High School Sports Roundup: Tennis Snaps 17-Game Winless Streak; Baseball Beat in Extras

Thanks to a late afternoon win at No. 4 singles by sophomore Dan Stern-Lonczak, and strong performances from No. 3 singles and its doubles teams, the Narragansett High School boys’ tennis team ended a 17-game losing streak, beating Coventry Thursday afternoon at Sprague Park.

Narragansett coach Russell Wyatt had a single exclamation for the victory – “Yes!” he said, raising his arms in the air, laughing a bit, as he was asked for comment after the match.

Wyatt said his team didn’t give up and battled from behind for their first win in two years.

Narragansett (1-3, 1-3 Division III-South) doesn’t have enough players to field a No. 3 doubles team, and automatically conceded that point to Coventry. When Stern-Lonczak took the court, his team was down 3-0, thanks to wins by Coventry at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.

After a set, things did look bleak for the Mariners. Coventry junior Geoffrey Bean easily won the first set 6-0.

However, Wyatt said he knew Stern-Lonczak could play better, describing him as a gritty, competitive kid. After a quick chat to calm him down, the sophomore broke Bean in the second set, using a nice backhand slice to take the second 6-4.

Stern-Lonczak went up 3-0 in the third set, en route to a 6-1 victory that clinched the match for Narragansett.

Coventry coach Tiffany Risch said that despite the loss, Bean is playing well in his first year on the varsity.

“I thought he hung in there really well,” she said. “He’s still learning the game.”

The match win was possible thanks to a good overall performance by the Mariners. While none of their performances were dominant, Wyatt said all of his players battled to earn the four points for the win.

• At No. 3 singles, David Menzies defeated Matt Haley 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.
• At No. 1 doubles, Connor Sheridan and Jacob Desforges defeated Zach Williams and David Brodeur 6-3, 6-2.
• At No. 2 doubles, Brian Chausse and Stephen Fitzpatrick defeated Joe Sacchetti and Jennifer Green 7-5, 6-2.

Wyatt called Chausse’s work at No. 2 doubles “outstanding,” noting that the junior really had to put the team on his back, since the freshman Fitzpatrick is still learning the game.

“I told him [Fitzpatrick] to just go out there and play, because Brian is playing really well,” Wyatt said.

Coventry (0-2, 0-2 Division III-South) won its only two matches with convincing performances at No. 1 and No. 2 singles.

• At No. 1 singles, Scott Botelho defeated Michael Cournoyer 6-0, 6-0.
• At No. 2 singles, Richard Sharkey defeated Daniel LaBove 6-1, 6-4.

Risch said her team looks to Botelho and Sharkey for leadership, since the rest have limited experience playing tennis.

“In our last match against Mt. Hope, [Botelho] played real well,” she said, adding that Sharkey “held it together well” against LaBove in the second set.

Eight players on Coventry are new to varsity, including one freshman and two girls – Green and sophomore Karina Gustafson – who ran cross-country in the fall. Per RIIL regulations, girls are allowed to tryout and play boys’ tennis, as long as they didn’t play girls’ tennis in the fall.

Both teams traditionally struggle fielding a competitive tennis team because of a smaller school size, and competition for athletes with other sports.

Wyatt said he’s still looking for players – Right now, Narragansett automatically starts each match down 1-0 because they do not have a No. 3 doubles.

Thursday’s win snapped a long losing streak for the Mariners, according to records maintained at Rhode Island High School Sports.

Narragansett lost their first three matches this year, all 13 games in 2010, and lost in the semifinals of the Division III playoffs to Portsmouth in 2009. Their last win was in the Division III playoff quaterfinals against Pilgrim in 2009.

Coventry’s program has also struggled in the past, although the team did finish 10-3 in Division IV play last year. However, it was the only winning season of the 2000s for the Oakers. Coventry averaged a 2-12 finish during the nine seasons from 2000 to 2009.

Narragansett doesn’t have any matches during April vacation, so Wyatt was looking forward to a week of uninterrupted practice.

In contrast, Coventry has a chance to bounce back quickly. They play Monday at West Warwick (1-0 Division III-South), and host Tiverton (0-2 Division III-South) on Tuesday.

