LOWELL - The first two weeks in April ... heck, even the last four years are a mystery to Todd Dulin.
"He always starts slow and never gets going until he's fully put away the last sports season," said Dulin of his senior righty Aaron Brunette. "I still can't figure him out."
Why bother trying?
After a sluggish beginning to the year, 1-1 with eight earned runs allowed in his first 12 innings pitched, Brunette has staked his case as the most dominant pitcher in Division 2 North.
Yesterday's sectional title win — six innings of dazzling stuff in a 2-0 whitewash of Reading — was just the latest statement.
The victory pushed Brunette's record to 4-2, and that includes the eight-inning 1-0 defeat to All-Scholastic candidate John Farrell and Andover two weeks ago.
That ERA, 4.67 back on April 18, now glistens at 1.44 with 60 strikeouts in 53.1 innings. He's surrendered only three earned runs in the last 41.1 frames ... for an eye-popping 0.51 ERA in that span.
Brunette, who is 2-0 in the tourney and on schedule to toe the rubber in the potential state final six days from now, remains on an even keel.
"I try to treat this game like every other game, not trying to psyche myself out," said Brunette. "I just don't get nervous and try to take it one game at a time. Of course, I am psyched about what could happen next Saturday.
Brunette will take that same attitude to UMass Dartmouth in the fall, where he'll attempt to play both baseball and football. He caught area highs of 41 passes for 625 yards and three TDs this fall for the Knights.
"He's a heck of an athlete, that much I do know," said Dulin.
Emotional tribute for Esposito
Georgetown coach Mark Rowe, a pitcher in his Newburyport High days, tossed a curve at the LeLacheur Park public address announcer when he put injured outfielder Joe Esposito in the starting lineup at his regular spot in center field.
Danyer Fabian came to the plate in the spot as a "pinch-hitter" in the top of the first.
"It was a tribute to Joe, a four-year starter and a special kid," said Rowe, who lost Esposito in the seventh game of the season to a hand injury on a slide at second.
At the time, Esposito was 10 for 21 with 11 RBIs.
"I think everyone around here understands what Joe has meant to athletics at Georgetown High School, how important he's been," said Rowe of the two-time All-Scholastic football quarterback and scrappy point guard. "It's always been a dream of his to play for a championship. And if we were the home team, he would have been out there in center for an inning until I could have made the change."
Losing Esposito was one of the last and possibly greatest hurdles this overachieving bunch of Royals had to endure.
Winning the numbers game
Remember, Division 3 North champ Georgetown is a tiny program. The senior class consisted of 100 students ... that is boys and girls. Newburyport, meanwhile, had 178 seniors.
The Royals will be headed for the newly created Division 4 in baseball next year. They've accomplished so much despite losing Joe Esposito to injury and having the top lefty in town, Dartmouth recruit Michael Johnson, choose Brooks and two standout catchers, Sam Conte (Class of 2007) and Geoff Lynch (2009 co-captain) star at Phillips Academy.
"We've lost a bundle," said Rowe. "I can't say enough about these kids. Losing Joe was a huge hole, and they've just found a way. This year, we've had depth like we haven't had."
Siff still sizzling
Somewhere between searing and scalding is an apt description for North Andover's Ryan Sifferlen.
The center fielder had two more hits yesterday - reaching base all three times and scoring the game-winning run in the first - to pump the average up to .481.
Sifferlen extended his current hit streak to 10 games, during which he's swung it at a ridiculous .679 (19 for 28).
"He's just on base all the time," lauded coach Todd Dulin. "You know, he can drive the ball, too. I watched the kid hit home runs on the varsity field as a freshman. He works counts for us and tries to get on base."
Touching bases
The run scored yesterday was Ryan Sifferlen's 30th of the season. ...
With four RBIs in the last two games, sophomore Alec Jillson now has 16. He is hitting .357. ...
Aaron Brunette made a nifty pickoff in the second inning. The Knights had just taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and Reading looked to answer with a leadoff single by Derek Strukel.
"(Catcher Mike) Levy made the call, and I kind of saw the runner way off the bag out of the corner of my eye," said Brunette, who spun and fired a strike to Paul Pollano, who applied the tag. "That was a feeling of relief right there. It was big." ...
Freshman Brandon Walsh went 0 for 3 on the day but still hit the ball hard. Walsh's missile to right-center had three bases written all over it, only to be swallowed up on a "catch-of-the-year" candidate grab by Reading's Mike Shea.
