Scituate

In what Staff Writer of the Kennebac Journal Morning Sentinel, Travis Lazarczyk, coined the "Game of the Tournament," host team, Messalonskee (Maine) came from behind and defeated the West Warwick 11 Year Old All Stars, 5-4, in seven innings.   

The heartbreaking loss, which was West Warwick's second of the tournament, eliminated the Rhode Island Champions.

In the top of the first inning, West Warwick jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Tyler Boisclair tripled to the centerfield triangle, scoring Ray Zincone, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

While starting pitcher, Trevor Lawton, kept Messalonskee's bats quiet for the first two innings, West Warwick built a 3-0 lead after the top of third inning. 

Matt Grenier started things off by reaching base for the tenth consecutive time in the tournament when shortstop Jared Cunningham bobbled Grenier's hard grounder.  After one out, Grenier scored on Zincone's bloop double down the right field line.  Zincone made it 3-0 when Trevor Lawton's single to left field. 

Unfortunately for West Warwick, Messalonskee came back in the bottom of the third inning with two runs on one hit, one walk, one hit batsmen, and on error.

In the top of the fourth inning, West Warwick loaded the bases.  Mitchell Moore led off with a walk and moved to second on Kyle Henseler's single to centerfield.  After a strikeout, Matt Grenier, hitting from the right side against Noah Caret, battled the lefty for ten pitches before reaching base on a hit batsmen.  One would think that after 75 pitches thrown, losing a ten pitch battle, and loading the bases would tire any pitcher.  However, Caret, struck out the next batter and got an induced a grounder to second base, ending what could have been a big inning for West Warwick. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Matt Grenier, who pitched for West Warwick in every regional game, retired the side in order on two strikeouts and a perfectly executed play from Boisclair (First Baseman) to Grenier (Pitcher) on a grounder to first base.

In the top of the fifth inning, West Warwick benefited from the blinding sun in right field.  Tyler Boisclair hit a fly ball to right field which right fielder Ben Thibert could see until the ball nested on the right field line.  Boisclair ended up on third base with a "sun-splashed" triple.  

West Warwick's 4-2 lead, however, would be erased in the bottom of the inning when Messalonskee scored two runs on three hits off Grenier.

Messalonskee's ace, Nick Mayo, who had two innings to pitch, came into the game in the top of the sixth inning and struck out two batters in a scoreless sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Grenier struck out one and induced two ground outs to force extra innings.

In the top of the seventh inning, West Warwick loaded the bases when the first three batters reached safely (Boisclair - walk, Lawton - double to right center, and Maynard - walk).  With the bases loaded, Mayo got help from his defense when shortstop Jared Cunningham caught a line drive by Mitchell Moore.  Mayo took over from there by striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Nick Mayo led off with a seeing-eye double down the third base line by the outstretched arms of West Warwick third baseman Mike Pellerin.  After intentionally walking a batter, Grenier, who was pitching in his seventh inning in three days, struck out Klint Hall.  After a passed ball allowed runners to move to second and third base, Grenier intentionally walked Eric Tarr to set up the force out.  Unfortunately for West Warwick, second baseman Dylon Burton, redeemed himself after striking out three times in the game by fouling off two pitches on a 2-2 count before hit a single up the middle to secure the victory for Messalonskee, 5-4. 

West Warwick, which left 11 runners on base, received solid pitching from Lawton and Grenier.  In three innings of work, Lawton struck out four, walked two, and allowed only three hits while throwing 43 of 65 pitches for strikes.  Grenier, who continued his "workhorse" load in tournament play by throwing 116 pitches in three days, struck out five batters, walked four batters (two of them intentional walks in the seventh inning), allowed five hits while throwing 42 of 56 pitches for strikes in 3 1/3 innings of work. 

All Star Memories: 

Tyler Boisclair, who hit two triples in the game, was named M.V.P. for West Warwick.

Matt Grenier, who reached base eleven consecutive times in the tournament before grounding out in the sixth inning, led West Warwick with an OBP of .916 (five hits, four walks, one hit batsmen, and reached on an error) and a batting average of .714 (one triple, two doubles, and two singles) for the tournament.

Tyler Boisclair, who batted .500 for the tournament,  led West Warwick with four extra base hits (three triples and one double). 

In addition to Boisclair and Grenier hitting safely in each game, Kyle Henseler (three singles) and Ray Zincone (two doubles and one single) also hit safely in each game.  Zincone, also, ended the tournament with an OBP of .500 (three hits, two walks, and one hit batsmen).   

