Connaughton’s No-Hitter Strikes Home

Pardon Pat Connaughton if he disputes Thomas Wolfe's dictum that you can't go home again. The Notre Dame-bound senior pitcher, an Arlington resident, did precisely that Monday morning when he fired a no-hitter against his hometown high school, leading to a 5-0 win against the Spy Ponders.

Connaughton – in his first start back from an ankle injury – struck out 14, walked only two and didn't allow a single ball out of the infield, leading coach Pat Yanchus to say the performance “ranks as his best without a ball [being] hit to the outfield.”

Yanchus cited shortstop Justin Peluso for making several good plays while anchoring the Prep's defense. Tyler Coppola and Dillon Gonzales delivered two hits apiece while Gonzales, Joe Kirpas and Zach Sklar drove in runs.

St. John's (7-1 overall) kicked off a productive vacation week last Saturday with a 12-5 win at Everett. Ryan Pantaleo picked up his first varsity win, working five innings and allowing only two hits. Sean Patrikas (3-for-3) belted a two-run homer and drove in three runs while Anthony Capuano contributed three hits and three RBI and Gonzales had two hits and two RBI.

The Eagles also swept a doubleheader from Hopkinton on Tuesday (11-6, 5-4) and resume Catholic Conference action Monday afternoon at home against Malden Catholic (4 p.m.).

TRACK turned in a solid performance at last Saturday's Haverhill Invitational with Sean Enos (discus, 150-0), Bryan Browne (200, 23.2) and the 4x100 relay team of Luis Soto, Nick Pesaturo, Gerald Kahari and Browne (45.6) all finishing first. The Eagles are at home against Catholic Memorial next Wednesday (4 p.m.).

LACROSSE on Monday, 18-8, but suffered its third one-goal loss of the season against Walpole on Thursday, 12-11. The defending Division 1 State Champs, now 2-4, take on Lexington tomorrow morning at home (11 a.m.), followed by games against St. John's of Shrewsbury and Duxbury next week.

VOLLEYBALL shut out Catholic Memorial on Wednesday, 3-0, to improve to 5-2. The Eagles face Central Catholic on Monday.

The undefeated TENNIS team (3-0) had no matches scheduled during vacation and returns to the courts Tuesday at Catholic Memorial.

According to coach Ken Rawson, the BOYS’ TENNIS team is off to its “best start in at least five years” and now stands at 5-1 (2-1 league) following Thursday's 3-2 win against Beverly. Danvers' lone loss came at the hands of Marblehead, 3-2.

The Falcons have taken flight behind the play of freshman Nick Lisichenok, who was undefeated through six matches and played first singles for the first time in the win against Beverly. Danvers was taking on Salem in a non-league match today and has home dates against Swampscott, Cambridge Rindge & Latin and Malden Catholic on Monday, Tuesday and Friday of next week.

GIRLS’ TENNIS split its two most recent matches, shutting out Saugus, 5-0, and losing to Peabody, 4-1.

The Falcons didn't yield a set against Saugus. Singles winners were No. 1 Becca Sands (6-0, 6-1), No. 2 Rachel Ziner (6-0, 6-1) and No. 3 Emily Hodgkins (6-2, 6-4) while the tandems of Mary Kate Grace and Kristen Kulakowski (6-1, 6-2) and Rebecca Hayden and Danielle Comb (6-2, 6-1) prevailed in doubles. Paige Clarizia, playing at No. 2 singles, picked up the lone point in the loss to Peabody, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).

Danvers' scheduled match against Beverly on April 20 was rained out and will be made up on Tuesday at . The Falcons play at Swampscott on Monday.

SOFTBALL stands at 2-2. The Falcons opened the season with wins against and Winthrop but have suffered consecutive one-run losses against (8-7) and Saugus (3-2). Danvers has a non-league game at Concord-Carlisle tomorrow (1 p.m.) and returns home to face Gloucester Monday (4).

BASEBALL is now 6-1 after winning three of four vacation week contests. The Falcons edged Winthrop (8-6) and claimed an in-season tournament at David Prouty High School in Spencer with wins against Worcester South (15-5) and the hosts (5-1). The Falcons on Wednesday, 3-2, in 11 innings. Danvers visits Gloucester Monday at 4.

BOYS’ LACROSSE fell to Waltham Thursday, 7-3, and had home contests against Wakefield today at 11 and against Beverly Monday at 4.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE fell to 2-2 for the season with a loss to North Andover, 15-5, at home on Tuesday. The Lady Falcons played Swampscott on Thursday and host Pentucket Regional High School on Saturday (10 a.m.). They then play in Beverly on Tuesday (10 a.m.).

GIRLS TRACK overwhelmed Saugus Wednesday, 100-33, to improve to 2-1 and returns to action next Wednesday at Swampscott.