Hillies Betances, Whalen come up big

Haverhill exploded for nine runs in the sixth inning, running away from Notre Dame of Tyngsboro for a 15-3 victory. Lisa Betances (4 for 5) broke things open with a two-run homer and a two-run triple in the big inning. Colleen Whalen contributed a two-run single in the sixth and a three-run blast in the four-run seventh for the Hillies (8-2).

North Andover rallied for a pivotal 4-1 win over Amesbury, handing the host Indians their first Cape Ann League loss of the year. Krissy Whitley was 3 for 4 and scored twice for the Knights (6-2, 3-1 in CAL).

Methuen ran into red-hot Tewksbury pitcher Marissa Fiorentino and dropped a 4-1 decision.

Billerica slipped across two runs in the top of the eighth in a 5-3 victory over Central Catholic. Chelsey Guselli was 2 for 4 with an RBI, Tina Eringis smacked a solo home run, Erin Swarbrick was 2 for 2 with an RBI and Lindsay Martin stood out defensively for the Raiders (8-4).

Brooks scored nine runs in the fourth inning in a 14-2 rout of Milton. Kristin Sullivan (3 for 5) had a three-run triple in the fourth and Monica Berube (2 for 3) added an RBI triple. Kate Roddy was 2 for 2, scored twice and also had an RBI.

Salem rode its second straight superb pitching performance and the continued clutch hitting of Katie Bettencourt to a 2-0 win over Concord. Erin Lyons went the distance, striking out seven while scattering four singles and Bettencourt (2 for 3) knocked in both runs with two outs in the fourth. Bettencourt is now hitting .658 for the 9-3 Blue Devils.

Timberlane's bats fell silent in a 3-2 loss to Spaulding, just the second setback of the season for the Owls. Steph Barrett struck out 10 and allowed just six hits in a losing cause for the Owls, who managed only three hits.

Pinkerton scored one run and had the tying runs on base in the seventh inning, but could manage no more and fell to Goffstown 3-1. Katie Miller singled in Nicole Cuerdon with the Astros' run.

Whittier, behind the four-hit pitching of Dillon Ryan and A.J. DeRoche, knocked off a strong Northeast club 5-2. Ryan struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings for the win. DeRoche, who was 3 for 4 at the plate and scored twice, got the save. John Tannian stroked a two-run double for the Wildcats (6-4) and both Ethan Mooradian and Austin Brodie added RBI doubles.

Bobby Shirling was 3 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored to propel Haverhill past Billerica 6-1. Sean Hayden went the distance to improve to 4-0.

Michael Johnson's 17-strikeout effort ended up in a frustrating no-decision as Brooks finished on the short end of a 1-0, 10-inning decision to Roxbury Latin.

A deep sacrifice fly to center field with runners on the corners and one out left Brooks (4-6) just shy of its upset goal, leaving reliever Brad Forgetta of Haverhill the tough-luck loser.

Georgetown's Johnson started, working eight innings of three-hit shutout ball and increasing his season strikeout total to 40 in just three starts.

Error-free defense allowed Georgetown to fend off Lynnfield, 7-6. Tim Holland (eight hits allowed with eight strikeouts, solo homer offensively) battled for the complete-game win, killing a seventh inning Pioneer rally to do so. Andrew Barba stroked a two-run homer in the fifth inning and a two-run single in the third for the Royals (8-3).

Senior left fielder Kyle Pettoruto of Andover rapped a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift St. John's over Xaverian 4-3.

Salem's eight-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of Concord, 4-2, as Matt Hardy (complete game, seven strikeouts) dropped a tough pitcher's duel to Concord's Colin Lisk.

Spaulding came up with timely hits and Timberlane didn't as the Owls fell, 5-2. Mike Donovan had a pair of hits and Nick Mascioli delivered an RBI double, but Timberlane (5-7) couldn't convert six walks into productive offense.

Whittier nipped Greater Lowell, 70-66. Chris Pendleton was immense for the Wildcats (5-0), taking the triple jump (39-8), 100 (11.1) and the long jump (19-10), then joining with Kobie Jackson, Matt Miles and Paul Buccos for victory in the 4x100 relay (44.9).

Greater Lowell was too much for Whittier, taking an easy 110-24 win. Chablis Cormier provided the lone Wildcat victory (100 hurdles, 20.4) and freshman Kim Martin placed in three events.

From the cake that was rolled out after the meet, it was obvious yesterday was not just another win for Andover

The Golden Warriors' 5-0 sweep over Haverhill marked the 400th career victory for head coach Mike Wartman.

"It was very flattering," said the coach of 23 years. "We had a nice celebration. Some players from past teams, parents, my wife and school employees were all there and we had a cake."

Central Catholic rode a winning string at singles to a 4-1 triumph over Lowell. T Alaimo at second singles and Tom Flannery at No. 3 turned tough encounters into commanding victories for the Raiders (5-3).

Andover remained unbeaten with a 5-0 shutout of Haverhill. Hannah Hoerner survived a tough duel at first singles before prevailing 6-2, 6-4.

Haverhill scored 12 times in the second half to blow past Pentucket 18-8. Tom Murray had five goals for the Hillies, and he was backed up by Kevin Woodman and Nick Vazquez, who each notched a hat trick. For the Sachems, Alex Connolly continued his impressive sophomore campaign, racking up four goals and an assist.

Timberlane humbled Spaulding 22-2. The offensive explosion was led by Ryan Lewis' six goals. Trevor DeVitto had a hat trick from the midfield, and Ryan Rothwell added two goals and seven assists.

Improving Haverhill improved to 4-4 with a 15-8 win over Dracut. Junior Erin Foley scored a career-high four goals and added three assists and Theresa Whittredge also scored four times.

Kelly Burke and Meghan Makiver tallied three goals each as Georgetown downed Triton 12-7. Area scoring leader Shannon Hartford was held to just two goals, but she chipped in five assists.

Central Catholic lost to Billerica 10-4. Meredith Bilodeau scored twice, and Liz Steele made six saves in an impressive goaltending performance.

Seventeen saves from Stephanie Taylor and a ton of defense earned North Andover an 11-7 win over Pentucket. North Andover remained unbeaten in the CAL, but the Sachems (6-3) played with tenacity until the final whistle behind Sarah Galligan (two goals and three assists) and Kayla Jewett (two goals).

St. John's Prep avenged an earlier loss to Haverhill with a 19-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-17 victory. For St. John's (10-2), Jeff Smallcomb of West Newbury and Luke Frick of North Andover played well. Brett Pettis (13 kills), Ash Lawless (11 kills, 2 blocks) and Freddie Alves (7 kills, 4 blocks) led the Hillies (9-4).

Andover clinched a berth in the state tournament with six games to play after getting past Methuen 25-14, 25-20, 25-17. John Henry Heckendorn had 11 kills, Gary Hinds had 13 and Andrew Osborne had eight for the Warriors (10-4).

Surging Chelmsford swept Central Catholic 25-14, 25-20, 25-22. Sebastian Mejia led the Raiders (7-4) with nine kills. Tom Gomes had 18 assists and Mike Manzi stood out on defense.

UMass Lowell's baseball team, behind the pitching of Haverhill's Jeff Maloney, defeated Stonehill 3-1 to clinch a Northeast-10 playoff spot. Maloney went 72/3 innings, striking out six and allowing just five hits, for his fifth win of the season for the River Hawks (26-23, 18-12 in NE-10).

Photos

Pentucket's Sarah Galligan tries to maneuver around the double-team of North Andover's Britney Chiles and Nicole Zahoruiko. Galligan scored twice and added three assists, but the Sachems fell to the Knights, 11- Staff photo