By Ralph Martignetti
Opening day for the North End Athletic Association (NEAA) 2019 Baseball season featured two competitive games, a 3-3 extra innings and a 5-4 comeback win.
The two major league games featured the defending 2018 Champions, the Regional Review Cubs versus the Tomasone Tigers.
The trio of the Tigers, Richard Wells, Max Haskell and William Previte combined for a pitching gem.
They were matched by Cubs pitcher Max Howard and Ryan McHugh.
In the second game, the Indians rallied from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Cardinals 5-4.
The Indians got three innings of lights out pitching from Alessandro Parisi and a clutch hit by Michael Murphy.
Adam Whitney and Desmond O’Hearn contributed strongly on the mound for the Indians.
Dom Grover made the play of the game saving the victory for the Indians.
The Cardinals were led by Jo Jo Brienze who belted his first two homeruns of the season and solid pitching from Anthony Sapienza, Matt Griffin and Alex Puopolo.
Brienze is expected to take a run at the all-time homerun record of 11 set in 1974 by Pasquale Russolillio.