Centaurs pg 1 4-4-24
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Roundup
Centaurs
baseball team
opens on
winning note
Woodstock Academy first-year baseball head coach Connor Elliott gave out two game balls on Saturday after a season-opening, 7-1, win over Northwest Catholic.
He got one back in return.
Eric Mathewson turned in a fine pitching performance and Caleb Simoneau shined both on the field and at the plate for the Centaurs to earn their game ball awards.
The team, however, wanted Elliott to remember his first coaching victory at the varsity level so they also awarded him a game ball following the victory.
“It’s a good feeling to get that first win under the belt and it keeps the pressure off the team, we’re not going to be chasing it. It’s validation for the team as well as they have been putting in a lot of hard work throughout the preseason in less than ideal circumstances. Today was our third time on a field all spring,” Elliott said.
Most of the time prior to Saturday had been spent in a gym.
The baseball field at the Bentley Athletic Complex was soggy from 4 inches of rain in five days. Dodd Stadium’s field was also underwater so they played at Northwest Catholic’s field.
Mathewson wasn’t fazed by the move or the conditions. “There was a consistent 15-to-20 mile per hour wind, it was sunny and not all that warm, especially with the wind. We told him to pound the zone. Throw fastballs and make them hit. It wasn’t ideal weather to hit,” Elliott said.
Out of 81 pitches, 60 were strikes as he allowed just two hits, struck out nine and did not walk a batter.
The Centaurs had only five hits but benefitted from eight walks offered up by Northwest Catholic pitchers. Two of those came early in the bottom of the third inning as Tanner Graham and Mathewson both walked.
After a sacrifice bunt, Simoneau, playing shortstop for the first time at the varsity level, singled to center, driving in both runners.
The sophomore had to step in at shortstop on little notice as Elliott woke up on Saturday to a text from junior Maxx Corradi saying he was ill and was not going to be able to play.
“Caleb stepped in at short. He’s played there so I had total confidence in him but he had not had any reps there this spring. He had worked at third and second base but when I got the text from Maxx, it was a no-brainer. He hit second in between Eric and Brady (Ericson), he was 1-for-2 and his out was a line drive to left field. He’s swinging one of the best bats on the team and he also played a flawless shortstop,” Elliott said.
Keon Lamarche added a run-scoring double and Brady Lecuyer had an RBI groundout, giving the Centaurs a 4-0 lead going into the fourth.
Lecuyer got his second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Mathewson made it 7-0 in the sixth with a two-run double.
Boys’ Lacrosse
Not an easy opener. The boys’ lacrosse team knew it had its hands full on Saturday in its season opener.
The Centaurs hosted perennial ECC power, East Lyme, and the Vikings left little doubt that they will again be the team to beat in Div. I with a 19-2 win over Woodstock.
East Lyme broke out to a 4-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and extended that to 11-1 by halftime.
Senior Lucas Theriaque had the only goal off a Keegan Covello assist in the first half.
The Vikings added eight more goals in the second half with junior Gunnar Basak getting the only other tally for the Centaurs in the closing seconds.
Jack Campbell scored seven times and added four assists for East Lyme while Gabe Hanney and Drew Sager each finished with five goals and four assists.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
Senior Henry Wotton (3) passes the ball to a teammate as East Lyme’s Gabe Hanney prepares to defend.
David Genay brings the ball downfield Saturday in the Centaurs boys’ lacrosse opener vs. East Lyme. Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
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