telegram League playoffs. Westbrook enters the regional tournament with a 14-2 record.

"It was nice to play another quality team and have a battle like that," said Westbrook assistant coach Greg Coppeta, who ran the team in head coach Mike Rutherford's absence (he was out of state on a business trip). "We could have really folded when we were down 4-0. We didn't."

Trailing 5-2 in the fourth, the Blazes scored three times to tie the game. Zach Collett walked, went to third on an error and scored on a groundout by Tyler Kelly. Jake Gardiner followed with a two-run homer, a towering drive to right that sailed over Hammond's head.

Neither team threatened again until the eighth. Westbrook pitcher Christian Hamilton allowed just two hits between the third and eighth. Deering reliever Taylor Candage, who took over for Flaherty in the fourth, likewise held the Blazes to two hits until the eighth.

But Westbrook loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth on a single by Scott Heath, a walk and a hit batter. Matt Powers relieved Candage, and Collett got an infield single that made it 6-5. Zach Gardiner then hit a grounder to second baseman Marc Ouimet, who threw home to Candage for the first out. Kelly drove a single to center, scoring Hamilton, but center fielder Jack Heary threw out Collett at home on a bang-bang play. Heary then made a diving catch on a ball hit by Jake Gardiner to end the inning.

Flaherty led off the bottom of the eighth with his third single. Candage blooped a single to center and was replaced by pinch-runner John Hardy. After the runners moved up on a groundout, Ouimet walked to load the bases. Then, on a 1-0 count, Hammond, a left-handed batter, drove an outside fastball to the gap in left-center. Westbrook center fielder Lance Ludka dove for the ball but just missed it, and all three runners scored.

"I was nervous, really nervous," said Hammond. "I tried to calm myself down, but everything that was possible was running through my head.

"And Hamilton's a really good pitcher. I just tried to get my bat on the ball and put it in the gap."

Candage said he was nervous entering the eighth, but also confident.

"We've been through so much together," he said. "I never thought the game was over until we won it."

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

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Big inning, bigger win
Cheverus improves its playoff position with a fifth-inning rally that beats Westbrook

PORTLAND — Cheverus took the lead on Mick DiStasio's three-run homer to center field in the fifth inning and held off Westbrook for a 4-3 victory Wednesday in a Telegram League baseball regular-season finale at MacDonald Memorial Field.

The Stags scored all of their runs in the inning to overcome a 3-0 deficit.

"I didn't think it was out when I hit it, but it was high and got up in the wind," said DiStasio, the winning pitcher.

"This is the biggest win for us in baseball since I've been here."

The win moved the Stags (10-6) to fourth place in the Heal point standings and gave them a home game in the quarterfinals of the Western Class A tournament on June 11. It also got Cheverus into the four-team Telegram League playoffs and a semifinal against top-ranked Deering at 6 tonight at Hadlock Field. Second-ranked Westbrook hosts No. 3 Scarborough in the other league semifinal.

"Mick has been our horse all season," said Cheverus Coach Mac McKew. "We hitched him to our cart once again."

It was just the second loss of the season for Westbrook (14-2).

"We didn't play good defense and we haven't been hitting," said Westbrook Coach Mike Rutherford, whose team made three errors.

"This loss doesn't affect our ranking, but hopefully it's a lesson for the kids that you have to play well against the good teams to win.

"I thought our pitcher, Sean Murphy, pitched an outstanding game. DiStasio pitched well for them."

Murphy, a sophomore right-hander, suffered his first loss of the season, dropping to 5-1. He finished with seven strikeouts. DiStasio, who improved to 6-2, had four strikeouts.

"I thought Mick mixed his pitches well," said McKew.

The Stags turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the game with the tying run on third base.

The Blue Blazes also placed runners on second and third with one out in the sixth.

"We put four runners on in the last two innings but couldn't get the big hit to tie it or go ahead," said Rutherford.

"We had the right person at the plate in Zach Collett. He's been a big RBI man for us all season."

Collett hit a grounder at shortstop Lou DiStasio, who flipped to second baseman Joe Falconieri, who stepped on the bag before throwing to first baseman Jim McKew to complete the double play.

"We can play great defense one time and not so great defense the next time," Coach McKew said. "That's been our style this season.

"This is our 10th win, which is significant."

After a scoreless three innings, Westbrook took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on a triple to right by Christian Hamilton, who came all the way to home plate after an outfield throwing error. The Stags picked up the wild throw and threw home, but Hamilton slid to beat the tag by catcher Jake Watson.