Baseball Loses to Mt. Hope in Eight Innings

The Mariners’ baseball team fought back to tie the Mt. Hope Huskies in the bottom of the seventh inning, but ultimately fell in the eighth, 7-5.

Narragansett (2-3, 1-3 Division II-South) struggled defensively early in the game, as an error led to three unearned runs for starting pitcher Julien Nelson. The right-hander kept the Mariners in the game though, limiting Mt. Hope to four runs in seven innings and stroking a two-run homer.

Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh, the Mariners used patience at the plate and a little luck on the base paths to tie the game up and force extra innings with the Huskies (1-2, 2-2 Division II-South).

Senior Brad Loomis drew a walk on four pitches. Senior Kiernan Kenny came in as a pinch runner.

Kenny took a long lead off first base, but he froze on a pick-off attempt from the Mt. Hope pitcher. However, the throw was low and skidded under the first baseman’s glove, and Kenny moved up to second.

At the plate, Nelson worked the pitcher into a full count, and then walked on a wild pitch. Kiernan moved to third on the play.

Junior Frank Castrovillari almost ended the game on the next pitch, crushing a fastball out to the left field fence. However, the ball died in the cool spring air, and the center fielder was able to make the catch. Kenny tagged up and scored on the play, knotting the score at 4-4..

Senior Billy Byrne and sophomore Jimmy Kershaw reached on a hit-by-pitch and walk, respectively, to load the bases up. However, sophomore Zachary McKanna got just a bit under an 0-1 fastball and flew out to center field, ending the Mariner rally.

In the top of the eighth, Nelson quickly retired the first two batters, but then struggled with his control.

He issued three straight walks to load up the bases, and then gave up a line drive double over the left fielder’s head that plated three runs. McKanna came in and got the last out of the inning on a groundball to short.

In the bottom of the eighth and with one out, junior Jared Baptista seemed to strike out, but ran the play out to first after he thought the catcher dropped the ball. Despite a protest from Mt. Hope, umpires ruled him safe.

Baptista moved up to second on a groundout by senior Pat Stone, and scored on a hit by Loomis, a little flare into left field just past the shortstop.

Loomis moved to second on a groundball single to left by Nelson, who represented the tying run. However, Castrovillari hit a sharp grounder to second that was fielded cleanly to end the game.

The Mariners play at noon Monday at East Greenwich High School, during April vacation. It is a crossover game for the Division I Avengers, who are 3-0 overall and in Division I-South play.

Other Spring Sports

All information provided by the RIIL website.

• Softball is 1-1 in Division II-South play and overall, following an 8-2 drubbing of Rogers last week. The Mariners host South Kingstown (1-2, 1-2 Division II-South) today at 3:30 p.m.
• The girls’ lacrosse team looks to remain undefeated in early season play, as they travel to Tiverton (1-0, 1-0 Division II-South) for a 5:15 p.m. game today. Narragansett is 2-0 overall and in Division II-South play, thanks to wins over Chariho on April 8 and Pilgrim on April 6.
• After two Southern Division meets, the boys’ track team is 1-4. The Mariners outpointed Prout 82-63 at South Kingstown High School on April 11, but lost 96-57 to South Kingstown. At Chariho on April 6, the Mariners lost 87-47 to East Greenwich, 83-55 to Prout and 71-51 to Westerly. The team competed in an Injury Fund meet at Classical Thursday. The Mariners are scheduled for another dual meet at Chariho on Monday, April 25 against the hosting Chargers, Coventry and Prout.
• Also after two Southern Division track meets, the girls’ team is 2-4. On April 11, the girls’ beat Prout 74-67, but lost to South Kingstown 112-27 and West Warwick 89-64. On April 6, the girls’ again beat Prout 58-57, but lost to Westerly 86-36 and East Greenwich 90-43. The girls also compete at Chariho on April 25 against the hosting Chargers, Coventry and Prout.
• The boys’ lacrosse game scheduled with Scituate on Wednesday was rained out; a make-up date has not been announced yet. The Mariners (1-4, 1-2 Division III) beat Toll Gate (1-1, 1-1 Division III) on Tuesday, and next play at Warwick Vets (1-0, 1-0 Division III) 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.
• Golf played their season-opening exhibition Injury Fund tournament at Richmond County Club, the home course for Chariho High School, on April 12. Their first league match is Wednesday, April 27 at .