RallyNorth.net

Wed, Apr 07, 2010 03:45 PM @ Methuen

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Final
North Andover	1	2	0	1	0	2	3	9
Methuen	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1

Weisman, Walsh make opening statement

Wednesday, April, 07 By Hector Longo

 

METHUEN - "Brandon Walsh is not your ordinary sophomore."
- Michael Weisman, North Andover's anything but ordinary junior lefty

Weisman, Walsh, and the reigning Division 2 North baseball champion Scarlet Knights left an impressive impression on Methuen yesterday, hanging a 9-1 defeat on the Rangers.

"They don't came around too often," said Knights coach Todd Dulin of his opening-day batter. "To have two of them together is pretty nice."

"Pretty nice" is a pretty enormous understatement of what Walsh and Weisman represent Dulin's program. Still underclassmen, they are no longer complements to the likes of Ryan Sifferlen and Aaron Brunette.

With all due respect to the talented seniors - including Walsh's career .361-hitting senior brother Connor - the Knights now belong to Weisman and Walsh.

"I used it as motivation in the offseason," said the southpaw Weisman, who shackled Methuen over six innings of one-run, five-hit ball, striking out six and walking a pair.

"I've been very excited for this the whole offseason."

Any doubt about how reliant the Knights will be on both this spring was pretty much wiped away in the bottom of the first here yesterday at Richard Potter Field.

Despite having a proven baseball mind on his bench in pitching coach Dave Blank in an era of constant baseball micromanaging at the high school level, Dulin is allowing Walsh to call his own pitches.

"I like it. You're basically in control and you get to mix things up," said Walsh, already a two-year, two-sport starter. "Weis has a say in it, too. We talk after every inning, and it's a big responsibility. I'm learning. Work hitters in and out and set them up."

On the days that Walsh, who played infield and outfield in addition to going 6-0 on the hill,isn't behind the plate for the Knights, he'll take the baseball.

"Brandon has looked better than Mike in the first couple of scrimmages," admitted Dulin, a scary fact considering Weisman, an Eagle-Tribune All-Star in 2009, come firing out of the gate in his 2010 debut. "He has that funky, sort of not quite over the top delivery with a late release. It's hard to pick up."

The bar has been set high. And winning the North got a bit tougher in Division 2 with the recent restructuring dropping previous Division 1 power programs like Gloucester, Woburn and Beverly dropping into the mix this spring.

Walsh likes the idea of the challenge and the bullseye on the Knights' back.

"In some ways, last year was great, but with it comes a little bit of pressure," said Walsh, who has already thrown for 2,356 yards on the football field. "Everyone will be gunning for us. We'll see everybody's No. 1, so that can only help."

Sharp opening day for Knights

North Andover took advantage of 14 free passes from Methuen pitchers, grabbing the lead in the first and never looking back.

The Knights had just five hits, a pair from senior first baseman Paul Pollano, who drove in the first run of the game.

Brad Patnaude and Dan Laorenza each slapped two-run doubles, while Dan Laorenza doubled and scored a pair of runs.

For the Rangers, Eric Lacroix had a pair of singles, driving in Cal Carroll for the lone Ranger run in the fourth.
The Knights continue the abbreviated trip into the MVC large by challenging Chelmsford Monday.

Additional stories:

• Weisman, Walsh make opening statement