Coventry

Led by the no-hit pitching of senior Matt Grenier, the Wizards won their second game of the year over the Bulldogs of Westerly, 8-0.

Grenier, who pitched the Wizards first complete-game no-hitter in over a decade, struck out 10 batters and walked two over the seven inning contest.  While he was supported by some stellar defense over the first innings, Grenier struck out 9 batters in the final four frames.  Out of 100 pitches, the righty thre 67 strikes. 

The closest the Bulldogs were to getting a hit was actually in the top of the first inning when sophomore Robert Bird made a diving catch down the right field line off the bat of Trai Collins for the final out.  

After scoring five unearned runs, highlighted by Ernie Wright's two-run double in the second inning, the Wizards broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when they scored three runs on rbi hits by Matt Grenier (double), Chris Gaipo (single) and Charlie Tashjian (single).  

After losing their first two games of the season, West Warwick bounced back with a surprising 8-2 victory over the defending Division II Champions, Mt. St. Charles.  

Led by the solid pitching fo Charlie Tashjian and Robert Bird, the Wizards were able to hold the Mounties to only two runs on seven hits.  Tashjian, who earned the victory, pitched four scoreless innings while striking out three and allowing just three hits.  Bird, who pitched the final three innings, allowed just two runs on four hits.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Wizards, who were limited to just five runs in 16 innings of play to start the season, scored five runs to open up a 5-0 lead.  WWHS received hits from Tom Doran (lead-off single), Andrew D'Ambrosca (single), Brogan Guilmette (rbi single), Matt Grenier (rbi double), Nick Pecchia (rbi single and Chris Gaipo (two-run single).

The Wizards scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

In the fourth inning, Ernie Wright singled, stole second base, moved to third base on a ground-out and then, scored on a perfectly executed suicide squeeze by Nick Pecchia.

In the fifth inning, Hermes Villar-Acosta (pinch-runner) scored from second base on Matt Hopper's line-drive to left center.  

In the sixth inning, WWHS scored the final run of the game when Matt Grenier singled to right field, stole second base and scored on Chris Gaipo's rbi single to right field.   

Offensivley, the Wizards received contributions from Matt Grenier (2/4, one double, 2 runs scored and 1 rbi), Nick Pecchia (1/3, one run scored and 2 rbi's), Chris Gaipo (3/4, 3 rbi's), Tom Doran (1/2, one run scored), Matt Hopper (1/3, 1 rbi), Andrew D'Ambrosca (1/2, one run scored), Brogan Guilmette (1/3, 1 rbi) and Ernie Wright (1/2, two runs scored).  

Despite the solid pitching from Matt Grenier, Matt Hopper and Ernie Wright, the Wizards lost their home opener in extra innings, 4-3, to North Smithfield.  

The trio of pitchers walked three batters (one intentional walk) and did not give up an earned run in the 9-inning affair.  Of 130 pitches thrown, they threw 89 strikes.  

After allowing three unearned runs on three errors in the first three innings, Matt Grenier was replaced by fellow Senior Matt Hopper entered the game in middle relief and allowed just two hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.  

Junior Ernie Wright followed Hopper by allowing just one unearned run on one hit in 2 1/3 innings.  

Down 3-0 after three innings, the Wizards scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Matt Grenier lined a two-out, two-run single to right-center to score pinch-runners, Hermes Villar-Acosta and Alex Pedus.

While Matt Hopper retired 9 of 10 batters, West Warwick tied the game in the bottom of the sixth.  With one out, Pacer Carpenter walked.  Brogan Guilmette, then, blooped a single down the right field line to move pinch-runner Cobly Knott to second base.  With two-outs, Grenier lined a single to left-center to tie the game at 3-3.

In extra innings, the Wizards seven walks, but could not push across the winning run, leaving seven runners stranded over the last three innings of the game.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, WWHS had their best chance to win the game with two outs.  With runners (Guilmette and Wright) on with two outs, the Northmen elected to intentionally walk Matt Grenier (3/4, 3 rbi's), putting the winning run 90 feet away.  The move, however, paid off as reliever Eric Ethier induced a pop-up to short right to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, North Smithfield rallied with two outs.  Adam Blakemore reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch.  After two walks, Blakemore scored on Eric Ethier's infield hit.  

In addition to Grenier's three hits, the Wizards received offensive support from Brogan Guilmette (2/3, 2 walks), Tom Doran (1/4), Nick Pecchia (1/4) and Matt Hopper (three walks).  

After having to wait one full week because of the inclement weather in Rhode Island last week, West Warwick finally started their 2016 season with a 6-2 loss to Ponaganset High School.  

Although the  Wizards had four solid scrimmages against Cranston West, East Greenwich, Hendricken and Tiverton prior to last week, the Orange and Black not only had two league games postponed last week, but also had their Injury Fund game cancelled.  

As a result, the Wizards started off slowly against the Chieftans (2-0), who defeated Tolman, 3-2, in their opener.    

In the bottom of the first inning, senior lefty Tom Doran gave up two opportunistic runs to Ponaganset on one infield hit, one bloop hit and a two-out, two-run double by Tyler Flynn.

In the top of the second inning, the Wizards cut the lead to 2-1 when Chris Gaipo (walk) scored after two walks (Tom Doran and Matt Hopper) and a hit batsmen to Brogan Guillmette.  

As Doran settled into the game, WWHS tied the game, 2-2, when Chris Gaipo tripled to right field, but junior Charlie Tashjian was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay.  Gaipo, however, scored on a bloop single by Pacer Carpenter.

The Wizards, however, stranded ten runners on base and were not able to cross the pentagon again.  

Tom Doran pitched well for the Wizards, striking out four batters and allowing just two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched.  From the second inning on, the lefty was nearly unhittable by retiring 9 of 11 batters that he faced.  

Offensively, the Orange and Black received hit from Matt Grenier (3/4, one double), Chris Gaipo (2/3, one double, two runs scored and one walk), Tom Doran (1/2, one walk), Andrew D'Ambrosca (1/3), Charlie Tashjian (1/4) and Pacer Carpenter (1/4, one rbi).