Lancers take flight Good luck charm helps Londonderry edge Central

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June 6, 2008

By Peter A. Martin The Eagle Tribune Fri Jun 06, 2008, 03:18 AM EDT

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Just like the Red Sox, Londonderry has its own good luck hawk that patrols the field at Lancer Park.

Last night it showed up just in time to help the sixth-seeded Lancers pick up a 3-2 comeback win over No. 11 Manchester Central in the first round of the Class L tournament.

"We saw that hawk at practice the other day," said head coach Brent Demas, whose club will face No. 3 Goffstown in the quarterfinals Saturday. "I called it our lucky hawk, just joking around, but maybe it is lucky."

In the bottom of the sixth inning with the Lancers down 2-0 and the bases loaded, the hawk made its appearance, landing on top of a light pole in right-center.

One of the spectators noted optimistically, "There's the hawk!"

Demas then pointed it out to his team.

On the very next pitch, Chris Verryt slammed a fastball up the middle, just past the dive of Central's shortstop, scoring pinchrunner Jeff Dalzell (the JV call-up's first varsity run) and Robbie McLarney.

James Mariano went from first to third and scored on an errant throw to third base. Verryt ended up on third but he was stranded there.

Winning pitcher Adam Veino, who pitched 52/3 no-hit innings, finished with a three-hitter with seven strikeouts.

"Veino pitched amazing for us," said Demas. "He looked a little nervous to me, but he held his composure and kept us in the game early, especially when we weren't hitting."

A baserunning blunder may have cost the Little Green a shot at extra innings as the potential tying run was gunned down at third.

Veino was in trouble only twice in the game, once in the fourth inning, when back-to-back walks and a passed ball gave the Little Green runners on the corners with two outs. But he got the No. 6 hitter to pop foul.

"I was having a tough time getting my curve over," said Veino. "I went back to the fastball and change and managed to get out of it with that foul out."

He struggled again in the sixth. After getting two quick outs, Veino gave up back-to-back singles, the first hits he had allowed all game. Brandon Czaja then ripped a shot into the gap that scored both runners, but he was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a triple.

Veino completed the gem with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

Londonderry 3, Manchester Central 2

>Class L First Round<b>

Manchester Central (2): Lemire 3b 3-0-0, O'Connell cf 3-0-0, Belanger c 3-0-0, Shaughnessy ss 2-1-1, Kanellis lf 2-1-1, Czaja 3-0-1, Lugo pr 0-0-0, Emond 2b 3-0-0, Trombley dh 3-0-0, Szelog rf 1-0-0, Provencher ph 1-0-0. Totals 24-2-3

Londonderry (3): Neverman ss 3-0-2, Finnegan 3b 3-0-0, Caron cf 3-0-0, Flanders 1b 3-0-1, Dalzell pr 0-1-0, Worth c 3-0-0, McLarney lf 3-1-1, LaGasse 2b 2-0-0, Wojewoda ph 1-0-0, Mariano pr 0-1-0, Verryt dh 2-0-1, Harding rf 3-0-0. Totals 26-3-5

Central Central (9-11):000 002 0 — 2

Londonderry (13-7): 000 003 x — 3

RBI: L — Verryt 2; MC — Czaja 2

WP: Veino; LP: Veilleux

Next game: Saturday at 10 a.m. at Holman Stadium vs. Goffstown, Class L quarterfinals

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