PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Lynn’s David Barnard leans over as Pittsfield’s Joe Cracolici slides into first base during Friday night’s game at Fraser Field.
BY JOYCE EREKSON
LYNN — The Lynn Babe Ruth 15s got off to a rocky start in the New England Regionals, losing to Pittsfield, 11-3, in the first game of pool play Friday night at Fraser Field.
Lynn couldn’t get it going against Pittsfield pitcher Ian Benoit, who had a no-hitter going until the fifth inning when Brett Bucklin spoiled the bid with a single to left field. Pittsfield, on the other hand, pecked away at Lynn pitching all night, scoring one run in the first, three in the second, two in the fourth, one in the sixth and four in the seventh.
“We just didn’t play well,” Lynn manager Leon Elwell said. “They’re a good team and we came out flat … We’ve got to play better tomorrow. We can lose one game, but we can’t lose any more.”
Pittsfield manager Eric Stone liked what he saw with his pitcher and his team as a whole.
“He (Benoit) had a no-hitter going into the fifth. He did a good job moving the ball in and out, keeping it down and getting it over. Our defense was phenomenal (no errors)”
The Lynn bats woke up briefly in the fifth. After Bucklin broke the no-hitter, Erick Ubri came off the bench and crushed a triple to right field to drive him in. Ubri came home on a groundout by Danny Lilja to cut the deficit to 6-2. Lynn would get one more run in the bottom on the seventh on an RBI single by A.J. Luciano, but it was way too little and way too late.
Christian Burt started on the mound for Lynn and took the loss. Matt Gisonno came on in relief in the fourth inning with Lynn trailing 6-0 and a runner on second. Gisonno loaded the bases, but Lynn escaped without any more damage thanks to a 4-6-3 double play. Gisonno allowed a hit and a walk in the fifth, but Pittsfield didn’t score. Luciano pitched the sixth and seventh innings. Pittsfield outhit Lynn 12-6.
“I thought Matt Gisonno pitched well,” Elwell said. “He kind of held it together for us.”
Aedon Leydon had a hit and a walk for Lynn; Luciano, Dayshon Anderson, Bucklin, Burt and Ubri accounted for the others.
Pittsfield lead-off hitter Carter Matthews had a pair of hits and a walk. Benoit had two hits, an RBI and he scored a run. Extra hitter Mike O’Brien had a two-run single in the third inning and first baseman Joe Cracolici had two singles and an RBI. Colby Sherman was hit by a pitch and had a single.
The Lynn 15s will play Medford tonight at 7 p.m. in the second game of pool play. Lynn and Medford are no strangers, having met twice in the Eastern Mass championship. Medford won the first game but Lynn took the second game to win the EMass title. This group of Lynn players made it to the states all three years (13-15), but this is the first time the team reached the regionals.
“We’re still alive (despite the loss),” Elwell said. “Hopefully we got it out of our system and we’ll come back better (today).”