Wilmington Wildcats

Dominating Freshman Performance Leads Wildcats to Win

Wilmington High School pitcher Jack Gillis mowed down 15 Tewksbury batters via strikeout during his varsity debut, leading the Wildcats to a 3-1 victory.

If Wilmington High School freshman pitcher Jackson Gillis had any nerves entering his first varsity start on Monday, he certainly didn’t show it. Gillis fired a complete game and struck out 15 batters against rival Tewksbury, jolting the Wildcats to a 3-1 victory that was the team’s first of the year. “I talked to him before the game and he was nervous, as he should be because he’s a freshman,” said head coach Aldo Caira. “So I think that should build his confidence up, and it should build the whole team up. It’s a young team. Hopefully this is the right way to step off for the rest of season.” Wilmington didn’t wait long after the game’s 10 a.m. start to pounce on the Redmen. Leadoff hitter Brendan McDonough led off with a double, Tim …

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Foghorn Leghorn

12:48 am on Sunday, April 21, 2013

Pay attention to me boy! I’m not just talkin’ to hear my head roar. That young man has a great future ahead of him,,, unlike you boy, Trying to sneak a pitch past some of them Tewksbury Ball players boy,,, is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster,,, I made a funny boy,, and you’re not laughin,,, kevvy is just a little upset,,,I say not happy,,he told his psychiatrist that everyone hates…   more ›

Wilmington Wildcats

Wildcat Baseball and Softball Teams Swept By Reading

Spring season is several games deep and on Tuesday the Wilmington High School baseball and softball teams hosted Reading High School.

Reading High School's baseball and softball teams were in town earlier this week, traveling to face Wilmington High School in Middlesex League action. The Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 edge on Tuesday before the Rockets began to climb back and shortly after took a 2-1 lead in the early innings. Reading eventually went on to a 5-1 win. On the baseball diamond, meanwhile, Reading showed why it is ranked No. 7 in the state by ESPN Boston. Wilmington, however, also put up a strong showing against a difficult foe despite a 7-1 loss. Wilmington trailed just 4-1 entering the final frame, but that's when the Rockets tacked on three insurance runs.

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Matt Schooley

11:15 am on Thursday, April 11, 2013

I certainly agree that the freshman and JV teams practice and play hard. Unfortunately it is very difficult for me to cover those games in addition to varsity games because I am just one person covering sports in eight towns. But that doesn't mean we don't want those teams on the site. Below are some great ways to make sure the non-varsity teams get onto Patch. And once they're on the site, …   more ›

Wilmington Wildcats

Wilmington Baseball Loses First Round Tilt in Lynn

Despite strong effort from Wildcats, Lynn Classical hangs on for 4-2 victory.

The Wilmington baseball team hung with Lynn Classical until the last out of Thursday’s North Division 2 postseason opener. But in the end, a strong Wildcat season came to a close with a tight road setback. Lynn struck for two runs in the opening frame before Wilmington knotted the score in the third with a pair of runs. But single tallies in the fourth and sixth innings helped seal the 4-2 home win. “We asked them to leave it on the field, and they left it on the field,” said head coach Aldo Caira. “The outcome may not be what you want, but as long as the effort was there, that’s what we’re looking for.” Though the hosts struck quickly, three seniors led a two-out rally in the third that helped Wilmington even things up. Phil Lentini …

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Wilmington Wildcats

Fifth Inning Rally Jolts Wildcats Into Playoffs [VIDEO]

Wilmington baseball team falls behind 5-2, comes back to topple Melrose, 7-5.

Wilmington fell behind after a three-run fifth inning by Melrose on Monday. But it didn't take the Wildcats to bounce back. The local nine responded with a five-run home half of the frame and held on for a 7-5 victory to earn no worse than second in Middlesex League Small School Division play. That result assures the Wildcats of a spot in the upcoming MIAA baseball postseason. "We knew we were going to come back at some point," said Woods. "We have our confidence is the highest it's been all season. We know we can beat anyone moving forward." Brendan McDonough started the fifth inning rally with a line double to left field. Tim Woods followed with an RBI single and scored on a wild pitch and Dalton Rolli pushed home a run with a ground out…

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Wilmington Wildcats

Wildcats Slam the Door on Stoneham Rally

Baseball team escapes seventh inning jam to hang on for 3-2 victory over visiting Spartans.

