Candia News : softball

Lamprey River’s fun run continues in tough regional bracket

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:43:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

His daughter and her teammates were running for the elevator, headed back to the lobby for more good times with friendly competitors new and familiar.

Meanwhile, Lamprey River’s manager, Ken McLaughlin, as well as the all-star team’s coach, Ken Lavallee, were in a hotel room, forced to review some statistical details that will soon be forgotten.

But memories of the state champions’ trip to Albany, N.Y., for the Eastern Regional softball championship won’t slip away so easily.

The trip, said McLaughlin, has been a refreshing eye-opener. True, the 11- and 12-year-old all-stars have yet to cross the plate in three contests – a 9-0 loss to Connecticut on Saturday, July 26; a 7-0 setback to Maine the following day; and a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Rhode Island on Monday, July 28.

But the girls, added McLaughlin, have crossed paths with some fine athletes and, more importantly, fine people.

“The other coaches are so friendly. They’ve all been here before and go out of their way to make us feel comfortable,” said McLaughlin. “They’re just out here – all of them – to make sure the kids have fun.”

Post-game pool parties, barbecues and impromptu gatherings are the norm, and Lamprey Between the lines, the girls have completed every game save one; the loss to Maine was shortened due to rain on Sunday, July 27.

McLaughlin laughed goodnaturedly while explaining the team’s uncharacteristic lack of hitting and occasionally poor fielding. He also conceded the opposing teams’ pitching has been every bit as good as his two fine hurlers – Sarah Lavallee of Candia and his daughter, Kim McLaughlin. “They’re also all well-coached,” said the elder McLaughlin, who admitted he and Lavallee are being outmaneuvered by mentors with far more experience at this level.

Connecticut, for example, fields roughly the same team that finished third in the nation in 2007.

The Lamprey River girls, who’ve already won the friendship of players from across the region during the trip, have one more chance to return to the Granite State with a game victory.

They were scheduled to face Massachusetts on Wednesday, July 30.

Lamprey River sweeps to state title, heads to regional tourney

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:22:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

In winning the New Hampshire Little League 11- and 12-year-old state championship on Monday, July 21, Lamprey River allowed no hits, no runs and no errors, beating two-time defending champ Auburn, 10-0.

The new champs head to Albany, N.Y., for the Eastern Regional tournament, and, according to Auburn’s manager, Ray Pelton, they’ll need to improve on that fine effort if they plan to beat some of the best teams in the country.

“The pitching is dominant. Just unbelievable,” said Pelton, after watching a dominant performance by Lamprey River’s Sarah Lavallee, who fanned five and was backed by a flawless defense.

Ken McLaughlin, River’s manager, agreed with Pelton, knowing his group must wield some mighty bats when pool play begins on Saturday, July 26. “We need to be more patient (at the plate), and we need to hit those gaps (with some extra-base hits),” said McLaughlin. “But these girls are playing so well right now.”

Indeed, the state champs won three straight contests by a combined score of 39-6.

Lavallee and Kim McLaughlin, who steps inside the circle for the regional opener against Connecticut in Albany, shared pitching duties throughout the state tourney run.

And when the River was at bat, it was odd to see the bases empty.

Autumn Masse and Amelya VanDeWalle, who earned a game ball for her triple and two RBI against Auburn in the final, consistently reached base and ran wild. Lavallee and cleanup hitter Gabby Desjardins, both Candia residents, each drove in a run.

The bottom half of the lineup and River’s reserves were also productive. Hannah Keefe, Brandie Valentine, Meredith Reed and Audra Jenkins – the team’s No. 6 through 9 hitters in the championship matchup – all scored a run, as did Makayla Philibert and Kayla Thomas off the bench. Candia’s Sydney Bolduc, a starter in the team’s mercyrule win against Pelham a week earlier, also reached base.

They’ll need to continue to battle because the competition improves – according to Pelton – exponentially at regionals. “It’s a different level of play there,” he said. “A lot of smallball. If you score three runs in a game, you’re doing well.”

Regional lineup
After the tourney opener, Lamprey River faces Maine on Sunday, July 27; Rhode Island on Monday, July 28; and Massachusetts on Wednedsay, July 30, to complete pool play.

Lamprey River wins three straight in state tourney, needs one for title

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:22:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Three up, three down.

That’s not describing the end of an inning for the Lamprey River 11- and 12-year-old all-star softball team. It’s an accurate account of the team’s state tournament games to date.

Most recently, the locals mercy- ruled host Pelham, 10-0, on Monday, July 14, behind the nohit pitching of Kim McLaughlin and a potent offense.

“I just can’t say enough about that team over there,” said Pelham’s manager, Steve Notini. “That’s a sound team, a good team. And they’re well coached.”

Manager Ken McLaughlin and coach Ken Lavallee assembled a group of 11 players – five from Raymond and three each from Candia and Nottingham – that quickly became one unit.

“They all play against each other all year, and they just want to compete,” said McLaughlin, who added they respect each other’s talent and enjoy each other’s company. “They don’t care about anything else.”

Lamprey River is, right now, the state juggernaut at this level. Both the young McLaughlin and Candia’s Sarah Lavallee throw hard from inside the circle, making at-bats an uncomfortable experience for foes.

“Sarah’s 11 years old, and she’s accurate (with her pitches),” said McLaughlin, who said Lavallee throws even harder than his daughter, who fanned two Pelham batters in the second, third and fourth innings.

Lavallee recorded 13 strikeouts against two-time defending state champion Auburn on Thursday, July 10. She also doubled in a run against Pelham.

A solid defense, one that didn’t make an error in the shutout win, takes care of most everything else. Catcher Hannah Keefe also threw out a would-be base stealer with a strong throw to second base.

And the team can hit. Lamprey River put up 18 runs to Merrimack Valley’s four in the tourney’s first game on July 9, another fiveinning affair, then ripped Auburn the next night, 11-2.

Audra Jenkins and Kayla Thomas, who started the game on the bench against Pelham, contributed mightily in the earlier wins. Jenkins was 3-for-4 in the two games, and Thomas reached base three times and stole home against Auburn.

In the middle of the lineup is cleanup hitter Gabby Desjardins of Candia. McLaughlin said she catches for Lavallee, plays a solid third base and runs well. She also blasted a triple that produced River’s final run against Pelham.

Sydney Bolduc is the team’s other Candia resident. She drew a walk and scored in the fifth. “She’s a really fast, athletic player,” said McLaughlin. “And she’s really improved her hitting toward the end of the year.”

Autumn Masse and Amelya VanDeWalle hit 1-2 in the Lamprey lineup. Each scored twice down in Pelham.

Brandie Valentine and Meredith Reed patrol the middle of the infield at shortstop and second base, respectively. Reed was robbed of an extra-base hit in the locals’ five-run first inning by Pelham’s left fielder, and Valentine drove in two runs with two singles. They hit seventh and eighth in the loaded lineup.

Lamprey River needs one win to secure the state Little League softball title, but it must wait until

Monday, July 21, to attempt it.

The team is guaranteed to face one of the squads it has already throttled. Staying focused, said McLaughlin, won’t be an issue.

“Every single one of ’em has a sense of the game,” said the coach on a post-game walk to the parking lot. “Their parents deserve the credit for that. They’re so supportive of the girls in everything they do.”