Despite snow falling in April for the first time in recent memory, spring sports are upon us, and Alvirne baseball was the first team to begin action this season, with their first pitch taking place just before 5 p.m. on Monday, April 8, playing as the “visiting” team on their home field, as Pinkerton’s field was deemed unplayable.
Pinkerton is coming off a second place finish in the Division I Championship last year and the Astros and Broncos are two teams that don’t like one another very much. The two battled early, after the Broncos went down without much incident in the first, with only Mikey Bebris reaching in the first, and that coming by way of an error on the Astros’ shortstop.
From there, the Astros jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Eujah Sharpe, but they were unable to add on after a double play just two batters later.
In the bottom of the third, with the Astros still holding their 1-0 lead, Jackson Marshall launched a baseball that traveled well over 450 feet to left center, with one measurement coming in at 488 feet on the homer. The Astros went on to score four more times with the benefit of three hits and two walks, as well as a wild pitch in the inning. Through three innings, Alvirne had dug themselves into a 6-0 hole.
Alvirne managed to get a run back in the top of the fourth after Devin Smith was hit by a pitch and Antonio Vallante walked, setting up Max Francisco for an RBI double to left field, making it a 6-1 ballgame.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, that was as close as things would get, as Pinkerton tacked on two more runs, this time without the benefit of a hit, to make it 8-1 where the ballgame would finish.
Things weren’t all doom and gloom for the Broncos, though, as without the big five-run third inning, it was just a 3-1 ballgame otherwise. The bats struggled, only providing 3 hits, but the defense was solid behind Logan Casey and Dylan Page, who came on in relief of Casey, the latter only allowing one hit and the two inherited runners to score while not allowing any runs of his own to cross the plate.
The Broncos weren’t given much time to dwell on the loss, however, as it was right back to the field, this time for their first “home” game, still at home, against the Concord Crimson Tide. Craig Pederson got the ball this time against Alex Turant. Both teams entered play on Wednesday 0-1 after Concord lost to Windham on Tuesday 5-0.
Alvirne’s offensive woes continued on Wednesday, being shut out 10-0 by Concord on the back of Alex Turant’s 6.1-inning, 4-hit outing, only throwing 89 pitches before being pulled in favor of Dawson Fancher, who was one of the team leaders offensively, as well, hitting a home run and driving in two runs. Only Josh Turant had more RBI on the night for Concord with three.
Craig Pederson was solid on the mound for Alvirne, despite taking the loss, going four innings, just allowing two runs-both earned-on three hits only walking one batter and striking out one. Devin Smith continued that pattern, going two innings, just allowing two runs on three hits while striking out and walking one batter. Antonio Vallante struggled in the seventh, allowing six runs-two earned-on three hits while committing the lone error of the night and walking two batters, striking out three.
Mikey Bebris was supposed to get the ball on Friday to start against Goffstown, but the weather did not allow for an opening for the game, so his first start since returning from Tommy John will have to wait just a bit longer, as he will start on Monday.
