CHELMSFORD – It’s an ongoing cycle.
Over the past two decades, the North Andover High baseball program has been a factory, producing a large number of big-time pitchers.
“In my first year (coaching here) we had (Mike) Hashem and after that they just keep coming,” said Scarlet Knights head coach Todd Dulin, referring to the former Atlanta Braves farmhand.
Eighteen years after Hashem — as well as a handful of other talented southpaws including Mike Weisman, Evan Glew and last year’s hero Dom Pefine — Dulin has seen the emergence of another ace, as Dylan Lawrence has become an absolute force on the hill.
The senior proved that again on Friday afternoon after tossing a four-hit, complete game shutout to lead the Scarlet Knights past Chelmsford, 2-0.
“He was nasty today,” said Dulin. “He was also nasty in his other win against Framingham.”
A year ago, Lawrence threw just 13 regular season innings, which included eight saves, working solely as a reliever. In the postseason, he came out of the bullpen again, going an incredible seven innings to get the win in the team’s epic extra inning victory over Bishop Feehan.
In his two starts this year, the future Bentley University hurler has taken his game to a much higher level. He tossed six shutout innings with seven strikeouts against Framingham and followed that up with a nine-strikeout, no walk (did hit a batter) dominating performance against a four-win Lions team.
“We knew it was going to be a big game, after dropping one (to Methuen) on Wednesday,” said Lawrence. “We had to come out swinging and go out hard. We executed well, we brought great energy, and we had a real good practice (on Thursday). Chelmsford’s always good so I knew I needed my best stuff against these guys.”
His “stuff” was an 83-84 mile per hour fastball that was spotted perfectly on the corners and at the knees. He added in a devastating slider and tossed in a few change-ups.
“I usually spin my off-speed stuff a lot more, but I used more of my fastball today (than I normally do). It was working really well,” Lawrence said. “I believe I started six of the seven innings throwing a first-pitch fastball for a strike. That’s big. I preach getting ahead and that’s a big part of any pitcher’s success.”
Lawrence faced the minimum nine batters through the first three innings – yielding one base runner on an infield error, while striking out the side in the second and third innings. He escaped trouble in the fourth and sixth innings when the Lions put two runners on, getting a grounder to end the fourth and a pop up to first to end the sixth.
He retired the side in the seventh to seal it, and help the Scarlet Knights improve to 4-1 on the young season.
“I have confidence every time I go out there,” he said. “I always take the approach that I’m better than the hitter who is up. You need that kind of confidence to take the next step.”
North Andover 2, Chelmsford 0North Andover: Zach Faro ss 4-0-0, Dylan Lawrence p 3-1-1, Jeff LaVolpicelo 2b 2-1-2, Mike Phelps c 3-0-1, Tom Petrone cr 0-0-0, Jake Jackson 1b 3-0-1, Trey Martin 3b 3-0-1, Sean Kilcoyne dh 3-0-0, Brendan Salach rf 3-0-1, Ben Iglesias cf 3-0-0, Cam Bodenrader lf 0-0-0. Totals: 27-2-7.
Chelmsford: Evan Kobrenski 2b 2-0-0, Jack Keyo 3b 3-0-0, Matt Stuart dh 3-0-1, Finn Ramseyer p-lf 3-0-2, Matt Hall cf 3-0-0, Keegan Briere 1b 3-0-1, Aidan Brackett c 3-0-0, John Latham rf 3-0-0, Will Morgan lf 2-0-0, Jason Bilo p 0-0-0, Will Colucci ss 0-0-0. Totals: 25-0-4.
WP: Dylan Lawrence 7 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 9 K; LP: Finn Ramseyer 5 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 3 K; 2B: NA, Lawrence; C, Ramseyer; RBI: NA, LaVolpicelo and Jackson; Records: North Andover 4-1; Chelmsford 4-2.