Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
It didn’t take the Portsmouth High School baseball team long to show why so many coaches picked the Clippers as the favorite to win this year’s Class I championship.
Portsmouth picked up two victories during the season’s opening week. The Clippers defeated Pelham 11-1 in their opener, and followed up that victory by beating Bedford 4-0. Portsmouth received a dominant pitching performance in each game.
Senior Tim Welch tossed a no-hitter in Wednesday’s victory over Bedford. He struck out 12 and walked one.
“We’ve been talking about getting better each and every day,” Welch said. “I came out today just looking for a starting point, something to base my next start on. As far as the next start goes, who knows? No walks maybe.”
Welch’s no-hitter came two days after senior Ben Hart held Pelham to one hit. Hart, who is headed to the University of Vermont on a baseball scholarship, struck out nine in that game.
“Those two guys were a combined 10-1 with an ERA of about 1.40 (last season),” Portsmouth coach Tim Hopley said. “We’re lucky we have that. (Welch) was saying the other day he was going to try to do his best to keep up with Ben this year. He laughed because that’s a tough row to hoe, but he one-upped him (on Wednesday).”
Portsmouth earned the No. 1 seed for last year’s Class I tournament, but was upset by eighth-seeded Hollis-Brookline in the Class I quarterfinals. The Clippers returned all but two players from last year’s roster.
“We only have four seniors, but it’s still an experienced group,” Hopley said. “I’m pretty confident the holes we have can be filled to the point where we can be as competitive as we were last year.”
Welch pitched one of two no-hitters during the baseball season’s opening week. Sanborn’s John Lenane opened the season with a no-hitter in a 10-0 Class M victory over Farmington. The game was shortened to five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Lenane, a senior who is in his fourth varsity season, struck out six and walked three. Farmington hit one ball out of the infield.
“It was a nice way to start,” Sanborn coach Billy Chapman said. “I told him before the game that Farmington had limited time on their field (because of wet conditions) and to just throw strikes and use his fastball until they proved they could hit it.
“Last season he would be overpowering for three or four innings and have one bad inning and that would be his downfall. Hopefully he’s worked through that to the point where he will be pitching complete games.”
Football: Jobs Open at Londonderry, Merrimack
While most football coaches are overseeing weightlifting programs and organizing summer workouts, Londonderry and Merrimack are still searching for a head coach.
Londonderry athletic director Mike Kobilarcsik said he expected to introduce the school’s new coach in late March, but the discussion was tabled at school board meetings twice. The Lancers are looking to replace Tom Sawyer, who retired following the 2007.
According to the New Hampshire Football Report, two coaches have turned down the Merrimack job. At one time Merrimack was among the top programs in the state, but the Tomahawks have qualified for the playoffs once since 1995.
Rick Urda, Merrimack's former head coach, resigned after the 2007 season.
