By Kameron Towle
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SUNAPEE – The No. 3 Lakers made quick work of No. 14 Groveton, winning 18-0 on Thursday in their opening game of the D-IV baseball playoffs.
Sunapee scored 4 runs in the first, 7 in the second, and 7 in the third, all while pitchers Gabe Hastings, Harper Flint, and Quinn Fair combined for a complete-game one-hitter.
The offense was on the base paths all evening while the defense kept the Eagles off the bases, and that makes head coach Tom Frederick happy.
“Overall I think we did a good job hitting wise and the kids were aggressive on the bases,” he said after the game. “Our pitchers pitched well. They were ahead in the count for most of the day and dictated the game for us… and we had really good energy.”
Jackson Cooney, Lane Smith, and Sean Moynihan led the Lakers’ offense with 2 RBIs each. Both Cooney and Darren Hulton recorded highlight plays in the field for Sunapee.
With one out in the first, a screaming hopper was hit between the two in the left side of the infield. Hulton lunged to his left from his third base spot, scooped up the ball off a short hop, set his feet and delivered the ball to first for the out.
In the top of the fifth, a slow roller was hit to the left of the pitcher’s mound, and after not seeing much action all day, the sophomore Cooney was still ready. Darting forwards to the ball from shortstop, Cooney bare-handed it and threw it to first in one motion. Flint at first made a nice stretch to narrowly beat the runner.
Frederick’s Lakers have been in the state title game five times this decade, having won three titles. Their quest to get back to the top of the state continues on Saturday as they host Portsmouth Christian Academy at 4 p.m.
No. 11 PCA upset No.6 Moultonborough 5-3 on Thursday.
“We’re looking forward to more baseball,” said coach Frederick.
The Lakers will be practicing tomorrow on their home field for just the third time this spring due to water damage as they prep for Saturday’s game.
LAKERS’ OFFENSE
Sean Shisko: 2 singles, RBI; Matt Nangeroni: 1 single, RBI; Darren Hulton: 1 single, 2 walks, RBI; Harper Flint: 1 single, 2 walks, RBI; Jackson Cooney: 2 singles, 2 RBIs. Jordan Chappelle: 2 singles, RBI, HBP; Lane Smith: 2 singles, 2 RBIs, 1 walk; Austin Davis: 1 walk, RBI; Drew Nichols: 1 walk, RBI; Sean Moynihan: 1 single, 2 RBIs.
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