Photos Kevin Mullaney Nauset starting pitcher Jon Salvador on the mound in Monday's loss to Plymouth South.
By Kevin Mullaney The Warriors stepped up strong but were still unable to stop Plymouth South on Monday.
Warriors toppled by Plymouth South
Sildeshow added Friday, April 27
By Kevin Mullaney Banner Correspondent
EASTHAM — Shortstop Mike Quill and third baseman Ryan White each went two-for-four, and starting pitcher Jon Salvador, from Provincetown, went two-for-three at the plate, but the Nauset Regional High School baseball team was unable to rattle a talented Plymouth South squad in a 10-4 loss Monday in windy North Eastham.
Justin Griffin got on base with a hard single to left in the first inning and scored on a pass ball to tie the game at one. Plymouth South put together a three-run rally in the second to go up 4-1, then scored four in the top of the fourth for an 8-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, second baseman Josh Smith got on base on an error and later scored on a wild pitch. Salvador singled and Quill knocked him in with a triple. Griffin then scored Quill with a sacrifice fly. Leading 8-4, Plymouth South added two runs in the fifth while their cadre of relief pitchers shut down the Warrior scoring for the afternoon.
The loss drops the Warriors to 0-3 on the young season, which does not make coach Ken Duff happy, but is not a problem. “We’re a young team. Most of my starters from last year graduated,” Duff said. “We’re gonna have our growing pains, which were painfully obvious yesterday,” he added.
Pitching depth is their main challenge. Salvador and junior Connor Seymour are the teams’ only true starters right now. In Monday’s game White was brought in in relief and pitched effectively. His off-speed pitches threw off the timing of the hitters, something coach Duff hopes to exploit. “Pitching is a problem. We’re gonna struggle.”
“We have talent. I’m very pleased with our defense,” Duff said, adding, “The pitching hasn’t been bad. The outfield has very good game,” he said of three of his four seniors. Rick Buckley made several running and leaping catches in left field, as did Colin Grant in center and Griffin in right. The Plymouth South (now 5-1) game was well-played all around in the field. The team captains are White, Seymour and senior Brian Morton.
“It’s a learning process, a marathon not a sprint,” Duff said. “I tell the kids it’s a game of positives,” he said optimistically, where players are able to assess whatever just happened between pitches and adjust.
The Warriors travel to Dennis-Yarmouth Regional on Wednesday to avenge last week’s 10-4 loss, then host North Quincy Friday afternoon.
Apr 26th, 2007
