FILE PHOTO
Aaron O’Connor hit an RBI triple in Lynn’s 5-3 win.
By HAROLD RIVERA
PEABODY — Swampscott/Nahant gave Lynn a battle and a half in Friday’s Eastern Mass. Babe Ruth District 1 13-year-old Tournament game, but it wasn’t enough. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Lynn bats rallied for three runs to earn a 5-3 win at Peabody High’s Bezemes Diamond.
“These are the type of games that I talk to the kids about,” Lynn coach Brian O’Connor said. “If we’re going to do anything with this team, we have to win games like this.”
The game was scoreless until Lynn broke the ice in the bottom of the second. Anthony Mateo reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Nolan Mulkahy singled, allowing Mateo to take third. An errant infield throw slipped past first base, allowing Mateo to score the game’s first run.
Lynn held its 1-0 lead until Swampscott/Nahant answered with three runs in the top of the fourth. Drew Botta and Harry Riddell drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. A passed ball allowed Botta to take third and Riddell to advance to second. Max Gordon’s RBI single brought Botta home, tying the game at 1-1. Joseph Ford followed with a two-RBI single, giving Swampscott/Nahant a 3-1 lead.
“Joseph came up to bat and he knew it was the right time to make contact,” Swampscott/Nahant coach Fred Dubiel said. “That was a key hit. He’s one of our bottom of the order hitters but he’s had hits like that in Babe Ruth all year.”
On the mound, Botta did everything he could to give Swampscott/Nahant a chance to win. Lynn got one back in the fourth, on an RBI groundout by Mateo, scoring Aaron O’Connor to make it a 3-2 game.
“We simply wanted our best going against Lynn’s best,” Dubiel said. “He (Botta) pitched his heart out. I made one visit to the mound and he told me he felt good and wanted to keep going.”
Swampscott/Nahant held it’s one-run advantage until Lynn answered the bell in the sixth. Christian Moran, who started on the mound for Lynn, walked to start the frame and came home on O’Connor’s triple to tie the game, 3-3. An RBI single off Ethaniel Almendarez’s bat brought O’Connor home for the 4-3 lead. Mulkahy added an RBI single, scoring Almendarez, to bump Lynn’s edge to 5-3.
Aiven Cabral, who came on in relief, recorded the final four outs to seal the 5-3 win.
“I knew we were going to do it, I just didn’t know when and I’m glad we rallied in time,” O’Connor said. “The pitching hung strong. Aiven came in relief and he’s been a little off his last couple starts but he came back strong in this game.”
Defensively, Lynn was sharp in the win.
“They made some great plays,” O’Connor said. “They make those dirty plays like Dustin Pedroia. They always make them.”
Lynn looks to stay on the win column against Revere on Sunday (6) while Swampscott/Nahant looks to bounce back on Monday (5), also against Revere.