WILMINGTON, MA — The WHS Varsity Baseball team defeated Burlington High, 8-5, at Shawsheen Tech on Friday, May 19. With the win, the Wildcats clinched a perfect season against Freedom Division teams.
After letting up 3 runs in the first inning thanks to two errors, Wilmington starter Dan Gracia settled down to pitch 6 innings, surrendering 8 hits and 5 runs (2 earned), while striking out 5 and walking 3. Closer Graham Smith pitched a scoreless inning in relief, picking up his second save of the season.
Wilmington scored one run in the third inning after Dan Gracia walked and ultimately scored on a wild pitch and throwing error. The Wildcats would take the lead in the top of the 5th inning, sending 10 men to the plate and scoring 6 times on 4 hits and 3 Burlington errors. A Gavin Kelsey single scored Dan Gracia. A Chris Grecco pinch hit single scored Carl Beatrice. A Tom Worob sac fly scored Kelsey. Grecco scored on a wild pitch. A Jared Aucoin single scored Matt Rideout and Graham Smith. The Wildcats also got a run in the 6th inning after Rob Ducharme and Graham Smith completed a successful double steal of second base and home plate.
Defensively, Graham Smith threw out 2 Burlington runners at second base from center field.
The team’s 7-game winning streak was snapped on Sunday, May 21, with a 10-3 loss to Reading High in Reading. (The game was started on May 8, but suspended in the 2nd inning after a Reading player suffered an injury.)
Wilmington was down 3-0 at the restart and could never get out of the box. Tom Worob (4-4, run scored) led the offense for the Wildcats. Rob Ducharme (double, 2 BB, run scored) also had a good day at the plate. Matt Rideout, Graham Smith, and David Woods all contributed with a hit of their own.
Starter Chris Grecco suffered his first loss of the season without even throwing a pitch. He originally started the game on May 8, but was unable to pitch on May 21 as a result of his start against Stoneham earlier in the week.
NEXT UP: The Wildcats (13-4) next play Tewksbury on Tuesday, May 23 at 3:45pm at Scanlon Field.
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