Game 19 Reading 2 Hingham 1 In the first round of the Reading Baseball Alumni Tournament held at Morton Field, Reading rallied with two runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to defeat a strong Hingham team, 2-1. Garrett Colantino pitched brilliantly, limiting Hingham to six hits and no earned runs. He was aided by a couple of big defensive plays: with Hingham ahead 1-0 with a runner on 3rd, first baseman Sean O'Neill fielded a ground ball and fired to catcher Derek Galante who tagged out the runner. In the next inning, Hingham had a runner on first when a batter launched a deep drive to right center. Right fielder Ryan Wynns chased it down and made a running catch. Then he made a throw to the infield to double off the runner. So Reading still trailed, 1-0, in the bottom of the sixth when, with one out, Liam Kenneally walked and advanced to 3rd on a wild pickoff attempt. Galante doubled to center to tie the game. Two successive passed balls allowed Galante to score the go ahead run. In the 7th, Colantino retired the first two hitters, but then a batter reached by error. Scott Tully came in a got the next batter to fly out to center field to end the game. Game 20 Reading 2 BC High 7 In the championship game, BC High was just too much for Reading and it handed the Rockets a 7-2 loss. Reading pitchers Steve Roesler, Nathan Terry, and Rob DiLoreto battled, but a 2-run first inning and 5-run 4th inning was too much to overcome. Reading's runs were driven home by Liam Kenneally (2 hits) and Chris Polleys. Reading finished the regular season with a 12-8 record and Middlesex League Liberty Co-Championship (11-5). The Reading Baseball Alumni Tournament was a huge success, thanks to many, many people who made the event very special. The weather was spectacular and Morton Field was in pristine condition (thanks to coaching staff who worked on the field for a few days and then re-groomed the field after each game). There was a big crowd who enjoyed good baseball and refreshments at the concession stand (thanks to many Reading Baseball parents who did all the work to set up the tent, purchase and sell food, create a schedule of workers, and much, much more. Special thanks to Sheila Tully who spearheaded the whole operation and did an amazing job). Sydney Thayer (RMHS 2012 grad) created the program and Ted Bryson and Steve Palladino did a great job as PA announcers. Thanks to John Halsey for providing the PA equipment and Reading Babe Ruth League President Jeff Pierce who coordinated the set up and operation. RMHS Athletic Director Tom Zaya was active and supportive throughout, and ensured that the tournament was a great experience for everyone. Thanks to Troy Tully who operated the scoreboard for all four games. There were four JV games played at Washington Park, which was only playable (after 3 days of rain) because of parents who worked all day Sunday to get the field ready. On a personal note, I must express my gratitude for the recognition of my upcoming retirement and the playing of my last games at Morton Field. Thank you to former RMHS AD and current MIAA representative Phil Vaccaro, who made a heartfelt presentation and, as always, showed his love and support. RMHS Alumnus Joe Picano '81 gave a wonderful speech, on behalf of all alumni players, for which I am very thankful.Then having scores of former players, from the 70's to the '10's in attendance and recognized for their constant support and friendship, was the highlight of the event, for me. Many more thank yous will be forthcoming when the season ends, but also must thank my coaching staff of Scott Farris, Jason Zerfas, and Tom White for doing a great job and for their tremendous commitment and loyalty.

Game 18: Reading 2 Malden Catholic 4 Reading came out on the short end of a highly spirited and competitive game under the lights at MC. Reading went ahead, 2-0, in the 2nd inning when Scott Tully singled, Rob DiLoreto reached via catcher’s interference, Chris Ehl singled home Tully, and with 2 outs and the bases loaded, Mike O’Leary drew a walk. Those were the only runs Reading would score despite banging out nine hits on the night. MC closed the gap to 2-1 with an unearned run in the 3rd inning and went ahead 3-2 in the fourth with a 2-out, 2-run rally. The final run came in the 5th on a triple and sacrifice fly. Sean O’Neill was the hard-luck loser as he pitched well, yielding just six hits and two earned runs. Derek Galante finished the night with three hits and Scott Tully had two.

Game 17: Reading 1 North Andover 3 North Andover came to Morton Field and outplayed Reading for a 3-1 win. The Knights had 10 hits, played good defense, and were led by an outstanding job by their pitcher who held Reading to just 3 hits. Reading’s only run was a solo homerun by Derek Galante in the 2nd inning. Garrett Colantino took the lost despite pitching a solid complete game. The Middlesex Liberty Division coaches selected 15 players to its All-Star Team. Three Reading players were selected: Liam Kenneally, Derek Galante, and Scott Tully (who was also voted league MVP).

