EXETER, N.H. — The Upper Valley Anglers aren’t giving anything away through the first week of the New Hampshire COVID Baseball League season.
Brendan Walker, Nolan Gantrish and Sam Sacerdote combined on a two-hit shutout as the Anglers blanked Exeter, 3-0, at Exeter High School on Friday night. Upper Valley (3-0) has shut down its first three foes — Exeter at home on Monday (4-0), the New Hampshire Prospects White away on Wednesday (6-0) — with pitchers who have surrendered just seven hits in 20 innings on the mound.
Walker (Woodsville) started slowly but eventually settled into a three-inning effort, fanning three and walking three with one hit allowed. Walker walked the bases loaded in the opening frame but got a strikeout to escape the jam.
Gantrish (Hanover) and Sacerdote (Hanover) did the rest, each throwing two innings. Gantrish gave up the Anglers’ only other hit with two strikeouts and two walks, while Sacerdote (one strikeout) earned the save with a pair of perfect frames.
Ben Williams (Hanover) served as the catalyst of Upper Valley’s two rallies. For the second straight contest, Williams opened the game with a single before stealing second base. He moved up when Gantrish reached on an error before Trey Parker (Kimball Union/Roanoke College) drove him home with a single. Exeter cut down Gantrish at home plate trying to score on the play.
Williams helped the Anglers extend their lead in the fifth, singling and stealing second again. After a walk to Gantrish and a fielder’s choice grounder from Parker, catcher Jack Loftus (Hanover) produced a two-run single for a 3-0 cushion.
Harper Flint (Sunapee) doubled in the seventh inning but was stranded on the basepaths. Trey Chickering (Proctor Academy) had the night’s defensive play, racing to deep center field to rob Exeter of an extra-base hit to open the bottom of the fifth.
The Anglers head to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover on Sunday to take on Seacoast Pirates Navy.