Despite allowing two runs in the top of the ninth, the North Shore Navigators held on to grab a 4-3 win over the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs at Fraser Field on Thursday.
With the win, the Navs improve to 31-20 on the season, and are just one win away from setting a franchise record for wins in a season with three games left on the schedule.
Closer Speros Varinos (Tufts University) created some drama in the ninth. With the Navs up, 4-1, a single, a walk, two errors, and two wild pitches plated two runs for the Dirt Dawgs. But Varinos was able to work his way out of a two-on, one-out jam and secure his 13th save of the season.
Michael Rizzitello (Dowling) got the Navs’ offense going when he doubled with one out in the second and scored on Giovanni Dingcong’s (St. Thomas Aquinas) single. Chad Martin (Bowdoin) tripled in the fourth and scored on Rizzitello’s sacrifice fly to give the Navs a 2-0 lead.
The Dirt Dawgs got a run back off of Navs’ starter Tim Superko (Tufts University) in the sixth, and Superko left with two outs in the inning. But the Navs responded with two in the bottom half of the frame, taking advantage of a couple of errors and a wild pitch.
Superko got the win, allowing just one run on four hits and two walks, fanning three. Trevor Massey (Boston College) tossed 2 ? scoreless innings in relief.
Martin had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and triple. Shortstop Brandon Fischer (St. Thomas Aquinas) also had two hits.The Navigators return to action on Friday night when they host the Seacoast Mavericks at Fraser Field. It will be Firework Friday at the ballpark and the Navs also will honor the St. Mary’s 2015 state champion baseball team in a pre-game ceremony. The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. and the game starts at 7.