Game 16: Reading 6 Lexington 2 Reading earned a Middlesex League Liberty Co-Championship with a great win vs. Lexington at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, CT. The game was played at the beautiful minor league park as an alternative to the traditional Cooperstown trip. Teams were treated well, with pre-game and post-game access to players’ clubhouses, indoor batting cage, public address system and music throughout the game – the complete professional experience! Scott Tully took the mound for Reading on just 3 days rest and he retired Lexington in order in the first. Reading came out swinging in the bottom half as Anthony Spano, Mike O’Leary, and Liam Kenneally each singled for a 1-0 Reading lead. The score remained 1-0 after two innings, and then Reading struck again in the 3rd. With one out, Derek Galante singled and Sean O’Neill walked. After a 2nd out, Galante and O’Neill pulled off a double steal and Rob DiLoreto hit a bullet to left, singling both runners home. Chris Ehl followed with an RBI single of his own to give Reading a 4-0 lead. In the meantime, Tully retired the side in order in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings. Reading tacked on a big run in the 4th via a Kenneally double and a Tully 2-out RBI single. Lexington got its first hit in the 5th, but did not threaten. Reading did, though, scoring another run in the 5th on singles by Spano and O’Leary and a run-scoring single by Galante. Up 6-0, in the 6th, Tully may have tired a bit, and yielded a run in the 6th. Lexington scored another run in the 7th, but Tully bore down and struck out the last two hitters for a 6-2 win and a Reading co-championship! All told, Reading banged out 12 hits, with Spano, O’Leary, Kenneally, Galante, and Tully each getting 2 hits. Tully gave up just one earned run on 4 hits and 9 strikeouts.

Game 15: Reading 8 Woburn 0 Reading kept its title hopes alive with a solid win at home vs. Woburn. Sean O’Neill pitched 6 masterful innings, yielding just 2 hits while striking out 10. Nate Terry pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning, recording two strikeouts. The offense supplied more than enough runs for its pitchers, beginning with two runs in the 2nd inning on doubles by Scott Tully and Rob DiLoreto, and a single by Garrett Colantino. Reading made it 3-0 in the 3rd inning when Liam Kenneally singled, stole 2nd, and scored on O’Neill’s RBI single. Reading broke it wide open with a 5-run 5th inning where Mike O’Leary, Kenneally, O’Neill, DiLoreto, and Chris Ehl all had singles. O’Neill had a big day overall; in addition to being the winning pitcher, he also had 2 hits, 3 RBI, 2 stolen bases, and a run scored. Other multiple-hit players were O’Leary, Kenneally, and DiLoreto. It was great to see 3 players from Coach Mosc's very first RMHS team - 1976 Freshman Team. Steve Mello, Jack Marlin, and Pete Collins attended the game and it was wonderful to visit with them afterwards. Great memories of those great guys who went on to be outstanding varsity players and become my first tournament team in 1979.

Game 14: Reading 4 Arlington 0 Reading avenged its earlier loss to Arlington with a solid 4-0 win. Scott Tully led the way by pitching a complete game shutout, yielding 4 hits and striking out 15 batters. Tully also had a big offensive day with two hits, a run scored, an RBI, and three stolen bases. Reading forged a 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning when Derek Galante doubled, Sean O'Neill sacrificed him to 3rd, and Tully singled. After Tully stole 2nd, DH Rob DiLoreto singled to score Tully. Reading's other two runs came in the 5th: Mike O'Leary reached on an error and Liam Kenneally bunted him to 2nd. After a ground out, O'Neill delivered a clutch RBI single that scored pinch runner Nate Terry. Next, Tully singled, moving O'Neill to 3rd and the pair pulled off a 1st and 3rd play to score a big run. Tully did the rest from there, although he escaped some jams, stranding 10 Arlington runners on the day. Reading improved its record to 9-5, tied with Lexington, and a half-game behind 10-5 Arlington.

Game 13: Reading 5 Belmont 1 Reading earned a much-needed victory at home vs. Belmont and its outstanding pitcher, Mike Richardson. The key to the win was the outstanding pitching of senior Garrett Colantino who pitched 6 innings, yielding just one run. Reading scored in the bottom of the 1st when an error, a Derek Galante single, and another error produced a run. Belmont tied the game in the 4th on a single, sacrifice bunt, and ground out. Yet Reading came back with 3 runs in the bottom half of the inning when it strung together six quality at bats. With one out, Scott Tully got an infield single and stole 2nd. Chris Ehl ripped a single off the pitcher's glove and Anthony Spano walked to load the bases. Mike O'Leary singled up the middle for one run and Alex Valente was hit by a pitch to score another. Ryan Wynns then hit a hard ground ball that plated the 3rd run of the inning to give Reading a 4-1 lead. In the meantime, Colantino was in command, aided by strong defense by shortstop Valente. Reading's final run came in the 6th on a bunt single by Anthony Spano, another single by O'Leary, and an RBI bunt by Valente. Colantino yielded singles to the first two Belmont hitters in the 7th, but Scott Tully came on to fan the next three hitters.