Dave LaMountain, who reached safely six times, ended the tournament with an OBP of .500 (four walks and two singles). 

The three ingredients for success at any level in baseball have been and still remain:  solid pitching, good defense, and timely hitting.  Although those ingredients were missing in West Warwick's opening round loss to New Canaan (Connecticut), West Warwick found those ingredients and mixed them well in an 11-2 victory over Marlboro, Massachusetts.

In the top of the first inning, West Warwick struck first when Matt Grenier stroked an 0-2 pitch for a single to right field.  Grenier, then, moved to second when David LaMountain walked and scored two pitches later on a Ray Zincone double to the triangle in centerfield.  

While Joe Maynard kept Marlboro bats silent by striking out six batters in the first two innings, West Warwick built a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning.   

Brian Moretti led off with a single to centerfield, advanced to second when Matt Grenier worked a walk, and moved to third on a Ray Zincone fielder's choice.  Moretti scored when Tyler Boisclair grounder to short was mishandled.  Trevor Lawton, then, laced a double to the right field fence, scoring Zincone.  

In the bottom of the third inning, Marlboro fought back with two runs on two walks and hits from Tim Smith (single) and Ryan Gibbons (double to the triangle).  With runners at second and third base, centerfielder David LaMountain made a diving catch on a line drive by Brian Short to end the inning.

After Marlboro starter, Mike Gould, retired the side on three groundouts in the top of the fourth inning, momentum seemed to be shifting toward them. 

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Marlboro loaded the bases on two walks and a single by Jose Delacruz.  Matt Grenier, then, entered the game and on a 1-2 curve ball to Mike Gould, second baseman Kyle Henseler dove to his right to catch a line drive to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, West Warwick's Matt Grenier continued the tournament's hottest streak by reaching base for the seventh consecutive time when he took Mike Gould's first pitch and hit a 220 foot missile which one hopped the right field bullpen for a lead off triple. 

David Lamountain followed with an r.b.i. single to score Grenier from third base.  LaMountain, then,  advanced to second base on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball, and later scored on a Trevor Lawton sacrifice fly to deep center. 

With momentum back on West Warwick's side, Matt Grenier held Marlboro in the bottom of the fifth inning by retiring the side on two strikeouts and a ground out to end the inning. 

In the top of the sixth inning, West Warwick broke the game open with six runs on three hits, two hit batsmen, two errors, and one walk.

Reserve third baseman Mike Pellerin led off the inning and thrilled the West Warwick contingent when he took a 3-2 pitch and hit it over the Green Monster for a 7-2 lead.  The home run over the replica monster, which sits 180 feet from home plate and is 22 feet high, was the first one of the tournament. 

After one out, Andrew In reached first base on a hit batsmen and scored when Matt Grenier reached base for the eighth consecutive time in the tournament with a double to left centerfield.  David LaMountain followed with a walk and Ray Zincone was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.  Grenier, then, scored Marlboro second baseman Tim Smith dropped a pop up.  Two batters later, Mike Pellerin, who started the inning with a memorable lead off home run, lined a two run single to right center, giving West Warwick an 11-2 lead.   

Tyler Boisclair struck out two in a scoreless sixth inning.

Offensively, West Warwick received contributions from Grenier (3/3, one double, one triple, three runs scored, and one r.b.i.), LaMountain (1/2, two runs scored and two walks), Zincone (1/2, double, two runs scored, and one r.b.i.), Boisclair (1/4, one run scord and one r.b.i.), Lawton (1/3, one double and two r.b.i.'s), Pellerin (2/2, one home run, one run scored, and three r.b.i.'s), Henseler (1/3), Moretti (1/1, one run scored), and In (one run scored)

All Star Memories: 

Mike Pellerin, who hit the tournament's first home run over the Green Monster, was named West Warwick's MVP of the game.

Matt Grenier, West Warwick's lead off hitter, has reached base eight consecutive times (three walks, two doubles, two singles, and one triple) in the regional. 

Joe Maynard, who picked up the win, struck out eight batters in 3 2/3 innings of work. 

David LaMountain's diving catch to end the third inning and Kyle Henseler's diving stop to end the fourth inning were two plays worthy of being web gems!

Perhaps the most memorable moment of yesterday's game was when Brian Moretti, who was forced to sit out game one when he was struck in the face during batting practice, lined the first pitch in the top of the third inning for a single to centerfield.   

