ITEM PHOTO: KATIE MORRISON
Swampscott’s Luke Marshall earned the first varsity win of his career on Wednesday against Lynn English.
By KATIE MORRISON
SWAMPSCOTT — For the first three innings of Wednesday’s matchup between the Swampscott and English baseball teams, the Bulldogs had the Big Blue on the ropes. Then it all changed.
Through the first three innings, the lead changed five times. But the fifth time would be the last time, as Swampscott exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning en route to a 16-6 victory over English.
English starter Kenny Sanchez found himself in a jam right off the bat. A walk to Adrian Espinal turned into a Big Blue run as Espinal stole second and Matt Hubauer’s single moved him to third. Espinal scored on an error. Sanchez walked two more batters in the inning, but won a bases-loaded battle with Gavin Sullivan that resulted in a strikeout.
CJ Howard got the start for Swampscott, but struggled with command. After retiring the side in order in the first, Howard walked the first two batters of the second inning, and English took advantage.
Billy Allen stepped up with a RBI single, driving in Brett Molea. Tony Medrano walked, and Briston Maynard smoked a double that brought in two runs.
That would be it for Howard, who was relieved by sophomore Luke Marshall. The Bulldogs ran themselves into an out, as Jomar Moreta grounded out to second base, and Maynard advanced from second to third before he realized that Medrano was holding at third. First baseman Jake Cooper rifled a throw home that caught Medrano. That proved to be a rally-killer, as Wilbur Rosario flew out to center for the third out.
Swampscott got the runs back right away. Hits from Sean Lahrizi, Espinal, Hubauer and Leo Wile plated three runs in the inning.
The back-and-forth scoring continued as Matt Desilets walked and scored on an error. Allen laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought in Molea, who singled earlier in the frame.
Swampscott knocked out Sanchez after he allowed a single and a walk to start the third. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Louis Olivieri from new pitcher Devin Curley brought home a run, and Espinal singled home the go-ahead run as Swampscott took a 6-5 lead.
The fourth inning was when Marshall really started to settle in, as he retired the side in order, setting the stage for Swampscott’s big inning.
The Big Blue sent 11 men to the plate in the fourth, with hits coming from Olivieri, Espinal, Wile, Howard, Cooper and a double from Corey Bleau. New English pitcher Tyler Story finally ended the inning on a strikeout, but the damage was done.
“That’s what we’re capable off. These kids can swing the bats,” said Swampscott coach Jason Calichman. “It was nice to overcome some adversity early.”
English went pretty quietly the rest of the way, save for Molea’s two doubles (he went 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI) and Desilets’ double in the seventh.
“Things just fell apart. We had trouble throwing strikes,” said English coach Joe Caponigro. “When you throw strikes, this game’s a lot easier. But we have a lot of work to do, we’ll continue to work hard, and I tip my cap to Swampscott. We just couldn’t overcome that inning.”
The Big Blue added three more runs off hits from Sullivan and Lahrizi and RBI groundouts from Olivieri and Espinal. With one out in the fifth, Gio Morales came on to pitch for English and delivered a strong performance, allowing just one baserunner on an error in his 1 2/3 innings of work.
“He looked pretty good,” said Caponigro. “In games like this, when you can try things you wouldn’t in close games, I saw something in him.”
After losing to Beverly, 14-6, in what Calichman called the Big Blue’s worst game of the season (they initially led, 6-1, but committed 11 errors in the game), Swampscott bounced back in a big way.
“We had to look at ourselves and say that can’t define us, we have to come out and battle,” said Calichman. “These guys came to play today.”
Marshall earned the win for Swampscott, the first varsity win of his career.
“He came in in a tough spot and really settled us down,” said Calichman. “He threw great, the longer he was out there, the more settled in he got. He was cruising.”