John Keough pitched his way into trouble. But just as quickly he pitched his way out and helped Wilmington earn its first Middlesex League win of the year. The Wildcat pitcher hurled four innings in relief of starter Tim Woods on Friday as the locals snuck past Stoneham for a 3-2 win. In the top of the seventh, Keough walked the first two batters before he recorded an out at first on a sacrifice bunt. Then with the tying run on third and the go ahead run on second, the senior struck out the next two batters to end the contest. Wilmington got on the board first when Phil Lentini notched an RBI single in the opening frame and Colin Doherty knocked Lentini home with a single of his own. But a pair of wild pitches led to Stoneham runs and …

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Wildcats Fall On Opening Day After Redmen Rally

Wilmington loses to Tewksbury, 4-3, after losing 3-0 advantage.

It wasn't exactly an offensive explosion but four runs in the fifth inning was enough to carry the Tewksbury High baseball team to a 4-3 road win over Wilmington High on Opening Day. Matt Skotz had two of Tewksbury's four hits, including a two-run single in the first. Cam Oliveira added a sacrifice fly and Dom Rosado was plunked by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run. John Chotkowski was strong on the mound for the Redmen, going the distance, while scattering seven hits and striking out nine. Wilmington's Tim Woods pitched a strong game, allowing just the four hits. Woods was cruising along until running into trouble in the fifth. Phil Lentini and Cole Peffer had two hits each to pace the Wildcat offense. The Wildcats had some …

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Hard to Handle

Wilmington baseball team ends season with difficult loss to Beverly on walk off error, but future bright for young Wildcats.

It was the play that ended the season for the Wilmington High School baseball team. But according to head coach Aldo Caira, it wasn’t the play that cost them the game. The No. 12 Wildcats played sparkling defense for most of their opening round tilt against Beverly in the North Division 2 playoffs on Friday. But in the home half of the seventh inning, the fifth-seeded Panthers walked off with the win after a game-ending infield error. Caira pointed to a key bases loaded squander in the fourth inning of a 2-2 game as a turning point, as well as the team’s inability to notch a big hit throughout. “That’s just a tough play,” said Caira. “That’s not the play that lost us the game. If we had that extra hit, it could have been a different type …

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Another Close Loss for Wildcats

Wilmington falls to 0-2 after second consecutive one-run setback.

Tewksbury High baseball coach Ron Drouin couldn't have asked for anything more on opening day. Wilmington, however, may have made one change in the plan. Seventy-degree temperatures in mid-April, an outstanding defensive effort from his outfield, some timely hitting and a complete game outing from his pitching ace all added up to an exciting, 3-2 opening day win for Drouin's charges over the rival Wildcats at balmy Strong Field on Monday. "We'll take it. We were on the ropes quite a few times so to pull out a win is a good thing," Drouin said. "There's only 20 chances to get wins and we're one-for-one, so we'll take it." Matt Luppi, the senior right hander who is headed to the University of Connecticut next year on a baseball …

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Warriors Walk Off Over Wildcats

Wakefield baseball team wins in final at bat over Wilmington in season opener.

Wakefield allowed visiting Wilmington High School to erase a four-run deficit and take a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning of the season-opening tilt for both teams. The Warriors, however, made sure that advantage didn’t last long. What looked like a secure 4-0 edge for Wakefield turned into a nail biter that the Warriors won, 6-5, on Friday. Wilmington starting pitcher Michael Gracia helped cap a frantic sixth inning rally with a sacrifice fly that knotted the score at 4-4. Junior outfielder Chris Frissore then gave the Wildcats a 5-4 edge with a two-out single. The home half of the seventh got off to an inauspicious start for Wilmington. Wakefield’s John Grossi started the frame with a ground ball to shortstop that Vinny Scifo threw to first …

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