By Chris Paul
After going 6-2-1 to start the summer American Legion Senior Baseball season, Post 27 dropped three straight to start the month of July, but sure handed pitcher, Kevin Rourke, stopped that trend with a no-hitter on Saturday, July 8, in Derry against Post 7.
The Post 27 squad finished the month of June with a 6-10 loss to Post 6 of Portsmouth, and a close 4-2 victory over Exeter’s Post 32 despite being out hit five to six.
Following that, the Londonderry squad took four days off from playing games over the holiday and resumed on Wednesday, July 5, in Derry, falling 3-2 to Post 7, despite some strong pitching by Liam Stott and Ryan Williams.
Williams was saddled with the loss allowing three runs on nine hits and two walks, in five and two-third innings, while striking out seven.
Post 27 took the first lead of the game with a Brady Anderson two-out single to drive in the first run.
Derry came back with one in the third and two in the fifth to lead Londonderry 3-1 and Post 27 could only get one back in the final inning.
The following day, at the seacoast, playing a double-header against Portsmouth’s Post 6, Post 27 came up one run shy in the first game and dropped a 2-1 decision in the first game then fell 3-1 in the second game for their third straight loss.
The only runs in the first game were scored in the sixth inning. Anderson crossed the plate for Londonderry on an infield error to the shortstop with two outs.
Portsmouth came back in the bottom of the inning with two walks, a double, and a single to score two.
Joey Cafaro struck out 10 batters, walked three, and gave up three hits in the game for Post 27 and suffered the loss.
Post 27 had just two hits and struck out seven times.
In game two, both teams had one run each in the first inning, but Post 6 added one in the fourth and another in the fifth for the two-run victory.
Jayden Hamilton pitched the entire game and was issues the loss with five strikeouts, two walks two and allowing just five hits.
The Post 27 squad snapped out of their short, three-game losing streak with a strong pitching performance by Rouke and some solid hitting by Jack Marshall in the first game of a double header against Post 7, in Rochester, on what was a pretty hot and humid day.
Rourke pitched a no-hitter for the 9-1 win, striking out 12 batters and walking just two in the game. The only run given up by Londonderry was in the fourth, on a steal from third with two out.
Centerfielder, Marshall, had three hits, an RBI, and two runs to help with the offense. Williams had two hits and an RBI.
The bats stayed hot in the second game of the double-header with Londonderry scoring 12 times on 13 hits and allowed just one run for a 12-1 victory to finish the week at 8-5-1.
Post 27 catcher, Drew Heenan, and Stott both had standout games in the batters box. Heenan had three hits with three runs and two RBIs on four at bats, while Stott went 3-3 with three RBIs and three runs.
Left fielder, Colin Parent, had two doubles and drove in three runs in the 11-run victory.
The team has just five games left in their summer season before starting the playoffs.