ITEM PHOTO BY KATIE MORRISON
Marblehead’s Enrique Quinonez swings at a pitch.
By Scot Cooper
SALEM — The Marblehead little leaguers opened up their play in the 33rd Annual Ray Gallant Tournament with a 3-0 win over Nahant-Swampscott.
Marblehead pitcher Schuyler Schmitt was unfazed by facing six players from the Swampscott team that won the District 16 title last month, even with his opponents being bolstered by three starters from the Nahant squad that had strong tournament showings.
Schmitt was in command for seven full innings, allowing just three singles, whiffing nine batters and not issuing a single walk. Schmitt was only in trouble one time — in the bottom of the third when Chloe Rakauskas reached first on a Marblehead error, and advanced on the first of three singles by Jonah Cadorette.
After Rakauskas and Cadorette moved to third and second on a wild pitch with no outs, Schmitt bore down and whiffed Sam Reenstierna, Jansen Landen and John Cuttle to get out of trouble. That was the only time a Swampscott runner would make it to third base.
“We had zero energy, really, and on top of that, their guy pitched great for them,” Swampscott manager Brad McIntire said. “Just very flat all game against a good pitcher, good team.”
Marblehead manager Chris Annese said was pleased with his entire team’s performance Friday night at Salem’s Stephen O’Grady Field.
“I told the guys that it was a very good win over a very good team,” he said. “Our guy and their guy both pitched really well, we took advantage of our opportunities and limited them to just a couple of base runners over seven good innings.”
Schmitt and Cadorette both breezed through the first two innings, before Marblehead took advantage of a few hits and several Swampscott miscues to put two on the board in the top of the third.
Marblehead’s Sami Laughlin led off the third inning with his second single of the game. Schmitt reached on a fielder’s choice, while Laughlin was erased at second. Enrique Quinonez hit a grounder to short, and when the throw skidded on the wet grass into right field, Schmitt scooted all the way home for the eventual winning run.
With Quinonez on second, Charlie McGurrin cranked an opposite-field double off the left field fence, scoring Quinonez for Marblehead’s second run.
Marblehead tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fourth to make it 3-0.
Marblehead will play the winner of Danvers vs. Salem on Saturday night at 7, looking to go 2-0 in the double elimination tourney. Swampscott will play Salem on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in a losers bracket game. Marblehead will play Danvers at 7 p.m. Saturday in the winners bracket.