For some perplexing reason, West Warwick's 14 Year Old All Stars could not overcome adverse "sixth innings" in two losses to Essex, Vermont and Leominster, Massachusetts.  In both games, West Warwick trailed 2-1 after five innings, but could not overcome their miscues.  In two games,West Warwick's pitching staff (Ryan Lawton, Rich Grenier Jr., Jim Thornton, Steven Courtemanche, and Connor Carew) gave up only three earned runs in 14 innings pitched.  Offensively, West Warwick was led by Ryan Lawton (5/8, one double).

Norwalk,Connecticut 8  Manchester, New Hampshire 0

Cranston, RI 4  Portland, Maine 1

Plymouth, Mass. 7 Leominster, Mass. 2

Essex, Vermont 10  West Warwick, RI 1

Essex, Vermont vs. Plymouth, Mass. (McCarthy - 10:00)

Norwalk, Conn. vs. Cranston, RI (McCarthy - 1:00)

Leominster, Mass. vs. West Warwick, RI (Ray Silva -10:00)

Manchester, NH vs. Portland, Maine (Ray Silva - 1:00)

In a rematch of last year's Ten Year Old New England Championship, New Canaan (Connecticut) came from behind and defeated West Warwick (3-time Rhode Island Champion), 11-6, in the opening round of the Eleven Year Old New England Regional.

In the top of the first inning, West Warwick jumped out to a 1-0 lead, courtesy of four walks in the inning.  After Matt Grenier drew a walk to lead off the game, he advanced to second on a wild pitch.  David LaMountain followed with a walk to put runners at first and second.  After Tyler Boisclair walked, Trevor Lawton hit a line drive which was snared by second baseman Klye Levasseur, who dove to his right to make the "web gem" catch.  Joe Maynard, however, reached on a two out walk, scoring Grenier.

Starting pitcher, Ray Zincone, pitched out of a first and third situation in the bottom of the first inning. 

In the top of the second inning, Mitchell Moore walked with one out, but was thrown out at third base when left fielder, Colin Tyler, took Matt Grenier's double off the "Green Monster" and threw a "pea" to third baseman, David Giusti, for the second out of the inning.  Shortstop Jimmy Fahey continued New Canaan's flare for defensive gems by making a backhanded stop of David Lamountain's grounder in the hole and throwing the speedster out to end the inning.

Zincone worked through the next two innings by striking out four batters and allowing only one hit.  In three innings of work, Zincone, who had to leave the game because of arm soreness, struck out five and threw 36 of 60 pitches for strikes. 

In the top of the fourth inning, West Warwick rallied for one run.  With one out, Kyle Henseler hit a single off the wall, moved to second on Mitchell Moore's single to left, advanced to third on a walk to Grenier, and scored on LaMountain's hard grounder to first.   

West Warwick's lead, however, would be short lived as New Canaan, the defending New England Champions, scored seven times on five hits and two walks for a 7-2 lead after four innings. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, New Canaan scored four more runs on three hits, one walk, and two errors to build an 11-2 lead. 

In the top of the sixth inning, West Warwick would not quit and rallied for four runs on hits by Matt Grenier (double to left-center), Dave Lamountain (single to left), Ray Zincone (r.b.i. single), Tyler Boisclair (two run triple to the 247 foot mark at the centerfield triangle).  Boisclair scored West Warwick's final run of the game on Trevor Lawton's r.b.i. groundout.

Offensively, West Warwick received contributions from Grenier (2/2, two doubles, two walks, and two runs scored), LaMountain (1/3, one run scored, and one r.b.i.), Zincone (1/3, one run scored, and one r.b.i.), Boisclair (2/3, one double, one triple, and two r.b.i.'s), Lawton (one r.b.i.), Maynard (one r.b.i.), Henseler (1/2, one run scored), and Moore (1/1).

Although the West Warwick contigent of players, coaches, and parents were disappointed with the outcome, they realize that this group of All Stars are still capable of making another run in this year's regional.  Tomorrow night, they play Marlboro (Mass.) at 6:00.

All Star Memories: 

Ray Zincone, who kept New Canaan's bats quiet for three innings, was named West Warwick's MVP of the game.

Matt Grenier recorded a feat that may not be equaled by anyone in the tournament.  The switch-hitting 11 year old had a double from both sides of the plate.  In the second inning, batting from the right side, Grenier doubled off the wall against lefty Alex LaPolice and in the sixth inning, Grenier, batting from the left side, doubled to left-center off righty David Giusti.

