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The Winchester High baseball team (17-4) is off and running as the 11th seed in the Division 1 state tournament after defeating Plymouth North (14-7), the 22nd seed, 3-1 at home in the Round of 32 on Sunday, May 31.
The Red & Black now move on to the Sweet 16, where Xaverian (12-9), the sixth seed, awaits them on its Westwood campus Thursday afternoon, June 4, at 4 p.m. The Hawks dominated North Andover (12-11), the 27th seed, in their Round of 32 game, 14-3 on June 1.
Second-year coach Ed McDonald was naturally thrilled with the state-tournament opening game win over the Eagles.
“This was a great team win,” he said. “We got outstanding starting pitching to go along with timely hitting and good defense.”
McDonald was primarily referring to the complete game effort of pitcher Nick Penicaud, who went all seven innings, issuing just three hits and three walks with no earned runs. He fanned six batters.
“Nick was lights-out on the mound,” added McDonald, while also singling out first baseman Brett Daniels, who came through with a clutch two-run double in the third to give his teammates a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles got one back in the fourth, but the home team tacked on the all-important insurance run in the sixth. The Winchester offense sprayed seven hits around the field. Daniels was the lone player with an extra base hit, but shortstop Brady Ihrig and second baseman Spencer Thompson ended up leading the team in hitting with two singles apiece. Thompson knocked in one run, and also scored a run. Ihrig was credited with scoring a run, as well.
McDonald further elaborated on the tourney opener that was filled with solid pitching on both sides of the diamond. “It was a great, all-around high school playoff game with two great pitchers going at it,” he said.
Dan Kenney pitched six innings for the Eagles, and gave up seven hits, two walks and three earned runs. He whiffed five.
Prior to the win over Plymouth North, the Winchester boys were already on a roll going into the postseason. They won their last four regular season games against Reading (7-1, May 15), Belmont (6-4, May 19), Lawrence (10-2, May 20) and Beverly (7-1, May 22). All but the Beverly game was played at home.
Joe McConnell is a longtime, award-winning sports editor for numerous North Shore publications. He began covering Winchester sports for the News in November 2024 and is currently its Sports Editor. He can be reached at editor@winchesternews.org.
