By Chris Paul
After opening the season with three losses, the Londonderry High School baseball squad went on a nine-game winning streak, finishing with a 2-0 shutout of the previously undefeated Pinkerton Astros.
The Lancers started the month of May with three more wins, a close one in Nashua against BG, a wide-margin victory over the Titans at home, then a 2-0 thriller at home against Pinkerton Academy.
The Lancers week began in Nashua, against Bishop Guertin, where LHS was able to outlast the Cardinals 3-2 behind strong pitching performances by Mike Crowley and Kevin Rourke.
Crowley pitched five innings and Rourke got the win pitching two. They combined for 11 strikeouts and just four hits.
Londonderry’s runs were driven in by sophomore Owen Carey, and a sac fly by Tyler Miles in the second inning. The deciding run was scored by Jack Marshall running from third on a pass ball in the sixth inning after BG tied the game in the fifth.
The next day, LHS hosted Nashua North, where the Lancers combined for six hits for an 8-1 win over the Titans.
Adam Wholley and Jayden Hamilton combined efforts on the mound with Wholley getting the start and the win. Wholley gave up just three hits in four innings while Hamilton pitched for three hitless innings.
Londonderry scored once in the first and four, twice in the second and four times in the third for the lopsided win.
Marshall, Brett McKinnon, Miles, Carey, Liam Stott and Hamilton all had hits, with Marshall getting a triple.
The Lancer crew made it nine in a row on Friday afternoon at home when they spoiled the Astros attempt at a perfect season, handing them their first loss with a two-run win.
Junior righty Connor Fennell pitched a complete game, striking out five batters and giving up just four hits and one walk.
The two LHS runs were scored in the fourth inning after two walks put men on first and second and Carey delivered a hard single to center scoring Johan Pena.
The second run was scored by Marshall on an error by the PA catcher throwing to third.
Pinkerton only had two chances at scoring, once in the fourth when Jackson Marshall was stranded on third after a lead off double. Then in the top of the final inning with two men on and two out with two strikes on the PA batter.
Lancer centerfielder Jack Marshall made two outstanding grabs to save base runners in the game. One, to end the third inning with an outstanding effort running to left field with a diving catch and the other with a ball hit over his head in the fifth.