STATE CHAMPIONS: North Andover 10's Crush Parkway for State Title

For the second time in four days, the North Andover East squad of 10 year-olds beat Parkway American, the defending state champions.

This time around, the stakes were a lot higher, and the score looked a lot different, but the result was the same.

North Andover pummeled the West Roxbury All-Star team and won the State Championship in Saugus yesterday evening.

Fueled by starter Jack McElroy’s four solid innings of pitching along with some patient and timely hitting, North Andover East won 12-2.

The mercy rule was put into effect in the fifth inning.

“We hit all day,” said North Andover East head coach Mike Valentino.

East set the tone early. Tom Finn and Jake McElroy started the game off with base hits and each of them ended up stealing home on a wild pitch. It was 2-0 after half an inning.

“We kind of stole two early,” Valentino said.

In the bottom half of the first frame, Jake McElroy struck out the side on 19 pitches.

“Jake did it on both sides,” said Valentino. “McElroy pitched great today,” he said.

North Andover East pushed four runs across in the top of the third. Matt Agri hit a clutch two out single with the bases loaded to make it 4-0.

Joe Quinlan and Agri would each score on individual wild pitches making it 6-0.

The top of the fourth saw North Andover East bust this one wide open. Jake McElroy ripped an RBI single scoring Tom Finn, and ripped a two run double making it 9-1.

Parkway American starter Connor Birch completely lost his control after that as he hit both Joe Valentino and Dan Packard with the bases loaded to make it 11-1.

With their backs against the wall, Parkway American pushed a run across to make it 11-2 in the bottom of the fourth which saved them from the mercy rule.

The top of the fifth saw North Andover East get that run back as Jack Anthony hit an RBI single to make it 12-2 and put North Andover back up by ten.

Joe Phinney came in to pitch the fifth inning. He picked up a strikeout followed by a ground ball to shortstop .

On the final play of the game, Phinney got the batter to ground out to Keane once again and the team began their celebration on the infield diamond.

After receiving commemorative pins, the state champions posed with the state championship banner and took a victory lap around Grabowski Field.

North Andover East now moves on to the Regional Tournament where they will face other state champions.

The tourney will be held in Cranston, Rhode Island and it begins on Saturday, August 8.

Return to Patch tomorrow to see full video highlights of the game. You’ll see the victory lap, all the key plays, and of course, the mob that celebrated the state championship on the infield.