Tyler Boisclair had two extra base hits (double in the fifth inning and triple in the sixth inning) toward the 247’ triangle in centerfield. 

Kyle Henseler hit the famed left field wall in the fourth inning. 

The West Warwick Cal Ripken 11 Year Old All Stars continued their dominant play in Rhode Island by recently winning their third consecutive State Championship.  Over the past three years, the nucleus of this group has not only won 27 of 32 games, but has reached the finals of the New England Regional Tournament twice (2007 as 9 Year Olds & 2008 as 10 Year Olds).  

This year, West Warwick will be traveling to “Little Fenway” in Oakland, Maine to participate in the 11 Year Old New England Regional.  Ironically, West Warwick will be facing a familiar foe in New Canaan, the Connecticut State Champion. 

 The two teams, which are two of the tournament favorites, will play at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon.  Last year, after defeating New Canaan, 5-4, in the Winner’s Bracket Final, West Warwick needed only one win to advance to the Ten Year Old World Series in Abbeville, Louisiana.  New Canaan, however, defeated South Weymouth in the Loser’s Bracket Final and used that momentum to defeat West Warwick twice (11-5, 6-2) in one day to capture the New England Regional Championship.

West Warwick, who has a plethora of tournament experience, seems to be deeper and better prepared as they travel to Maine this weekend.  During the month of July, West Warwick won five consecutive games to capture the 11 Year Old Rehoboth Summer Slam and went on to win three consecutive games in the State Tournament to finish 8-0.

West Warwick’s pitching core is solid, experienced, and deeper.  Leading the way are West Warwick’s two aces, Matt Grenier and Ray Zincone.  In three years of tournament play, the duo (21-4 with two saves) has combined to strike out 168 batters (Grenier – 93 in 64 1/3 innings & Zincone – 75 in 48 2/3 innings) in 113 innings of work.  Ray Zincone, who struck out 7 batters and gave up 7 hits in 4 2/3 innings of work in last year’s tournament, has dominated opponents this year and will start against New Canaan.  In 14 innings of work, Zincone (3-0) has struck out 27 batters, walked 5, and allowed only one unearned run.  Matt Grenier (2-1 in last year’s regional), who faced New Canaan twice last year, allowed only one earned run on 8 hits while striking out 18 batters in 11 innings.  This year, Grenier (3-0) has struck out 15 batters, walked 5, and allowed only four earned runs in 15 innings pitched.  Trevor Lawton, who remains one of Rhode Island’s finest backstops, has had solid outings on the mound.  In seven innings of work, Lawton has struck out 12 batters, walked 2, and allowed only two earned runs.  Joe Maynard, who struck out 15 batters in 7 innings of work in last year’s tournament, has continued his hard throwing by striking out 13 batters and allowing only 2 earned runs in 8 innings of work this year.  Finally, Tyler Boisclair, who struck out 7 and allowed only one earned run in 4 1/3 innings of pitching, last year, adds additional depth to this year’s squad.Offensively, West Warwick

Manager, Dana Boisclair, has more depth and options when writing out his batting line up.  West Warwick’s offensive juggernaut includes Mitchell Moore (11 hits over the past two years in tournament play), Kyle Henseler (.347 batting average with 3 doubles and 25 runs scored in two years), Joe Maynard (16 hits, two doubles, 18 runs scored, and 14 r.b.i.’s over the past two years), Caleb Hoyle (.417 OBP this year with 1 double and 3 runs scored), Andrew In (.533 OBP this year with 4 runs scored), David LaMountain (.476 OBP this year with 2 doubles, 5 runs scored, and 4 r.b.i.’s), Mike Pellerin (.500 OBP this year with 5 hits and 6 r.b.i.’s), Trevor Lawton (.607 OBP & .440 batting average this year with 5 doubles, 8 runs scored, and 6 r.b.i.’s), Matt Grenier (.633 OBP& .455 batting average this year with 2 doubles, 12 runs scored, 8 r.b.i.’s, and a team leading 8 walks), Ray Zincone (.750 OBP & .476 batting average this year with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 13 runs scored, 8 r.b.i.’s, and 7 walks), Tyler Boisclair (.481 batting average this year with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 7 runs scored, and 5 r.b.i.’s), and Brian Moretti (.700 OBP with 3 singles and 5 runs scored).