Follow @pbrnewengland

By Mark Andrick
PBR NE Scout

PBR New England is eagerly anticipating bringing the New England states the best high school coverage throughout the region.

We will have the 2016 Scout Blog, Spotlight Games, Inside the Recruitment Articles, Unsigned Senior Spotlights, The Recruiting Trail, All-State Selections, Full Coverage of the State Tournaments as well as numerous other articles throughout the spring.

To view the Regions Preseason All-State Teams, click below:
+ Connecticut
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ New Hampshire
+ Rhode Island
+ Vermont

To view the Team Power Rankings, click below:
+ Connecticut
+ Maine
+ Massachusetts
+ New Hampshire
+ Rhode Island
+ Vermont

To view the full list of 2016 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

For insider information and scouting notes from the PBR staff during the 2016 spring season visit the 2016 New England Scout Blog by clicking here.

Interested in attending a PBR New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

PBR New England Spotlight Game: Belmont vs Arlington Catholic

The Cougars of Arlington Catholic capitalized on four unearned runs and used patient at bats to wear down the Marauders of Belmont for a 5-3 win.

Arlington got on the board right out of the gate. With one out, junior Matt Laviondeas was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Rosati then laced a ball to left-center that appeared to be a home run but was eventually ruled a double, scoring Laviondeas and giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead after an inning.

The Marauders would answer right back in the 2nd inning with three runs (two earned) against Beecher.

Sophomore third baseman Ryan Noone singled to right to start the frame and moved to second after a successful sacrifice bunt. Senior catcher Evan Biette followed with an RBI single, plating Noone and tying the game. Biette would move to second on a wild pitch and to third after junior center fielder Bryan Goodwin reached on an error. Senior Cole Bartels (Penn State commit) drove in both runners with a triple to left and Belmont was staked to a 3-1 lead.

The Cougars would get those runs back and then some in the bottom of the 3rd.

Laviondeas started another rally with a one-out single and an out later stole second. He would move to third on a wild pitch before Meier walked senior first baseman Ryan Smith to put runners on the corners. Beecher then reached on a huge error by Noone that would have ended the inning, scoring Laviondeas and the lead was down to one.

Senior Justin McKenzie then ripped a single to right, plating Smith and moving Beecher to third. McKenzie stole second setting the stage for O’Brien who promptly broke the tie with a liner to left scoring both runners and giving Arlington Catholic a 5-3 lead that would not relinquish.

Belmont would load the bases in the 4th but could not push any across.

Arlington Catholic also had a great opportunity in their 4th after putting runners on the corners with Rosati stepping to the plate. However, after singling, Laviondeas attempted to steal second and was gunned down by junior catcher Cal Christofori. The runner broke from third at the same time and after the out at second, junior Noah Riley fired a strike back to Christofori to complete the double play and leaving Rosati standing at the plate.

Rosati would come on a relief in the 5th and escaped a bases loaded jam with no outs after a fielder’s choice and a pair of strikeouts.

Riley torched a two-out triple in the 6th but was ultimately stranded at third.

The Marauders again made it interesting in the final inning by putting two runners aboard via singles but Rosati bore down and got the final out as the Cougars were able to hold on to upset Belmont.

Senior RHP Christian Rosati (UMass commit) earned the save after coming on for classmate Justin Beecher in the 5th.

Sophomore RHP Max Meier lasted only three innings for Belmont after a high pitch count and five runs (one earned) allowed. He pitched better than the line suggests, freshman Jake Pollock pitched the final three innings in relief. Sophomore catcher Mike O’Brien had the big hit of the day with a two-run single in the 3rd that gave the Cougars the lead for good.