By Mike Stoller
With the summer heating up to exorbitant temperatures, so are the games in the Yawkey Baseball League. Suffice to say, the Somerville Alibrandis team’s 1-0 loss in 10 innings to the host Revere Rockies last week had both teams sweating it out.
“We were happy with the pitching even though we lost,” Alibrandis assistant coach Cam Lynch said, after Alibrandis dropped only its second game of the season against 14 wins. “Any bounce could have decided the game. We have nothing to look down at. It’s not like we were down 6-0 after four innings.”
The deciding run was driven in by former league MVP Chris Santosuosso, who doubled with a runner on second in the third extra frame to help Revere improve to 14-2.
“He’s one of the better players in the league,” Lynch said of the Rockies’ star centerfielder.
Alibrandis hurler Anthony DelPrete and Revere’s Chirs Sandini were locked in a pitcher’s duel all night.
DelPrete tossed nine innings, while allowing only six hits. He struck out five and walked two.
“He’s one of the older guys in the league,” Lynch said of the 30-something DelPrete, who’s an assistant baseball coach at Suffolk University. “So he’ll pitch for us once every two weeks. He’ll go seven innings consistently. He just keeps going.”
Sandini, meanwhile, went seven innings, surrendering three hits. He also walked two and struck out a whopping nine batters.
“He’s one of the top pitchers in the league, and we knew we were going to get their best,” Lynch said in praise of Sandini. “They’ve beat us twice this year, and as defending champions we’re looking forward to seeing every team’s top pitchers because you know they’re out to get you.”
Offensively, Alibrandis was led by Bob Barrett, who went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, and Mike Cunningham who ripped a double.
Earlier in the week, Alibrandis defeated the visiting McKay Club Beacons, 5-0, at Trum Field to maintain a three game lead on the Stoneham Sabers (12-6) in the Ted Williams Division.
Sean Sullivan went the distance, allowing only four hits. He struck out nine and walked only two to improve his season ledger to 2-0.
Sullivan, who used to pitch for the McKay Club, always gets his request to pitch against his former team. Lynch also noted that Sullivan remains undefeated in the postseason since he has been with Alibrandis.
The Alibrandis offense did a nice job with key hits at the right times. Mike Maguire went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. Steve Rogers had two hits in three tries, including a triple. Cunningham drove in two runs, while going 1-for-3. Ted Dziuba and Mark Addesa each went 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Mark DesRoches had a RBI single.
“The pitching is doing well, and the offense is still coming,” Lynch said. “If we don’t get much more rain, that should help us continue to play consistent.”
Alibrandis was scheduled to play three games this week with a possible fourth as a makeup. The Somerville squad was slated to host the Medford Maddogs on Monday, visit the Malden Bulldogs on Tuesday, and host the Brighton Minutemen on Friday.
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