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Gloucester upsets Danvers for second time this season

Thursday, May, 22 By Nick Curcuru
Correspondent

For the second time this season, the Danvers High baseball team was forced to watch their arch rivals celebrate on the baseball diamond.

Host Gloucester completed a season sweep of the Falcons last night by taking a 5-3 decision. Danvers head coach Roger Day could only tip his cap to his opponent afterwards.

"(Gloucester) just outplayed us," Day said. "They outpitched us and outhit us. I like their team; they're aggressive and they compete."

The Falcons (15-3) looked ready to make a comeback in the top of the seventh inning. Trailing by four runs heading into the final frame, Matt Pasquariello drove in Greg Ladd (who had walked) with a sacrifice fly, and three batters later Bobby Dean singled in John Gikas (who had doubled) to make it 5-3.

Fishermen pitcher Taylor Burbine, however, was able to pitch out of the jam and preserve the win for Gloucester (11-7). The junior went the distance on the mound, allowing three runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts.

Burbine's performance drew praise from Day. "He kept us off balance with his hard slider and would sneak the fastball in there, too," Day said.

Gloucester drew first blood in the third inning when Trevor Curley came in to score on a Mark Alves sacrifice fly after reaching on a single. The Fishermen would add another run in the third when Brett Cahill singled in Ross Carlson.

The Northeastern Conference Small champion Falcons would answer with a run of their own in the top of the fourth when Jake Korthas came in on a bases loaded walk.

The Fishermen, however, would answer back with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning as Carlson singled in Curley and Alves. Cahill made it 5-1 in the fifth when he came home on a fielder's choice.

Dean, Gikas and Pasquariello got the three Falcons' hits. Greg Ladd took the loss, but pitched well in defeat. The sophomore right-hander went the distance, allowing five runs on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts.

"Greg pitched well," Day said. "We just didn't get him enough runs. Scoring runs has been a problem for us all season. Our pitching and our defense have been great, but we've had trouble hitting."