The Blazes went up 3-0 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Lance Ludka and an RBI single to right field by Scott Heath.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Stags closed to 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by Eliot Pickering that scored Falconieri just before DiStasio's home run.

Before the game, Watson received the Harrington Award from the Western Maine Board of Umpires as the top catcher in the league.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

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6/1/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (7) v. Noble (3)

Matt Foye, Scott Heath and Tyler Kelly each drove in two runs to lead the Blue Blazes (14-1) to a win over the Knights (4-11) at North Berwick. Westbrook pitcher Christian Hamilton struck out 10 and allowed five hits and one earned run.

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5/30/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (5) v. Portland (1)

Zach Collett and Zach Gardiner hit RBI singles as the Blue Blazes (13-1) took a 2-0 first-inning lead against Portland (7-7) at Westbrook. Scott Heath pitched six innings for Westbrook, striking out nine and giving up two hits. Sean Murphy added two strikeouts during an inning of relief. Heath didn\'t allow an earned run in the regular season. Collett and Gardiner each finished with two hits and two RBI.

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5/26/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (8) v. Kennebunk (0)

Tyler Kelly had three hits and four RBI to help Westbrook (12-1) defeat the Rams (4-9) at Kennebunk. Kelly broke open a 1-0 game with a bases-loaded triple during a five-run fifth inning and added an RBI single during a two-run sixth. Christian Hamilton allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked two for the Blue Blazes.

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5/23/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (4) v. Massabesic (1)

Sean Murphy (5-0) pitched a three-hitter with 15 strikeouts and no walks to lead the Blue Blazes (11-1) over the visiting Mustangs (0-12). Mike Anthony doubled and scored twice for Westbrook. Zach Gardiner and Nick Finocchiaro each had a double.

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5/21/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (9) v. Biddeford (0)

Scott Heath pitched a four-hitter as the Blue Blazes (10-1) blanked the Tigers (5-6) at Westbrook. Zach Gardiner and Tyler Kelly each went 2 for 2 with two RBI.

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5/19/09 Press Herald Story
Westbrook (12) v. Thorton Academy (2)

WESTBROOK — The game already had a deep blue tinge to it when Lance Ludka of Westbrook stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the first inning Tuesday.

Ludka, a senior center fielder, cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line that made it 7-0.

Westbrook (9-1) led 8-0 after one inning and ended it with three runs in the sixth for a 12-2 victory against mistake-prone Thornton Academy in a Telegram League game at Olmsted Field.

It was another big first inning for Westbrook.

"We´ve had some big innings against teams we´ve been favored against," said Westbrook Coach Mike Rutherford.

"Sean Murphy pitched an outstanding game. He gave up only three hits. He pounded the strike zone. So far this season he´s given up only three runs. Ludka´s hit in the first inning put the game away."

The Blazes sent 13 men to the plate in the first against sophomore right-hander Dimitre Skinsacos, who threw four wild pitches in the inning. The Golden Trojans (4-5-1) committed two errors.

"Dimitre was nervous at the start," said Thornton Coach Greg Paradis. "He´s knows what´s going on and is well aware that Westbrook is a top team. After the first inning, he settled down and pitched well.

"We took him out after three innings because of his pitch count. We feel he´s going to be a good pitcher once he gains more confidence. Westbrook is a very good club that forces you to make plays and we didn´t play well behind our starting pitcher."

Scott Heath, the sophomore pitcher-outfielder, went 4 for 4 with two RBI for Westbrook.

Ludka opened the bottom of the first with a sharp single to center and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Zach Collett had an RBI on a fielder´s choice. After another run, the Blazes loaded the bases with a walk and two Thornton errors before Ludka cleared them.

"It felt great," said Ludka. "I haven´t been hitting that great so the double lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders. We were up for the game. We wanted to get back on track after last Saturday´s game against Bonny Eagle. We won the game but we didn´t feel we played that great.

"We´re hitting the ball but we have yet to put our whole game together. When we do, we´re going to be tough to beat."

Westbrook´s only loss was 7-2 to Deering on May 11. It was a 2-2 game until the fifth.

"We´re a much better team than we were last year," said Rutherford. "The difference in that Deering game was they got the big hit and we didn´t. The win over Bonny Eagle almost guaranteed us second place in the Heal point standings. There´s still a chance for first place, but Deering would have to lose and I don´t see that happening the rest of the regular season."

The Blue Blazes´ goal is to win their remaining six games, and get ready for the playoffs and another shot at Deering in the Western Class A final, where they lost 3-2 to the Rams last season.

