Archive for July, 2010

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   While the hard-luck Walpole Nationals stumbled out of the starter’s gate when they started the 2010 district playoff run Monday and Tuesday, the Walpole Americans were looking like world-beaters, roaring to a 4-0 record.
   Thus far it has been quite a tourney for Coach Brian Bender’s team, getting excellent pitching, impressive fielding and timely hitting in their first week of action.
   All three were in play last Thursday when they opened with a 4-1 victory over Hopkinton, and they held steady Friday night by knocking off one of the tourney’s top teams, Wellesley South, 8-3.
   The winning streak continued after Walpole returned to action Monday evening following the Independence Day break with a crushing, 18-2 defeat of Needham, and they made it four straight with Tuesday’s 11-0 shutout of Ashland.
Walpole only played five innings in each of those two games, thanks to the mercy rule.
   Mercy is what opposing pitchers were seeking as their offerings were battered regularly by a hungry line-up. Doing the most …

Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:

   When the Walpole Nationals look back on their first week of play in this year’s District 11 playoffs, they may wince a lot more at the game with Westwood Monday, rather than Tuesday’s game when they were shut out by Wellesley Little League star Jack Dolan, 2-0.
   It was the first game, a 6-5 loss to Westwood that will conjure the what-ifs if the Walpole National tourney run ends abruptly. With a victory over Westwood the loss to Wellesley North in pool play would probably have only created a rematch later on, when they would hope to avoid the 5-foot-10-inch human buzz-saw, who throws well over 70 miles an hour.
   Instead the Nationals, one of the tourney’s favored teams, were forced to go into Wednesday’s game with Medfield needing every last game in round-robin play, as well as possibly outside help to join the Americans, who seem a lock after starting 4-0. It doesn’t help that Medfield was strong enough to push Wellesley North to extra innings.
   “We played uncharacteristically, we made five errors,” said Coach Gene Lavanchy after the loss …

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   Monday night’s softball game at Chauncey Smith Field was a perfect one to batten down the hatches, although there were clear skies overhead.
   The game between two teams of 12-year-olds not only had 25 runs clatter across the plate over six innings, but was also played between a group of Hurricanes and a squad of Storms.
   Walpole proved that the Hurricane is stronger than a Storm, however, as the 12 B team racked up another win, climbing to 3-1 with the Hockomock League victory over the Norfolk Storm.
   With the win, Walpole’s U12 teams have a combined 7-1 record.
While the girls showed they were still obviously leaning the game, there were also moments when they sparkled, and those helped Walpole snap a 9-9 tie in the fourth and nail down the win.
   “We have a young group,” offered Coach Tim Torigian, “but we’re doing well. We only have a couple of thirteens, the rest are 11 or 12-year-olds.”<br …