BY SAPNA PATHAK
After losing twice to Manchester during its district tournament, the boys of Salem Babe Ruth baseball finally earned their revenge.
And this time, the stakes were higher.
Taking the field at Gill Stadium in Manchester for a match-up against Manchester on Saturday, July 21, Salem’s 14U squad walked away with a 10-9 win, sending the hosts to the losers bracket of this year’s New Hampshire state tournament.
“It really helped them build up the confidence needed for this kind of a tournament,” said Salem manager Kurt Meisner.
“Manchester was sort of the big, bad wolf in the district tournament, and they kept it close in this game, too, so to come out and beat them was much needed.”
Starter Nick Poore earned the win after working six full innings; he left with a 10-6 Salem advantage.
Manchester’s pesky lineup battled reliever Brad Letendre, causing the hurler to walk the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
Jeremy Junget took over, hitting the first batter he faced to walk in a run and cut Salem’s lead to 10-7. Manchester added another run on a passed ball. Junget induced a pop up for the first out, but Manchester tallied again, closing to 10-9, on a groundout to Zach Meisner.
Salem’s alert catcher, Jeff Tress, preserved the win, tagging out a Manchester runner at home on a throw from Letendre.
“That was great because Brad was pitching before in that inning, and he was the one to help throw out the tying run at the plate to end it,” said Kurt Meisner. “It was nice for him to put it away himself.”
Scott Gaffney, who went 3-for-4, drove in four runs and powered Salem’s offense, while Junget notched two hits and three RBI.
Salem then beat Rochester, coming off a first-round bye, 7-5, on Sunday, July 22. Junget started, giving up four runs in five innings, before Zach Meisner entered to earn the win. Letendre recorded the final out with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
Poore provided two hits, two walks and scored three runs. Treff drove in four runs on three hits.
Salem lost to Goffstown, 9-2, on Tuesday, July 24, at Gill Stadium, which moved the squad to a losers-bracket match-up on Wednesday, July 25. A win on Wednesday would pit Salem against Goffstown again in the tournament championship on Thursday, July 26.
“These guys keep it loose. They play relatively relaxed baseball,” said Kurt Meisner. “Everyone knows the little jokes to keep their teammates smiling so they can slow down and stay in the game. If one guy gets uptight, his friends are there to make him laugh again and loosen up.”
Salem’s roster also includes Joe DiPalma, Matt Logoduice, Jimmy McCarty, Matt Perry, Justin O’ Brien, Nate Hahn and Steve Day.