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5/12/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (11) v. S. Portland (2)
Zach Collett had two hits and three RBI, and Matt Foye added five stolen bases and four runs to help the Blue Blazes (6-1) down South Portland (3-2) at Westbrook. Sean Murphy of Westbrook allowed seven hits and two walks, striking out eight. Zack Horton had a two-run double for the Red Riots in the third inning.

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5/11/09 Press Herald Story
Westbrook (2) v. Deering (7)
PORTLAND — Regan Flaherty hit a two-run homer in the first inning to get Deering rolling.

Then, sophomore Sam Balzano delivered a two-run triple in the fifth that broke a 2-2 tie and sent the Rams to a 7-2 victory over Westbrook in a matchup of unbeaten Telegram League baseball teams Monday at Hadlock Field.

The game, matching last year´s Western Maine Class A finalists, was a makeup of Thursday´s rainout. The defending state- champion Rams (5-0) scored three times in the fifth and added two runs in the sixth.

Flaherty, a senior who bats and throws left-handed, was the winning pitcher. He limited Westbrook (5-1) to six hits and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third by striking out the final two batters after the Blue Blazes had tied the game, 2-2.

"I love playing in a rivalry game like this," said Flaherty. "I wasn´t hitting the outside corner early in the game with my pitches, but I started to after the first few innings.

"I felt we needed a lift in the first inning after they took a 1-0 lead. That´s why my home run was big.

"I´ve been swinging the bat well in practice. I´ve been waiting for it to come together in games."

Flaherty had three RBI, and Balzano had three hits and two RBI.

"I thought Sam´s hit was the big hit of the game," said Deering Coach Mike Coutts. "We teach being aggressive at the plate and we´ve been solid (in lineup spots) one through nine so far this season. I couldn´t be more pleased with how our underclassmen have played.

"I thought their pitcher pitched well. We might have worn him down late in the game."

After giving up Flaherty´s homer in the first, Westbrook starter Christian Hamilton settled down over the next three innings before running into trouble in the fifth.

With the wind blowing out to center field in the first, Flaherty got hold of a fastball and sent it over the fence in right-center field.

His drive went into the netting atop the fence, and the umpires didn´t pick up on it right away. But after conferring, they signaled a home run.

Flaherty´s homer also scored Balzano, who led off with a bloop single to left and then stole second base.

The Blazes made it 1-0 in the top of the first when Lance Ludka led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a fielder´s choice and scored on a Zach Collett´s sacrifice fly to center.

After Flaherty´s homer in the bottom of the inning, Westbrook tied the game in the third. Ludka walked and went to second on Scott Heath´s fly ball that dropped in along the left-field line. Flaherty struck out the next batter before Collett had an infield single that scored Ludka.

Flaherty hit the next batter to load the bases before escaping with two strikeouts.

"Deering outpitched us, outhit us and outplayed us," said Westbrook Coach Mike Rutherford. "When Deering had runners on base, they got the big hits. When we had runners on base, we didn´t get the big hit.

"We also gave Deering a couple of extra outs. You can´t do that against a good team."

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:
tchard@pressherald.com

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5/8/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (11) v. Marshwood (1)
Winning pitcher Scott Heath ended the game with a two-run homer in the fifth inning as the Blue Blazes (5-0) downed Marshwood (4-2) at Westbrook. Heath had three hits, including a two-run double in the first. Matt Foye was also 3 for 3 with three RBI. Heath finished with six strikeouts and one walk in a one-hitter.

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5/6/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (14) v. Gorham (0)
Sean Murphy tossed a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and no walks as the Blue Blazes (4-0) downed Gorham (1-3) in five innings at Westbrook. Tyler Kelly and Matt Foye each went 3 for 3 with three RBI.

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4/30/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (12) v. Windham (0)
Lance Ludka and Scott Heath had three hits apiece as the Blue Blazes (3-0) beat the Eagles (0-3) in five innings at Windham. Colin Mello tripled for Windham in the fourth.

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4/28/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (11) v. Scarborough (2)
Scott Heath allowed a run on three hits and struck out 10 over five innings as Westbrook (2-0) beat the Red Storm (1-1) at Scarborough. The Blue Blazes broke it open with a five-run fourth. Lance Ludka hit a two-run triple and Zach Collette added a solo home run.

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4/25/09 Press Herald Summary
Westbrook (2) v. Cheverus (1)
Christian Hamilton homered in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and pitched a one-hitter with nine strikeouts as the Blue Blazes won an opener at Westbrook. Hamilton homered with one out. Westbrook got its other run when Lance Ludka scored on Scott Heath\'s groundout in the third.

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