Reading Bulldogs

Reading vs. Mooney Dental Tanners  7-29-13 at Morton Field 

Reading (4)– Bingel 3-1, Oringer 2-1, Talis 3-1, Taylor 3-2, Padovani 3-1, Sitarz 3-1, Gagnon 2-1, Halsey 3-0, Z. Conti 2-0, Totals 24-8 

Woburn (3)  Burnham 3-0, Brown 3-2, Ruxin 3-1, Maher 3-0, Lentini 3-1, Porter 2-0,  Polano 3-0, McDonald 2-0, Cuozzo 0-0 Totals   22-4 Reading     200 002 x   -4Mooney     002  001 x  -3 

Doubles: Bingel, Oringer, Brown

Home Run: Brown

WP- Levine

LP-  Pessotti  

Wrap:  by Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle

The Bulldogs (15-7-2) prevailed over Mooney Dental (7-12) 4-3 in a wet and wild finish on Monday evening, in a game shortened to six innings due to darkness. The previously rained out contest in Woburn was moved to Morton Field in Reading due to field availability issues at Ferullo. The Tanners played as the home team, which added to the late game drama caused by a rain delay. Woburn Coach Bob DeNapoli was just glad to play anywhere with this summer's weather having a big impact on his team. "We have had unusually bad luck with the rain, we are five to six games behind most of the other teams in games played. It's been tough for our players to get in a rhythm". The Bulldogs started the game like they were going to break out of their recent hitting woes when Brandon Bingel and Hank Oringer both doubled to the fence, and were followed by a Mike Taylor single making it 2-0. Oringer's recent roll has catapulted him into the top three in the league in most every offensive production stat. " Hank is a gamer who loves to play and drives 90 minutes to get to our games, and as great a hitter as he has been, he's been an even better fielder at third base" Coach Matt Morrison admired. The lead held into the third when Woburn struck back with some long overdue offensive clout which was started when Chris Brown hit a home run to the deepest part of Morton Field cutting the lead in half. "Chris is a first year player who moved to Woburn from Boston and was looking for a place to play. His double and home run both to the opposite field is the kind of power we have been lacking all season" noted DeNapoli. Woburn tied the score in the same inning when Scoop Ruxin and Carlton Lentini singled and  Ryson Porter hit a sacrifice fly. A big strikeout by Kevin Church ended the threat with the lead run at third base. Woburn starter Chris Pessotti mowed the Bulldogs down through the middle innings pitching to the minimum batters in innings two through five, after getting out the last two batters in the first. "Chris has been our number two starter this year after just being a reliever last year" said DeNapoli, "his ERA is solid and we just need give him more hitting support". The skies darkened and rumblings of thunder were heard in the distance as the Bulldogs finally got to Pessotti in the sixth with a walk and four straight singles by Zac Talis, Taylor, Dante Padovani and Colin Sitarz which brought home two runs. The rain was coming down heavy as Mooney took their turn at bat in the sixth and it was clear that the umpire was going to give the Bulldogs a chance to get Woburn out before calling the game and wiping out the Bulldogs runs.   After Reading reliever Zac Levine easily retired the first two batters the rain intensified and with the footing slippery the next two batters were walked before the umpire called a rain delay. After a 15 minute delay and quick field maintenance by the Reading side the field was deemed playable by the umpire and the Bulldogs attempted to get the elusive final out of the inning and most likely the game. It looked like Reading's diligence in getting the field playable could end up benefitting Woburn when Joe Burnham reached on an error which scored the third Woburn run. After another walk that loadied the bases, Levine retired Ruxin on a pop fly to finally end a half inning that lasted over 30 minutes of real time. With darkness totally set-in and a lightning strike in the distance, the umpire ruled the game over. "Trying to finish out the inning was the right thing to do" said Morrison, "no one likes a tie and we restarted with Woburn having two runners on and a chance to tie or win the game, which they almost did". DeNapoli's Tanners are as close to a playoff slot as they have been in a few years and with still eleven games left the coach is optimistic, " we have solid pitching and the best fielding team we have had in awhile, if we get the bats going we have a good shot".   

