This summer, new Londonderry High School graduate Travis Peabody had his mind set on his first semester as a Northeastern University freshman – which will be spent in Dublin, Ireland – and not on playing American Legion baseball. The LHS baseball standout, who will be studying mechanical engineering at Northeastern but beginning his college career in a sister program in the city of Dublin, was initially intent on preparing himself for that exciting trip and not on playing Legion baseball this year. However, after giving the matter some intensive thought the talented right-handed pitcher changed his mind and joined the Londonderry Post 27 Senior Legion squad four games into its 2018 season last week.
And having Peabody available paid immediate dividends for head coach.
Brian Meskell and his 1-3 contingent, with Peabody toeing the pitching rubber for a home game against Exeter Post 32 last Friday afternoon, June 22, and putting forth a strong performance in a 3-1 edging of that visiting opponent.
Peabody held Exeter to a paltry four hits and that lone run in the top half of the seventh inning while striking out three batters and walking three in a solid, commanding effort.
“This was our second, really strong, complete-game performance in a row,” said coach Meskell. “Dakota (Johnson) was really good in the win the other night.”
After starting their new campaign with consecutive losses to Portsmouth on June 16 and Rochester in a double-header the next day, the locals got the two strong pitching efforts from Johnson and Peabody in going from winless to 2-3. Johnson twirled a beauty against Dover on Tuesday night, June 19 in Londonderry.
Londonderry was out-hit by its guest in the 3-1 victory over Exeter, with the hosts only managing three hits. But their ability to steal bases on the weak arm of the Exeter catcher and the visiting team’s defensive miscues played a big part in Londonderry’s success.
Post 27 ended up scoring all the runs it would need in the bottom of the third inning when Pat Rauseo knocked a one-out single and scored on a RBI double by Johnson. And Nate Sullivan drove Johnson in a few moments later with a single.
Sullivan wound up standing in scoring position at third base shortly thereafter, but both he and teammate Xander LaPLante were put out on a run-down play when LaPlante drew a walk and sprinted right around first base toward second in an attempt to get Sullivan home from third.
That kind of aggressive base-running will be a hallmark of the Londonderry Senior Legion squad’s game this summer as it isn’t blessed with a whole lot of punch in its offense.
“We’re a little bit offensively-challenged this year, so we’re going to do a lot of running. We may run into some outs, but we’re going to keep on running,” said coach Meskell with a grin.
And it was running which helped the locals to their third run and a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning in the Exeter contest, with Jake Bolduc drawing a walk, stealing second base, reaching third on an error, and sprinting home on a wild-pitch. Londonderry didn’t manage a hit in that frame, but got a valuable insurance run none the less.
Exeter got the bases loaded with one out in the top of the seventh, but Londonderry pitcher Peabody bore down and got a fielder’s choice – which scored the lone Post 32 run – and then a strikeout to end the game. The visiting side had the tying run on base but never got it around.
The aforementioned Peabody, Johnson (pitcher/infielder), Sullivan (shortstop/pitcher), LaPlante (catcher/first baseman), and Bolduc (infielder) are all Londonderry High grads, while pitcher/outfielder Rauseo is an Alvire High School graduate.
The rest of the 2018 roster includes Londonderry residents Marc Brickley (1B/P), Sean Cavanaugh (infield), Jack Dingman (catcher/ infield), Tyler Kayo (infield/ catcher), Matt Minton (versatile), Andy Ross (OF/P), and Ethan Sullivan (versatile).
Other players from Alvirne – recently graduated or still attending – include catcher/first baseman Justin Broussard, outfielder/pitcher Hayden Callery, and pitcher/outfielder Nathan Walker. Filling out the roster are recent Pinkerton Academy grad Kyle Gillen (OF), and recent Hollis-Brookline High grad and outfielder Tyler MacDormand.