Local Roundup: Nighthawks Settle for Split

Groton, Conn. — Just when the Upper Valley Nighthawks seem to find their stride, the team seems to run into a brick wall, whether that be a cold offensive slump or an opposing pitcher that is having a good night.

The Nighthawks split their second doubleheader in four days Wednesday on the road against the Mystic Schooners (9-8), taking game one 10-3 off the hot hand of Charlie Concannon before falling 9-4 in game two. Upper Valley remains at .500 with a 9-9 record.

“The second game, the lefty they threw from Connecticut (Doug Domnarski) was very good,” Upper Valley head coach Nick Cenatiempo said in a phone interview after the game. “That’s a tough guy to face in game two after you just played a good game.”

Concannon (St. Joseph’s) has turned into Upper Valley’s most dominant offensive presence. After hitting the game-winning home run in the 13th inning against the Sanford Mainers on Monday, the sophomore was 4-for-6 in two games for the Nighthawks with four runs scored. Concannon hit a two-run bomb in the fifth inning of game two, his second of the season.

“For Concannon, he’s getting better at-bats,” Nighthawks assistant coach Matt Lynch said via phone Wednesday. “He’s seeing the ball real well. … With him at the bottom of the lineup (Concannon batted seventh), if he goes that bottom of the lineup goes. Today, seven, eight (James Morisano) and nine (Walker Grisanti), they were killing it.”

Grisanti (Vanderbilt) was 3-for-3 in game one with an RBI and two runs scored. Alex Hanson (St. Petersburg) was 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBIs in game one.

Cordes Baker (South Carolina Lancaster) got all the run support he needed on the mound in game one, giving up four hits and three earned runs with three recorded strikeouts for the win. Baker is 3-0 this season.

“I think he’s a fan favorite with the boys,” Lynch said. “They like when he’s out there, they know he’s going to throw strikes.”

But Mystic’s offense figured out Nighthawks pitcher Wes Engle (Texas State) early in game two. Engle gave up three earned runs, five hits, a walk and recorded three strikeouts in three innings. Dakota Edwards gave up four earned runs and four hits in two innings, putting Upper Valley in a deep hole.

The Nighthawks strung together two runs in the fifth and sixth innings, including a five-hit rally in the sixth that fell short with two runners left on base.

“We got to him at the end, and we got to the reliever,” Cenatiempo said. “We just came up a little too short. … I wouldn’t think it’s going cold, I thought we hit the ball pretty well in the second game. I just thought we just faced a tougher pitcher.”

The Nighthawks will travel to Winnipesaukee on Friday to take on the Muskrats at Robbie Mills Field. Upper Valley has defeated the Muskrats twice this season. The Nighthawks will return home at 6:30 p.m. Saturday to take on the Valley Blue Sox.

— Josh Weinreb

H.S. Football Lebanon Lineman Fleury Transferring

Lebanon — Mike Fleury, who started his first two years at Lebanon High as a football lineman and lacrosse attackman, plans to transfer to New Hampton (N.H.) School, Raiders coach Chris Childs said.

Fleury, who was listed at 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds last season, was to be one of four returning linemen for Lebanon. He helped the Raiders reach the NHIAA Division II quarterfinals last season and played for the U.S. under-17 national team against Ontario during a game in Texas at the Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium.

New Hampton was 9-0 last season and won the New England Prep School Athletic Council title. The school has roughly 300 day and boarding students and is located 30 miles north of Concord. The Huskies have produced several professional basketball players as well as former NFL and Colgate running back Jamaal Branch.

Women’s Hockey Dartmouth Adds Assistant

Hanover — Chris Cobb has been hired as an assistant for the Dartmouth College women’s ice hockey team, joining the staff of head coach Laura Schuler, who was hired in April. Cobb is a native of Swanton, Vt.

Cobb spent last season at ECAC member Union, which was 0-28-6. Before that, he had three-year stints as an assistant at NCAA Division III programs Williams and Amherst, both in Massachusetts. For five years, he concurrently coached the women’s club team at UMass, from where he graduated in 2007, and helped it twice reach the national semifinals.

Williams captured the 2013-14 NESCAC title, and Amherst earned that league’s crown and the Division III national championship in 2010 with Cobb aboard.

— Tris Wykes

GolfMass. Golfer Leads VSWGA

Waterbury Center, Vt. — Massachusetts golfer Hannah Ghelfi took a 1-shot lead after day 2 of the New England Women’s Golf Association championship at par-72 Country Club of Vermont.

Ghelfi shot a 2-under-par 70 for a two-day total of 143, one shot ahead of Susan Cavanagh, of Rhode Island.

Paige MacLeay, of Claremont Country Club, leads area golfers with an 85-77-162. Eastman’s Collette Schmidt is at 83-81-164.

Boys Soccer Lebanon Top Stitch 5CRFC Claremont V 0

Plainfield — Hunter Bienvenu scored two goals as Lebanon Top Stitch Embroidery (3-1-0) defeated CRFC Claremont (0-5-1) in a New Hampshire Soccer Conference game.

Nate Chickering, Patrick Mason and Sam Lappin also scored for Lebanon.

Lebanon Central Supply IV 4CRFC Claremont IV 2

Plainfield — Four different players scored for Lebanon Central Supply (3-0-1) in a win over CRFC Claremont (2-3-1).

Graham Chickering, Nate Gariepy, Tobias Harris and Owen Johnstone scored for Lebanon, and Johnstone, Gariepy and Mack Walton each had assists.

Ethan Sweet scored twice for Claremont.

Legion Baseball Lebanon Jrs. 1, Jutras 0

Manchester — Ryan Nicholson’s seventh-inning single scored Seanon May as Lebanon Post 22 (5-1) defeated Jutras.

Eli Jaynes pitched 6 shutout innings, and May got the last two outs for the save.

Lebanon hosts the White River Junction Post 84 juniors today.