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Sports

The Sports Watch for April 25 - 30

The Fastest Three Minutes in Weston Sports. And, folks, lots happening, so we're going into extra innings.

Well, it's Sunday, and you know what that means. It's time for the Sports Watch, the fastest three minutes in Weston Sports coming your way right now:

And we have so much to tell you this week, we're going into extra innings.

And what better place to start than the diamond -- yes, we're talkin' baseball -- where Weston senior star catcher Tom Wells has done it again. Wells, who has four homers in his last four games, ripped a grand slam to highlight an eight-run fourth inning, as the host Wildcats cruised to an 11-3 win over archrival Wayland. Weston improved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Dual County League Small Division.

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Less than 24 hours after hitting the grand slam, Wells underwent an emergency appendectomy and will be sidelined for some time, according to Weston head coach Jon Beverly. Wells is batting over .500 and already has 13 RBIs with four homers through six games.

"Losing his bat in the lineup is something that we need to collectively pick up the slack for so that we don't miss a beat offensively," Beverly said. "We are confident in the back-ups to come and get the job done in Tom's absence."

The game was also highlighted by a sensational catch by senior right fielder Nick Neu in right-center field with one out in the top of the fourth. Neu ranged to his right at full speed and snatched the ball one-handed on the fly, outstretched, before landing on the ground.

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Weston held a slim 2-0 lead at the time, and Neu played a role in that, too, drilling at two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the second inning. A sacrifice fly by Zach Cannon accounted for the other run.

The 'Cats got two more runs to start the bottom of the fourth, before loading the bases for Wells, who put the game away with his blast over the left-center field fence. Wells finished the day 2-for-5 with 4 RBIs.

Sophomore James Goulart also contributed to the big inning with a two-run single and went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Senior Robert Charpie, meanwhile, had two hits in four tries with an RBI.

Junior starting hurler Gage Hartman pitched well, scattering three hits over 4 2/3 innings. Wells and senior Zeke Silverstein closed the game in relief.

The Wildcats allowed only two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh. 

And backing up a bit, what did Wells do for an encore after hitting the game-winning homer to beat Greater Lowell Technical High over a week ago? Well, let’s just say Wells was not resting on his laurels. Wells went 4-for-5 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs, and 5 runs scored in the Wildcats’ stunning 12-7 win over host Tyngsboro in Dual County League Small Division action.  

With Weston holding a slim 9-7 lead, Wells all but buried the Tigers with a two-run shot in the top of the fifth. Just an inning earlier, he hit a solo homer to cushion Weston’s 7-6 lead at the time.

Wells got plenty of support from start to finish, as the Wildcats ripped out 15 hits en route to their fourth win of the campaign against only one loss.

Cannon went 2-for-4, including a leadoff homer in the fifth; Neu went 2-for-5 with 2 RBIs; and Noah Tocci went 3-for-4.

Weston led, 5-4, after one inning, before scoring two unearned runs in the second stanza. The Tigers answered again with two in the bottom half as Weston’s lead was cut to 7-6.

Cannon and Wells took care of matters from there, and Michael Guappone sealed it with an RBI single in the seventh.

Guappone also pitched well in relief, as did Vincent Nardone, who picked up the win.

Weston finished the week with a tough 3-1 loss to Newton South.

We continue on the diamond, where the Weston softball team knocked out 21 hits in a solid 15-7 victory over host Newton South, improving its record to 3-3. The Maroon and White earned its second straight win in two days, after rain and lightning delayed the game with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Weston led, 9-3, at the time.

“Our bats came alive today,” Weston head coach Kelly Harrington said.

The coach said her squad also displayed some great defense, noting the play of senior shortstop Sarah Ober and junior right fielder Tanner Skenderian.

Ober had three assists and four putouts.

“[She] had a great day defensively,” Harrington said.

Skenderian made a terrific running catch in right center in the bottom of the sixth to end a Newton rally.

By then, the Wildcats were in complete control, having scored most of their runs. They led, 5-0, after two innings, before scoring four runs each in the fourth and fifth frames. For good measure, the ‘Cats added two in the seventh.

Sophomore star Ariana Vasquez led the charge with her second straight 4-for-6 afternoon. Vasquez ripped another home run and also had a double, while driving in four runs.

She got plenty of support from the rest of the lineup, including Ober (2-for-3, RBI, 3 walks), junior Sami Gosman (2-for-5), Skenderian (1-for-5, RBI), senior Jessilee Gross (2-for-4); freshman Talia Cramer (3-for-5, 2 RBIs), sophomore Danielle Silverstein (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), junior Kristen Welby (4-for-5, RBI), and sophomore Sarah Goldman (1-for-4, RBI).

Vasquez also pitched well, allowing only six hits, while striking out five and walking one. Several of the runs were unearned.

Also this week, after three scoreless innings, Weston exploded for five runs in the fourth and nine more in the fifth, en route to an 18-1 rout over rival host Wayland in Dual County League Small Division action. The Wildcats broke a three-game losing streak at the time.

