All-Stars Square Off in Cross-Town Battle

There was one sure thing going into the District 14 semifinals in the 10-year-old little league pool, a team from North Andover was going to advance to the final best-of-three series. The North Andover East All-Stars shut down the visiting West on the arm of Jake McElroy 9-2, Tuesday, July 5 at Sharpner’s Pond.

McElroy fanned 10 batters and surrendered three hits and two runs in four innings pitched.  He finished strong by striking out the side in order in the top half of the fourth.

After a quick out, the West had two batters reach early in the first frame, with Justin Connelly drawing a walk and Danny Albrecht getting hit by an erred McElroy pitch. But opposing pitcher Matt Remle was unlucky in helping out his own cause, grounding a ball into Albrecht, who was called out. McElroy bounced back with his second K.

The East tapped Remle for three runs in the bottom of the first, all with two outs. Sebastian Keane got things rolling by legging out an infield hit then stealing second base. Joe Quinlin drove in Keane with a base hit of his own, and one pitch later, Jack Anthony smoked an RBI double to right-center field. Two batters later, Anthony scored on a Matt Agri infield hit to put up the third run.

The East All-Stars added three more runs in the bottom of the second with runners coming home on three separate passed balls to take a commanding 6-0 lead after only two trips to the dish.

McElroy looked to be headed into cruise control in the top of the third, striking out the first two West batters for four-straight K’s. West battled back its second time through the order, however, with two consecutive base hits from Connelly and Albrecht. Both runners advanced into scoring position on a passed ball before Remle took care of business at the plate, knocking in both runners to cut the lead to 6-2. But that was all the West All-Stars were able to score.

With two away and the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Keane knocked in two more runs to put the East back up by six, 8-2.

Mike Halloran relieved Remle in the bottom of the fourth and struck out two East batters, who were caught looking, to end the frame.

Keane relieved McElroy for the top half of the fifth, striking out two and walking one. Tom Finn scored the ninth and final run for the East in the bottom of the fifth on another RBI base hit for Quinlin.

Keane put one away for his third strikeout before yielding to Agri, who retired the rest of the side in order in the top of the sixth. Keane went 1.1 innings with three K’s, two walks, and no hits, while going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI’s and an intentional walk. Quinlin went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI’s.

Remle had one hit in two trips with two walks and two runs batted in for the West All-Stars.

The North Andover East All-Stars advance to the District 14 finals of the 10-year-old pool.