Game 12: Reading 2 Winchester 9 Reading dropped its second game in 20 hours with a lackluster effort at Winchester. Winchester jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one inning and then took a 7-1 commanding lead after 3 innings. Only bright spots for Reading were Chris Ehl, who had two hits, including a double, Scott Tully who had a double and RBI, and Nathan Terry who pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning.

Game 11: Reading 3 Lexington 4 Reading suffered a very tough loss under the lights at Lexington. Lexington took a 1-0 lead in the first on a single, 2-base error, and single. After that, pitcher Scott Tully stifled Lexington for the next 3 innings, recording every out by strikeout. Reading's only real offense on the night came in the 4th inning when Liam Kenneally singled, Derek Galante walked, Sean O'Neill advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Tully singled home two runs. After an error, DH Rob DiLoreto scored Tully on a sacrifice fly to give Reading a 3-1 lead. But Reading gave it back in the bottom of the 5th. A leadoff single and two misplayed bunts loaded the bases. Although Tully struck out three batters, all three runners on base scored on a combination of three wild pitches/passed balls to give Lexington a 4-3 lead. Reading loaded the bases with one out in the 6th but could not push across the tying run. Reading only had 3 hits, 2 of them by Kenneally. Tully struck out 15 batters in 6 innings, but suffered his first loss of the season.

Game 10 Reading 14 Watertown 3 Reading played a strong all-around game at home as Sean O'Neill pitched 5 strong innings (1 ER, 6 hits, 10 K, 0 BB) and was backed by a 17-hit attack. Reading scored in the bottom of the first when Alex Valente singled and scored on a Liam Kenneally single. Reading scored two more in the second on a walk to Rob DiLoreto, single by Anthony Spano, a balk, and an error. Three more Reading runs came across in the 3rd; with two outs and none on, O'Neill doubled, Scott Tully doubled, DiLoreto tripled, and Spano singled. Watertown closed the gap to 6-2 in the fourth, but Reading responded in a big way. Valente led off with a walk and Ryan Wynns reached on an error. Kenneally singled to load the bases and Derek Galante roped a grand slam over the left field fence to put Reading ahead 10-2. The Rockets scored three more that inning, on a 2-run double by O'Neill and RBI double by Mike O'Leary. Each team scored one more to account for the 14-3 final score.

Game 9 Reading 8 Wakefield 1 Reading banged out 11 hits and Scott Tully pitched 6 strong innings as Reading improved its record to 6-3. Reading failed to score in the 1st inning for the first time this year, while Wakefield did score and had a 1-0 lead after one inning. But Reading came up with 3 runs in the 2nd on a single by Scott Tully, sacrifice bunt by Rob DiLoreto, single by Steve Roelser, a 2-run double by Chris Ehl, a single by Ryann Wynns, and a successful 1st and 3rd play. Reading's pitcher escaped a jam in the 2nd and Reading held the 3-1 lead until the top of the fourth when Reading scored two more times. DiLoreto was hit by a pitch and Roesler bunted him to 2nd. With two outs, Garrett Colantino singled to left, scoring DiLoreto. Singles by Wynns and Mike O'Leary produced one more run. Tully settled down, allowing just two baserunners over the next four innings, while Reading tacked on two more runs. Sean O'Neill doubled, Tully reached on an error that scored O'Neill, and Ehl singled home Tully. One more run came across in the 6th when Liam Kenneally singled, stole 2nd, and scored on O'Neill's single. Garrett Colantino came on to pitch a scoreless 7th. This capped a good week for Reading who was 3-0, outscoring its opponents, 31-1.

Game 8 Reading 13 Stoneham 0 Reading's pitching staff posted their second straight shutout as juniors Sean O'Neill (6 inn, 4 hits, 0 walks, 6 K's) and Nathan Terry (1-2-3 7th inning) were dominant. O'Neill earned his first win of the season. Pitchers were supported by excellent defense(10 ground ball outs) and prolific hitting (17 hits). Reading scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning when Liam Kenneally reached on an error and was driven home by a Derek Galante single. A single by O'Neill and RBI double by Scott Tully produced the 2nd run. Four more runs came across in the 2nd inning when Mike O'Leary, Alex Valente, Ryan Wynns all singled to load the bases and Galante hit a 3-run double. Then O'Neill doubled home Galante. Reading scored 5 in the 5th and 2 more in the 6th. Reading had a balanced offensive attack, led by Galante (3-3, 5 RBI), O'Neill (3 hits, RBI), Kenneally (2 hits, 2 RBI), Anthony Spano (2 hits, 2 RBI), O'Leary (2 hits, 2 RBI), and Wynns (2 hits, 2 runs).