What better way to christen your new home field than by hosting as many state tournament games as possible.
That’s what Hamilton-Wenham will do on its beautiful new turf starting Sunday night under the lights. The Generals (19-1) earned the No. 1 seed in the Division 4 state tournament when the state announced the final power rankings and seeds on Wednesday afternoon. In fact, H-W had the second best power rating (5.5615) in the entire state, trailing only D1 top-seed BC High.
How did the Generals put together such an impressive season? With relentless hitting led by Caden Schrock, Cormac Heney, Chase Cann, Griffin Hawkins and Owen Waddell at the top of the order, as well as with lights out pitching paced by Hawkins (seven wins), Waddell and Heney (five wins each).
Hamilton-Wenham will host of a prelim round bout between Advanced Math & Science and Sutton on Sunday at 6 p.m. The Generals made the Final Four last season and want to return this spring … then win the school’s first state title since 1988.
Elsewhere in D4, Ipswich grabbed the No. 27 seed after a 4-14 season and will host No. 38 Ayer-Shirley on Saturday at Mile Lane (3 p.m.). The Tigers have had tremendous seasons from Ethan Boleski and Adam Guarino, among others, and aim to advance to the Round of 32 where they’d travel to No. 6 Rockland next week.
Division 3 features a potential dream matchup for old school Northeastern Conference baseball fans. Should No. 22 Danvers (9-11) defeat Holyoke in the preliminary round Friday at Twi Field (3:30), then they’d advance to face No. 11 ranked Swampscott (16-4) next week at DeFelice Diamond.
The Falcons have to happy to see hitters like Colby Medeiros and Chase Richmond catch fire going into the tourney and have a deceiving record since they’re 0-4 in extra inning games. Senior Beckett Wodarski is the pitching ace, Dylan Weeks had a strong mound season and Jack Curcuru (25 steals) runs the bases as well as anyone on the North Shore.
The Big Blue are fresh off their first NEC Lynch title since 1997 and have a ferocious lineup led by Caden Ross, Michael Collins and Connor Chiarello at the top with Dylan DiFilippo helping clean up. Chase Groothuis has strung together three straight double-digit strikeout games and along with senior righty Jamison Ford gives coach Joe Caponigro an enviable 1-2 punch of starting pitching.
Another threat in D3 is Bishop Fenwick, which grabbed the No. 9 seed with a 16-5 record (it’s best in 13 seasons). The Crusaders have a tremendous strikeout pitching staff led by senior captain Timmy Ronningen as well as Nick McFadden (7 wins), Andrew Kiricoples and Henry Van Faasen, and are battle tested coming out of the Catholic Central League.
Fenwick will host the winner of a prelim game between Greater Lowell and Nantucket, likely early next week.
Essex Tech (10-10) returns to the D3 draw for the first time since 2023. The Hawks are ranked No 31 and will host No. 34 North Middlesex on Friday at 4 p.m. Lefthander Liam Waterman is the ace for Essex Tech, which has a dangerous lineup led by senior Jacoby Casinelli Tarasuik. A win would send the Hawks to a Cape Ann League rematch with No. 2 North Reading in the Round of 32.
A pair of local squads earned spots in the Division 2 state tourney after jockeying for position atop the NEC Dunn all season long.
Dunn champion Marblehead (12-8) is the No. 29 seed and will host former NEC rival Lynn Classical in the preliminary round at Seaside Park on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Young pitchers Madden Lyons, Collin Allen and Yanzel Fuentes had tremendous second halves for coach Mike Giardi, and sluggers Greyson Leventhal and Tim Wales are one only the region’s only pairs of teammates who each have more than 30 hits.
NEC Dunn runner-up Masconomet (13-7) is the No. 25 seed and will have to head out to No. 8 Minnechaug for a Round of 32 battle this Monday. You’d have to think the region’s regular season strikeout king Drew Gustagson (69 K’s) gets the ball in that one.
Last but not least is a big-time potential sleeper in D1: St. John’s Prep. The Eagles are seeded No. 12 with an 11-9 mark and host Wachusett in the Round of 23 on Sunday afternoon at Frates Diamond. Should they advance, a potential Catholic Conference rematch up No. 5 Catholic Memorial looms, and the Eagles and Knights split their two regular season meetings this spring.
Senior captain Christian McCarthy is a consistent force at the plate for St. John’s while young pitchers Owen Flanagan and Collin Thornburgh will look to carry the load on the hill for the Eagles, who’ve won 27 games in 12 playoff trips under coach Dan Letarte.