DERRY, N.H. — Consistency. Derry Post 9 coach Dylan Mullin has preached it and seen it all year.
So far, Derry has delivered and did once again against border rival Londonderry, slugging out a 13-3 mercy rule-shortened win. The win kept Derry in first place in District B at 7-1.
So far, consistency has been the recipe for Derry's success. Everyone on Post 9 reached base at least once, and the hitters in the 1-4 slots — leadoff hitter Nick Gregsak, No. 2 Mike Donovan, No. 3 Juan Amador and cleanup hitter Steve Clark — reached 13 times in 20 plate appearances. The fearsome foursome also scored nine runs and drove in 11.
"That's crazy," said Clark, who was 3 for 5 with a single, double and triple. "I didn't even realize that. I guess it's because we have a bunch of good players that came back that were here last year. Pretty much every guy on the team can hit."
No kidding. Derry pounded out its 13 runs on 14 hits, and everyone in the lineup save for catcher Pat Curry had at least one hit. Curry still earned a walk in the seventh, one of five the team had. Amador was also hit by a pitch twice.
"That's why they're up there," said Mullin of his top four's impressive performance. "They're up there to get on base so they're doing their job, and so is the other half of the lineup because they're getting them in. That's all you can ask for."
Derry's pitching does little to help District B opponents. Chris DeBonis turned in a stellar 71/3 innings in which he punched out eight batters and gave up three runs — one earned — on five hits, no walks, and two hit batsmen. DeBonis improved to 3-0 on the season.
"DeBonis kept them off balance," said Mullin. "He had eight Ks, so you know he had some good stuff working."
Bryce Calvetti pitched a perfect 2/3 of an inning to bridge the gap to the eighth, when Derry scored five runs on two walks, a hit batsman, a double and two passed balls.
Derry has allowed just 23 runs in eight games (2.9 per). Londonderry, though, is no slouch. Despite just scoring three runs on five hits, the visitors had several long flyouts and have put up double-digit run totals several times this year. Post 27's Sean Caron showed his impressive power, belting a double and a triple to the gap and scoring a run.
Mark Barnett took the loss, surrendering eight runs, all earned, in 31/3 innings. He gave up 11 hits with a walk, strikeout, and hit batsman.
"We've got a good, mature group of guys right here," said Mullin. "They play together throughout the varsity season, and they've actually been playing together for varsity and Legion, so they all know each other. Hopefully they keep it going. We've got a lot more games and we want to just keep stringing it together. There's 13 or 14 more district games."
Clark, though, is supremely confident.
"(We're not) slowing down," he said with a laugh. "Not at all. We have a good team so I think we can keep doing really well."
Derry 13, Londonderry 3
Londonderry Post 27 (3): Brian Finnegan lf 4-0-0, Sean Caron cf 4-1-2, Larry Longo 3b/p 4-0-0, Jeff Wojewoda dh 2-1-1, Adam Veino ss 4-1-1, Geoff Fisher c 3-0-0, Al Trammel c 0-0-0, C.J. Flanders 1b 1-0-0, Pete Plansky 1b/3b 1-0-0, Dan Lagasse 2b 3-0-0, Nick MacRigeanis rf 3-0-1. Totals 30-3-5
Derry Post 9 (13): Nick Gregsak lf 3-3-1, Mike Donovan rf 4-3-3, Juan Amador cf 3-2-2, Steve Clark 3b 5-1-3, Doug Schultz ss 4-0-1, Pat Curry c 3-0-0, Luke Streeter dh 4-1-1, Ford Coates 1b 4-0-1, T.J. Souhlaris 2b 3-3-2;.Totals 33-13-14
Londonderry Post 27 (4-3): 010 001 01 — 3
Derry Post 9 (7-1): 120 50 05 — 13
RBI: L — C.J. Flanders; D — Steve Clark 5, Juan Amador 2, Mike Donovan 2, Nick Gregsak 2
WP: Chris DeBonis (3-0); LP: Mark Barnett
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