BERWICK – The camaraderie between Noble starting pitcher Matt Ryan and catcher Jared Grondin was on full display against Kennebunk.
Ryan pitched a four-hit shutout on 67 pitches and Grondin threw out a pair of runners on the bases as the Knights defeated the Rams 5-0 Thursday for their third straight victory. After the game, Ryan shared a glimpse of what his battery mate means to him.
“(Jared) is my best friend. It’s nice to have that bond as a pitcher,” Ryan said. “(We) just want to make a good playoff run.”
Ryan, who pitched his second consecutive complete game, did his part to help Noble (5-5) stay in contention for a playoff berth. The tall right-hander pounded the strike zone all evening, letting his fielders clean up behind him. Ryan didn’t strike out a batter and dominated a struggling Kennebunk (6-6) offense that’s mustered seven runs in its last four games.
The first Rams hit came in the fourth on a one-out single by Landon Schwartzman who Grondin threw out trying to steal second two batters later. Grondin also picked off Alex Champagne at first base to end the third after Champagne had reached on a fielder’s choice.
Noble coach Adam Hale commended Grondin’s performance.
“Jared is calling 95 percent of the pitches,” Hale said. “For a junior … he knows what’s going on back there. It’s like having another set of eyes … another coach on the field.”
The Knights got to Rams starter Oliver Leonard in the first on an RBI single by Duncan McGilvery that brought Coby Johnson around to score from third. McGilvery led Noble with two RBIs. The Knights scored two more runs in the inning when a ground ball to third by Ryan was thrown away by Schwartzman. Kennebunk committed four errors as a team, which has been an unwelcoming sight in recent games for head coach Brian Dill.
“We just have to stick together and keep plugging,” said Dill, who watched his team drop their fifth straight game after opening the year 6-1. “Nobody’s feeling sorry for us. We got out to a great start this season, and we’ve kind of hit a snag. We just got to keep working hard at practice … We’ve had little mistakes here and there that have cost us.”
Leonard acquitted himself admirably despite lapses in his defense. The sophomore allowed five runs, two of which were earned, on nine hits and no walks. He struck out two.
Noble added its final two runs in the second when William Shapleigh was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and McGilvery drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Knights center fielder Colby Johnson made an impressive diving catch on a sinking line drive to end a Rams rally with two runners on in the fifth.
Hale wants his team to stay focused through their winning streak and take the clichéd approach of one day at a time. “You know how it is in this league: Anybody can beat anybody on any day,” Hale said.
Dill hopes his squad can right the ship before an optimistic postseason run.
“We have four games left – we don’t want to back into the playoffs,” he said. “We’ll try to be a little more consistent … a few little things. But that’s baseball.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
