A Season of Firsts
The Chelmsford 10-under baseball team captured the New England regional title on Saturday, securing an 8-2 victory over Newtown, Connecticut. The win, achieved under the guidance of coaches Bill Dacier, Ed Doukszewicz, Kerry Henry and Michael Morales, marked the culmination of a three-year journey for a roster that has grown together through countless practices and tournaments.
Their path to the championship began with a sweep of the District 2 tournament and an 8-0 shutout of Fairhaven/Acushnet in the Eastern Mass. state title game. At the regional pool in New Milford, Connecticut, the squad posted a 2-1 record, routing Exeter, New Hampshire, 14-4 and River Valley, Maine, 5-3 before a narrow 6-3 loss to Newtown in a nine-inning thriller. The team rebounded with a 14-0 semifinal triumph over New Milford and then claimed the championship with a 9-2 win over Uxbridge, a game played in heavy rain that saw six different pitchers share the workload.
Road to the Cal Ripken World Series
A dedicated fundraising page has already drawn $4,535 from community supporters, easing the financial burden of the upcoming Cal Ripken World Series in Stafford, Virginia, where the team will compete from August 5-16. The trip represents both a reward for the players' dedication and a chance to test their skills on a national stage.
Among the 18 players who will make the journey are Caleb Yin, Benny Mutnansky, Brandon Camire, Ethan Clark, Allistar Mosher, Julian Morales, Tommy Dacier, Michael Johnson, Ethan Henry, Maddox Bilo, Rylan Chhorn and Devaj Petal, each of whom has contributed to the team's success throughout the season.
Lowell Spinners Stumble in the Futures League
In other baseball news, the Lowell Spinners fell 6-2 to the Vermont Lake Monsters in the Futures League. Vermont surged with three runs in the top of the ninth, while Lowell managed only six hits, highlighted by a 2-for-4 performance from David Vanderzouwen and a triple from Jack Quigley. Pitcher Hayden Schimoler took the loss, allowing three earned runs in 3.1 innings, and the defeat dropped Lowell into last place in the league.