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Steamrolling through its first eight games, the 12U Winchester Youth Baseball Cal Ripken all-star team continues to build momentum on its way to the 2025 World Series in Branson, Mo.
It all started for them in the Division 7 playoffs, where they easily finished on top after beating Arlington (11-0), Burlington (14-1) and Medford (10-2) with a combined run differential of 28. It was then onto the state sectionals. Second place Arlington joined Winchester there from Pool N. Division 1 Natick and Concord-Carlisle hooked up with them as the top two teams from Pool A.
But as everything played out, it was more of the same for the Winchester crew. They first took down Concord-Carlisle, 12-2, before doubling up Arlington, 8-4 to advance to the EMass finals.
Coach Chris Gannon’s team then had a few days off to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, but the day after the Fourth, they were off to Freetown’s Central Park to start the state tournament. The Freetown / Lakeville youth baseball organization is this year’s host.
“The kids have done a great job so far this week,” said Gannon after the third pool play game against Freetown / Lakeville. “We have had contributions from every player both offensively and defensively. It’s definitely been a team effort, and they continue to be good teammates, which is always a priority.”
On July 6, the Easton all-stars quickly found out what it’s like to go up against a juggernaut, when Winchester came storming out of the gate to score seven runs in the first three innings – five in the third alone – to win the game, 7-1.
Chris Fiore (3 hits, 2 walks, 1 earned run, 3 strikeouts) pitched the first three innings against Easton. Morgan Sweeney (2 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts) threw the next two. Pete Toner then tossed a scoreless sixth to close out another win for his teammates.
He fanned one batter, Winchester only needed four hits to dispatch its South Shore peers. Fiore also did the job at the plate. Besides winning the game on the mound, he belted a double to go along with a walk that resulted in three RBI. He scored one run, as well.
Tommy Vittiglio (1 run), Bryce Shaw (1 walk, 2 runs) and Toner (1 run) each singled once. Kellan Stachelski scored twice after getting on base with walks. Vincent Moran accounted for a walk to keep the offense moving in the right direction.
It was more of the same for Winchester the next night against the Chelmsford Lions, which means another dominating win. But this time, they broke it open late with nine runs in the home half of the fourth to invoke the 10-run mercy rule after scoring one in the first.
Toner went all four innings on the hill to help record the win. He allowed just one hit, while striking out two. His teammates once again produced just enough hits – seven to be exact – to push 10 across the plate.
Shaw helped power the attack with a two-run homer. He also walked once, and scored three times. Stachelski collected two singles and one RBI, and scored a run. Moran doubled in a run, and also scored one. Toner helped his own cause with a run-producing single. He too scored a run. Ayla Capone (1 run) and Sweeney were credited with one single apiece. Fiore (1 RBI) and Vittiglio each walked and scored once. Charlie Statires scored one run.
The Winchester kids followed up that win with another thrashing, this time against Freetown / Lakeville, the host team, to the tune of 22-1. It lasted only three innings, before the slaughter rule mercifully stopped the onslaught. They scored five in the first, 11 in the second and six more in the third. Freetown / Lakeville had an opportunity to keep the game going in the home half, but could only get the one run to end the game abruptly.
The offense cranked out 20 hits over just three innings, resulting in 20 RBI spread throughout the lineup. Shaw was once again one of the leaders with three hits and six RBI that computed to nine total bases by game’s end.
Jack Doherty (2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 run), Charlie Statires (1 walk, 1 run), Asher Rosenberg (2 hits, 2 RBI), Ben Albiani (1 hit, 1 RBI), Callan Gannon (2 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run), Cooper Statires (1 hit, 2 walks, 2 RBI, 2 runs), Stachelski (2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 walk, 3 runs), Vittiglio (1 hit, 2 runs), Fiore (2 walks, 2 runs), Toner (1 hit, 2 walks), Moran (1 hit, 1 walk, 1 RBI), Sweeney (2 hits, 2 RBI, 1 walk, 3 runs) and Capone (2 hits, 1 RBI, 2 runs) all contributed to another convincing win.
Callan Gannon pitched the first two innings. Charlie Statires then followed him to the mound to pitch the final inning in another abbreviated mercy rule game.
Winchester is scheduled to take on Raynham tonight (July 11) in the final pool play game. As of July 10, Winchester leads Pool 1 with a 3-0 record and a run differential of 26. Chelmsford (2-1, run differential of -3), Raynham (2-1, run differential of 5), Easton (1-2, run differential of 3) and Freetown / Lakeville (0-4, run differential of -31) are the remaining teams in this pool.
In Pool 2, Milton American is undefeated with a 4-0 record and a run differential of 16. They are followed by Old Rochester (2-1, run differential of -2), Marshfield (1-2, run differential of 0), Arlington (1-2, run differential of -3) and Dracut (0-3, run differential of -11).
“We are done with pool play after the Raynham game,” said Gannon, “and at that point the games will get more competitive, but right now we are in good place.”