“The game was neck in neck through the third inning,” Harrington said. “[We] benefited from three walks and six hits in the top of the fifth to open up the game.”

Vasquez had a terrific day both in the circle and at the plate. Vasquez tossed a complete game, allowing only five hits, while striking out 11 and walking two. She allowed no earned runs.

Offensively, Vasquez went 4-for-6 with 5 RBIs, including two doubles.

Also driving in runs for the ‘Cats were Skenderian (2-for-3, 2 RBIs), Cramer (2 for 5, 2 RBIs), Ober (2-for-4, 1 RBI), and Goldman (2-for-4, 1 RBI).

Gross, Welby, and Gosman had one hit apiece.

Wayland scored its run in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-1 at the time.

The Wildcats closed the game with four runs in the seventh.

Weston will host Westford Academy on Monday.

Well, the weather has not been very accommodating but nothing seems to be stopping the Weston boys’ tennis team early in the season.

After last Wednesday’s rainout against Lincoln-Sudbury, the Wildcats (2-0) were forced indoors and took care of business with a 5-0 rout over Tyngsboro at The Longfellow Club in Wayland.  Two consecutive shutout wins for Weston to start the season has second-year head coach George Conlin thinking about the big picture.

“The key was finding some indoor courts,” joked Conlin.  “But really it is no fun this time of year and to get a match in is great but you can really only do so much.”

With No.1 and No.2 singles stars, Will Spector, who is ranked #2 in the state by tennisrecruiting.net, and Rutendo Matingo, taking the night off, the defending D3 State Champions still cruised to a sweep in singles and doubles action.

Trevor Sands replaced the senior Dual County All-Star Spector in No. 1 singles and dispatched Nat Hall 6-2, 6-1 in straight sets while Max Legocki followed up with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Paul Sickinger. 

Robert Beams was perfect in the third slot of singles play with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over Eric Heller.

In doubles, Weston was hardly challenged and only dropped one game with Kar Epker and Ben Spector defeating Jeff Miller and Chris Michaud 6-0, 6-0 as Akash Agarwal and Greg Sanda cruised to a 6-0, 6-1 win over the Tigers’ Roman Greco and Steve Geffroy. 

“With the way the conference is set up, we get a lot of work early on as the schedule starts off easier and then progressively gets harder,” said Conlin.  “There are huge benefits playing in our division when it comes to states (playoffs) as we get to face Concord-Carlisle, Acton-Boxborough, Newton South – all bigger schools with great tennis programs – so [the division] is one of the greatest advantages for [Weston].”

And the the Weston girls' tennis team got back on track, after starting its Division 3 state title defense with a 4-1 loss to Division 1 powerhouse Lincoln-Sudbury. The host Wildcats defeated cross-town rival Wayland needing to win a tie-breaker in the No.1 doubles match to seal the nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Warriors. 

Sophomore Deniz Cataltepe and senior tri-captain Olivia Stranberg outlasted a late Warriors rally in a 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 victory to give Weston (1-1) their first win of the season.

“They hung in real well because after they won 6-4, [Wayland] adjusted well to their game,” said Weston head coach, Bill Steinroeder.  “We stayed competitive after dropping the second set 0-6 so I was pleasantly surprised with a good, steady third [set] knowing it was a critical match.”

Despite less than ideal weather conditions, things looked bright early on for the 'Cats,  as Weston took the first two of three singles matches. Senior tri-captain Allison Hupalo improved to 2-0 on the season with a 6-0, 6-1 win, while Naomi Garlick jumped into the winners circle with a 6-4, 6-2 win after losing her first match of the season 6-1, 6-1.

But a loss in No. 3 singles and a quick loss in No.2 doubles left everything up to Cataltepe and Stranberg, and they delivered with an impressive 7-0 tie-breaker set to earn the win.

“We are scheduled like that due to the rainouts and the postponements so it gets pretty intense from here on out and we have so little time for practice,” said Steinroeder.

Meanwhile, in girls’ lacrosse, junior Julia Meehan and sophomore Sarah Peters each had a hat trick, as the Weston girls' lacrosse team surged to a 15-5 victory over visiting Westford Academy in Dual County League Small Division action, improving its season ledger to 4-1.

"The attack had a great game and the defense was very strong," Weston head coach Chrissy Swanson said.

The Wildcats also got offensive contributions from junior Emma Dagres, who had three assists, and senior Lindsay McCabe, who controlled the draw on three occasions.

Defensively, senior Sally Plank made a bunch of caused turnovers.

"Overall, we played very well," sophomore Piper McCabe said.

"We are hoping we can bring the intensity for the next game,” Peters added.

And, finally, the boys' lacrosse team bounced back with a 6-3 win over Arlington, after falling to Concord-Carlisle, improving its season ledger to 7-1.

 Brian Fabry contributed to this report. 

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