North End Wins Final Regular Season Game 4-3

It’s the playoffs for the North End All Star team that finished the Suburban League with a 6-4 regular season record, good enough to be the number 2, 3 or 4 seed from their region.

The North End avenged an early loss to Braintree and bounced back with a 4-3 win.

Braintree scored in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit taking a 1-0 lead.

In the 3rd, Owen Locke collected the All Stars first hit of the game, a sharp single to right with one out. Locke was erased at second on a ground ball fielder’s choice off the bat of Lorenzo Pantaleo. Pantaleo stole second and when the throw hit him on the leg he moved over to third and scored on a single by Nate Wolf tying the game at 1-1.

Andrew Olivo was hit by a pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 4th and he managed to score on a ground ball between first and second by Vince Coppola. Coppola reached first but  the Braintree first baseman threw the ball away trying to get Olivo at third and Coppola scored giving the hometown a 2-1 lead.

Braintree took a 3-2 lead with two outs and runners on second and third on a pop-up that dropped in.

Pantaleo tied the game leading off the 5th with a long homer to center field on a 3-2 pitch.

Olivo led off the 6th with a double, moved to third on a Coppola groundout and scored the game winning run on a sharp single by Tim Martin through a drawn-in infield sending the North End team into the playoffs.

Pitching and defense were the key elements in the win. Coppola, Olivo, Pantaleo and Bayard Eton all contributed.

Pantaleo hurled three innings, Martin pitched two and Thomas Marchi was on the mound for one inning.

Bilikas hurls perfect game/Dodgers win 4-0

The undefeated Senior North End Dodgers opened their quest for the RBI League Championship with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Pirates in a best of three game series.

The big story of the game was Dodgers ace pitcher Greg Bilikas who threw a perfect game striking out 17 batters along the way.

Bilikas struck out the first 10 batters he faced and got all the runs he would need when PK Baez launched a long home run over the left center field fence.

The game remained at 1-0 until the 5th when the Dodgers scratched out a two out run. Ryan Carvalho walked and stole second. He scored on a fly ball off the bat of Ricky Martignetti.

The Dodgers added two more runs in the bottom of the 6th. Bilikas doubled, reached third on a groundout and stole home and a 3-0 lead.

Ricky Martignetti walked and stole second and third and scored on a pass ball for a final 4-0 victory.

His blazing fastball and a knee-buckling curve allowed Bilikas to baffle Pirate hitters all night long.

Bilikas was the first Dodgers pitcher to hurl a perfect game with 7 innings on the mound, no hits, no walks, 17 strikeouts and 4 infield groundouts.

Senior Dodgers march into finals

The North End Senior Dodgers trounced the Mission Hill Pirates 11-1 placing them into the championship round with a two game sweep of their opponent.

Peter Renda hurled four strong innings and Mike Martignetti closed out the game striking out two Pirate batters in his one inning of relief.

Renda struck out five batters while allowing only one run.

Frank Iudiciani sparked the explosive Dodgers hitting attack with 2 hits and 6 RBIs including a grand slam during a 7 run third inning.

Vin Lopriore contributed with 2 hits and a run scored for the undefeated North End team. Ryan Carvalho, Mike Martignetti and Greg Bilikas scored two runs each.

The Dodgers will face the Jamaica Plain Angels in a best of three series starting tomorrow Wednesday, August 3.

“There should be some great baseball played in this series,” Coach Ralph Martignetti said.