Reading vs. Blue Sox 7-28-13 at Morton Field 

Lexington (3)  Borden 4-1, Vigurs 3-1, Gath 3-1, Ahern 3-1, Graham 3-0, Wright 3-1, Haugh 3-1, Silvestro 3-1, Capra 3-0 Totals   28-7 

Reading (2)– Hartwell 2-0, Oringer 3-2, Talis 2-0, N. Conti 3-1, Taylor 3-0, Bingel 3-0, Cataldo 2-0, Padovani 1-1, Sitarz 3-0, Crehan 2-0  Totals 25-4

 Lexington  200 001 0  -3

Reading     200 000 0  -2 

Doubles: Oringer, Bourdon, Silvestro, Ahern

WP- BrzozowskiLP-  Robinson  

Wrap: by Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle 

The Bulldogs (14-7-2) let a big opportunity slip away on Sunday losing to the Blue Sox 3-2 on a late slippery run, in a game that for a change Lexington needed more than the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs entered the game with a three game lead in the loss column to Lexington who is their nearest competitor for the last playoff bye. A win would have put Reading in a very favorable position for that slot with just seven games left. The Bulldogs had already swept the Blue Sox in an earlier doubleheader and the Blue Sox trotted out their best nine and their top hurler.  The Blue Sox put two on the board after two were out in the first inning, as RMHS Hall of Famer Steve Gath singled and scored on a Dave Ahern double, and Ahern then scored on a Justin Wright flair to take an early lead. Reading was not deflated by the early deficit as it too just two batters to put their first run in when Hank Oringer's long line drive double scored Darren Hartwell. Oringer then scored to tie the game on a Lexington error. Bulldog hurler Taylor Robinson got out a few jams to keep the Blue Sox off the board until the sixth, and was aided by a key double play in the fifth turned by Oringer and Brandon Bingel. Mean while the Blue Sox ace Drew Brzozowski breezed through the Bulldogs allowing just three soft singles after the first inning and walking no one. The winning rally in the sixth started with one out on back to back hits by Tommy Haugh and Justin Silvestro (double). Robinson bore down to strike out the next hitter and had an 0-2 count on the Blue Sox leadoff hitter Tommy Bourdon when he bounced his curve in the dirt and the ball got away from the catcher scoring Haugh. It was the third time this year that the Bulldogs have lost or tied a game with the winning or tying run scoring in that fashion in a late inning.  The Bulldogs return to Morton on Monday evening in a makeup game versus Mooney Dental in a game which they will be playing as the visiting team.   

Reading vs. Melrose Americans  7/19/13 at Endicott College

 

Melrose (5)-  Hicks 4-1, Burke 2-0, Davis 4-0, Perry 3-2, Powers 4-2, Kalfopoulos 3-1, Azzarello 2-0,  Gray 3-2,Fusco 4-0  Totals 29-8

 

Reading (11)– Hartwell 3-3, Oringer 3-1, Talis 4-0, N. Conti 3-1, Z. Conti 1-0, Bingel 3-1, Cataldo 2-1, Taylor 0-0,  Padovani 3-2, Buitkus 3-1, Crehan 3-0  Totals 29-10

 

Melrose   013 100 0   5

Reading  107 300 x   11

 

Doubles – Buitkus, Hartwell, Buitkus, Powers, Perry, Burke, N. Conti

Triples- Oringer, Padovani, Perry

 

WP- Levine

LP- Richard

 

 

Wrap: by Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle

 

The Bulldogs (13-6-2) prevailed in a hit fest on Friday night at a stifling hot Endicott College by a score of 11-5.

 

The first two swings of the night by Reading gave an indication of the type of night it would be when Darrren Hartwell (3 for 3, 3 stolen bases) doubled and Hank Oringer tripled. However the Bulldogs only scored one run out of that threat on a night where runs would be needed.

 

On the strength of a double by Devin Perry and a triple by Manny Powers followed by RMHS graduate Andrew Gray's single it was quickly a 4-1 American lead entering the bottom of the third.

 

In their half of the inning the Bulldogs had their biggest run production of the season with seven. In that inning Nick Conti and Dante Padovani (4 rbi) had two run hits with Conti's being a double.

 

From there the scoring calmed down except for a Padovani two run triple in the fourth, and Bulldog starter Zac Levine (team leading three wins) gutted out the heat through the fifth inning throwing 103 pitches.

