Alibrandis batting is better than ever, and heavily contributing to the team’s ongoing successes.
– Photo by Harry Kane

By Mike Stoller

In the spirit of Lonestar, it just keeps getting better for the Somerville Alibrandis baseball team. With two more wins last week, Alibrandis, now 11-1, continued to be in sole command of first place in the Ted Williams Division of the Yawkey League.

“We’re starting to get the bats going,” said Alibrandis assistant coach Cam Lynch. “The leadoff guys are getting on base for the middle guys. The offense is starting to come around.”

And the pitching stayed just stellar. On the right arm strength of eight-year veteran Jon Morse, Alibrandis finished the week with a strong 3-1 win over the host Brighton Black Sox Thursday at Rogers Park. Morse, a former Southern New Hampshire University standout, tossed six innings of terrific ball, allowing just four hits and one unearned run. He struck out eight and walked none.

Morse remained unfazed after Brighton took a 1-0 lead in a rather obscure way. A single and two bunt hits loaded the bases for the Black Sox, before they scored on an error in the top of the first.

“They tried to get ahead of us early,” Lynch said.

Morse, who got the win to improve to 3-1, would end up dueling with Brighton’s Matt Nicholson in an extraordinary pitching matchup. Nicholson went the distance for the Black Sox, quieting Alibrandis until the sixth.

That’s when the bats got going for Alibrandis. Ted Dziuba and Mark Addesa set the stage with singles for Steve Rogers, who drove a two-run double into the trees in right center.

Alibrandis added an insurance run in the seventh. Mike Maguire led off with a deep double and Addesa ripped an RBI single to make it 3-1.

Brian Tanguy posted his sixth save of the campaign for Alibrandis, recording a 1-2-3 seventh, including a strikeout, to cap the night.  The Black Sox, who play in the Johnny Pesky Division, fell to 4-6 on the season.

“We enjoy playing against them,” Lynch said of the respect both teams have for each other. “We have a strong rapport with their coaches and players and a lot of respect for the Black Sox. They bring in good ballplayers every year to make the team stronger.”

On Wednesday, Alibrandis was out in full swing, registering an 11-2 win over the host South Boston Saints at Ronan Park.

Dziuba had three hits, including two doubles, and four RBIs, to improve his average to .393, second on the team to Bobby Barrett’s .419.

Barrett went 1-for-3 with a two-run single and a walk, Addesa went 2-for-5 with a two-run double, and Maguire walked three times, stroked a single, and stole a base.

Chris Foundas improved his record to 3-0 on the hill. He pitched five innings, allowing four hits and no runs. He struck out five and walked one.

Foundas gave way to Ryan Cosmopulos, who struck out two in 1 2/3 innings. Justin Crisafulli retired the last batter of the game on a popup to first base.

The Saints, of the Carl Yastrzemski Division, fell to 4-3 on the season.

“They were playing with a short bench,” Lynch said. “They had four of their pitchers in their regular lineup.”

Five players represented Alibrandis on the Yawkey League All-Star team, which played the United States Military All-Stars at Morelli Field in Melrose on Friday. Maguire, the reigning MVP of the Yawkey League, Dziuba, Barrett, Tanguy, and Mark DesRoches all competed for the Somerville squad. The Yawkey League stars won the game, 6-1.

The Alibrandis home game against West Roxbury was rained out last week.

This week, Alibrandis was slated to host the Boston Dodgers on Monday, visit the Brighton Braves on Wednesday, and host South Boston on Friday.

“Hopefully, we won’t get any more rain,” Lynch said.