MASHPEE – Described by some as “crafty” in an “old-school” way, Mashpee High’s ace southpaw Jason Demers kept the visiting Monomoy Sharks off-balance until his Falcons could put the winning across in walk-off fashion in the 10th inning.
Demers went 10 innings – needing only 125 pitches – and struck out 15 in a herculean effort on the hill that may not soon be forgotten. He walked just one – intentionally – and allowed one earned run on six hits.
St. John Paul II’s Blake Waters takes off running from second base at Lowell Park in Tuesday’s 15-4 tilt over Sturgis East.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports
Demers got his victory courtesy of a Dan Crowley bases-loaded rip to first base in the bottom of the 10th inning that plated Nick Carpenter.
Deadlocked at 1-1 going into the 10th, Carpenter started things off with a double to deep leftfield and was then moved to third on an Alex Morry ground out. Monomoy then intentionally walked the next two batters in a cat-and-mouse managerial chess match before Crowley stepped in for the one-out, walk-off rip.
The thrilling win put the Falcons at 5-4 on the season while the Monomoy Sharks fell to 3-4.
Monomoy’s Dave Nichols went nine-plus innings and struck out eight Falcons in what amounted to a terrific, early May high school pitchers’ duel. Nichols’ control was equally as masterful as his opponent Demers, as the Shark ace walked one and allowed just one earned run on nine hits.
Mashpee hopes to ride the wave of momentum when it hits the road for Rockland on Thursday at 4:00 pm. Monomoy hopes to get back on track when it heads to Hull on Thursday for a South Shore League contest at 4:00 pm.
St. John Paul II – 15
Sturgis East – 4
Engaged in a well-pitched, 6-4 ball game after four innings at Lowell Park, it was as if someone flipped a switch on St. John Paul Ii starting pitcher Kevin Marsh and in like fashion turned on the Lions’ bats.
St. John Paul II’s Kevin Marsh struck out 10 in a complete-game effort versus Sturgis East Tuesday.
Sean Walsh/Capecod.com Sports Photos
Marsh – who went the distance for the win with 10 strikeouts – turned in his best effort in the fifth and sixth frames, striking out five consecutive Sturgis East batters while his teammates decided to erupt for seven runs in the sixth.
The seven-run knocked starting Storm pitcher Jared Joy out of the game and he would ultimately take the loss but up until the sixth inning the game had been a back-and-forth, tightly knit affair.
Marsh walked only two and scattered six hits in his seven-inning workout.
Eric Del Rosso went 3-5 to pace the hard-hitting Lions to a 13-hit bombardment as Joy ran out of steam and the depleted Storm pitching staff could not garner a reprieve.
Senior Matt Santos and sophomore Bobby Higgins each collected a pair of hits for the visitors, as did Joe Oriola.
Sturgis East’s Cooper Gavin – who played brilliantly at first base – went 2-3 with two RBI for the Storm with a double. Evan Taubert also played well at the hot corner for the Storm.
St. John Paul II (8-0) heads to Cape Cod Academy Thursday for a 4:00 pm match-up.
Sturgis East (5-6) returns to action Saturday at Sacred Heart in Kingston.
— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm
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