 

The game was finished off nicely by reliable closer Brian Pedrotti who has not given up a run in five relief innings on the season.

 

The Bulldogs enter their final nine games solidly in second place and with a four game week, starting at Morelli Field on Wednesday in a rematch with the Americans, and after battling the heat for three nights the cooler projected temperatures will be welcomed.

 

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Reading vs. Melrose Americans  7/24/13 at Morelli Field

 

Reading (3)–  Bounopane 2-0, Hartwell 2-0, Oringer 3-1, Talis 4-1, N. Conti 4-2, Taylor 1-0, Cataldo 1-1, Bingel 4-0,  Padovani 1-0, Sitarz 2-0, Gagnon 1-0, Buitkus 2-2, Halsey 2-1 Totals 29-8

 

Melrose (0)-  Burke 3-1, Chamberland 3-0,  Perry 3-0, McConnville 3-0, Powers 3-0, Richardson 2-0, Azzarello 2-0,  Esposito 1-0, Massoli 2-0 Totals 22-1

 

Reading  000 001 2  - 3

Melrose  000 000 0   - 0

 

Doubles – Buitkus

 

WP- Kelley

LP- Wilson

 

Wrap: by Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle

 

The Bulldogs (14-6-2) broke through with three late runs breaking a 0-0 tie with the Americans and giving starter Nick Kelley a well deserved win.

 

The All-Time Bulldog leader in wins was masterful allowing a lead off hit from Melrose in the first inning and then shutting them down from there, allowing just two walks and pitching to just two batters over the minimum over seven innings.

 

The first five innings were uneventful and played in less than an hour as each team had only one runner reach second base.

 

In the pivotal sixth inning the rally was started when Hank Oringer was hit by a pitch with one out.  A Zac Talis single moved him to third base, setting up Nick Conti's run scoring single, giving Reading a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs provided Kelly with insurance when Oringer singled home Steve Buitkus (double) and John Halsey.

Kelley rolled through his fifth 1-2-3 inning in the seventh, with a fly ball to right field to end the game being the only fly ball out on the night for Melrose.

Reading vs. Wakefield Merchants  7-17-13 at Walsh Field

 Reading (1)–  Oringer 4-0, N. Conti 4-0, Talis 4-2, Taylor 4-0, Cataldo 3-2, Levine 1-1, Padovani 4-1, Wolfsberg 3-0, Z. Conti 3-1, Halsey 2-0, Crehan 0-0  Totals 32-7 

Wakefield (1)-  Tarantino 4-0, Searles 4-0, Townsend 4-1, Ramsey 3-2,Gendron 2-0, Langone 3-0, Losanno 3-1, Murray 3-0, Barry 3-0  Totals 29-4 

Reading    000 000 100 -1

Wakefield  000 000 100 -1 

Doubles -Padovani, Ramsey 

TP- ChurchTP- Marchesi  

Wrap:  by Jeff Pierce Daily Times Chronicle

The Bulldogs (12-6-2) entered a hot box at Walsh Field on Wednesday evening and came close to stealing a last inning win versus the league's top statistical pitcher Jared Marchesi, who had only given up one run in 30 innings, before settling for a 1-1 tie in nine innings. With the Bulldogs being stifled by Marchesi and on a streak of fourteen straight innings without scoring a run they were picked up by Kevin Church who stopped the Merchants on two hits and only one free pass over the first six innings. In the top of the seventh it looked like Reading would prevail after they broke through with their first run in fifteen innings. With two outs Bill Cataldo had the second of his two hits and scored all the way from first with a nifty hand touch of the plate on Dante Padovani's double. In the bottom of the inning, Church was victimized on a bad hop double of the glove of the first baseman that put the tying run on second with no one out. The runner eventually scored on a pitch that scooted to the backstop after the runner had advanced to third. Church retired the side from there aided by a nice double play started by Hank Oringer. The game went two extra innings and both teams failed to bring in a runner that reached second base in the ninth. The last of which brought Reading HS Hall of Famer Steve Langone to the plate for Wakefield with a chance to win the game. However Bulldog coach Matt Morrison did not want to take his chances with the Red Sox Advance Scouting Coordinator and he was intentionally walked and Bulldog reliever Nick Kelley recorded the final out with a strikeout securing the tie.