Heads-up baserunning by Classical pitcher David Barnard enabled the Rams to beat Gloucester, 5-4, Monday night at Fraser Field.
After a tough start, Classical has now won two in a row and raised its record to 4-5.
After leading throughout the game, Gloucester scored three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. With two out in the bottom of the inning, Barnard and Kyle Devin hit back-to-back singles. Aidan Dow (2-for-4 with a run and an RBI) hit a shot up the middle that Gloucester’s shortstop kicked over to second. The second baseman tried to tag the bag with the ball, but rolled over and dropped it.
“Barnard was on third and he read the play perfectly,” said Classical coach Mike Zukowski.
Barnard charged toward him, and barely beat the tag with a head-first slide.
Barnard went all seven innings, striking out six and walking one.
Danny Lilja was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Caesar Carrero was 1-for-3 with three RBI.
The Rams are at home Wednesday against Malden,
Saugus 6, English 5
At Fraser Field, Todd Tringale bore down when he had to, registering his 10th strikeout with the tying run on second. He pitched a complete-game and struck out 10 Monday as the Sachems raised their record to 4-5.
Mike Mabee led the way on offense, going 3-for-4 and Dominic Clark stood out in the field.
“He made at least four outstanding plays,” said coach Joe Luis
St. John’s 7, Cath. Mem. 2
At CM, the Eagles evened their record in the Catholic Conference (3-3) while moving to 6-3 overall.
“We’re catching our groove,” said coach Dan Letarte. “We’ve had some quality wins against good teams.”
Tyler McGregor led the wa with a three-run homer in the sixth inning to put the Eagles up 4-2, “and we never looked back,” said Letarte. The Prep added three more runs in the seventh.
It was pitching by committee for the Prep, with Garrett Seigel, Kevin Dewing and Sean Letarte combining on a 4-hitter.
SOFTBALL
Gloucester 4, Classical 3
At Gloucester, the Rams coasted through the first two innings, taking a 1-0 lead out of the gate when Kayla Morrill’s double knocked in Becca Walker, who had reached on an error.
However, after two were out in the third, an error opened up the floodgates, resulting in two Gloucester runs and the Fishermen had a 2-1 lead.
Two more runs in the fifth gave Gloucester a 4-1 lead. McKenzie Shea kept the Fishermen at bay in the bottom of the sixth with a spectacular catch that got pitcher Tori Adams out of a huge jam.
But even though the Rams got the tying run on second base in the top of the seventh, “we couldn’t get her in,” said coach Erica Richard.
Morrill was 3-for-3 with an RBI.
The 4-2 Rams play Malden Wednesday.
Saugus 29, English 0
At Saugus, the Sachems scored 20 runs in the first inning and then sat their regulars for the rest of the game as coach Steve Almquist summoned players from the JV team at the other end of the Saugus High School field.
English falls to 0-4.
Saugus is back in action today (4) at Northeast Regional. English is in action against Peabody.
Marblehead 2, Danvers 1
At Danvers, Charlotte Plakans held the Falcons hitless until the bottom of the sixth, and that was a bunt single. She struck out 11. The Magicians struck out 12 times against Danvers pitching.
Plakans led the way on offense too, going 2-for-3, driving in Sophie Vener in the first inning. Vener doubled home Bel Sogoloff in the third inning for the winning run
Hannah Garthe doubled in the fourth inning and went 1-for-3; and Jolie Quintana was 1-for-3 with a single in the sixth.
Reading 6, Lynnfield 5 (F/8)
Lynnfield took on the iron of the Cape Ann League Monday and gave host North Reading, which came into the game undefeated at 6-0, all it could handle before going down in eight innings.
The game was back-and-forth with Lynnfield leading 4-3 after four innings, and the Hornets coming back to lead 5-4 after five. Lynnfield (5-4) scratched out a run in the top of the seventh, then starter Hayley O’Brien, who also had a monster day at the plate, set down the Hornets (7-0) in the bottom of the inning to send the game into extra innings where the Hornets won in a walkoff.
“We did a good job and did a lot of good things, but we hit their fast pitching better than we do against pitchers who can’t break a pane of glass,” said Lynnfield coach Peter Marinelli. “To be a young team and play that kind of a game against the best team in the league, to out-hit them 10-8, is very encouraging. I told the girls that if they play defense and hit like we did today against a powerhouse team, we can play with anybody, so there is a lot to take away from today.”
O’Brien (3-for-4, 3 RBI, run) sent the game into extras with an RBI single in the top of the seventh that scored Jenna Freni, who got on base by an error and advanced to third on a single by Chloe Shapleigh. Breanna Serabian (2-for-4, run) ripped two doubles, while Allie Wing had one. Shapleigh (2-for-3, run) and Jillian Babine (2-4, RBI) had multiple hit games.
Beverly 12, Salem 5
Behind an eight-run sixth inning, the Panthers were able to rally from a 5-0 deficit late in the game and steal a win right from under Salem on Monday. That sixth-inning rally included a three-run home run by Natalie Stilwell (1-for-5, four RBI) and a two-run single from Melanie Mason (2-for-4, two RBI, two runs scored). Shelby Davis went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Beverly is now 5-2 on the year.
BOYS LACROSSE
St. Mary’s 18, Arlington Catholic 9
Nick Napolitano (six goals) and Brendan Laundry (five goals) combined for 11 points as the Spartans rolled to a Catholic Central League victory at Manning Field on Monday. Joe O’Keefe and Jason Loeser scored two goals each, while Christian Lebert, Davis Kinne and Matthew Connolly each had one goal. Goalkeeper Kaden Quirk made 13 saves in the win.
St. Mary’s (5-4) has another big CCL game on Wednesday night when the Spartans host Bishop Fenwick back at Manning.
Winthrop 15, Lynn 2
At Miller Field, an undermanned Lynn team, with six players missing due to illness or injury, had its hands full with the Vikings.
Shidley Belice and Pedro Cefa scored for the Jets, who fell to 1-7.
Marblehead 12, Swampscott 2
At Swampscott, Vinny Palmer and Darian Wulf scored goals for the Big Blue while Colin Walsh one assist.
Goalie Jake Bartrum had 12 saves.
The Blue are back home today against Pope John.
Fenwick 9, Williams 5
Led by Brian Harrington’s five goals and two assists, the Crusaders earned a solid home win over a CCL opponent on Monday. Nick Muzi had two goals and one assist, Stefano Fabiano had one goal and two assists and Diego Alvarez-Segee had one goal. Goalkeeper Garrett Ruszkowski had 14 saves in the win.
Fenwick (6-2) has a big conference rivalry game against St. Mary’s on Wednesday at Manning Field.
GIRLS LACROSSE
Williams 12, Fenwick 8
Fran Carpinella led the way in the loss for Fenwick with four goals, while Brigid Waldron had one goal and one assist. Callie Dirks and Colbi Flickinger each had one goal and Cailyn Wesley had two assists.
The Crusaders (3-7) will host St. Mary’s on Wednesday.
St. Mary’s 16, Arlington Cath. 3
At Arlington Catholic, junior Codi Butt scored nine goals and had two assists as the Spartans (5-6) edged closer to the .500 mark.
Other Spartan scorers were Mady Hentosh (goal, five assists), and Kiara LoNigro and Shelly Callahan both scored their first goals of the season.
Also scoring were Riley Lynch, Kate Grey, McKenzie Spates (goal each), Riley Flannery (one goal, one assist), Meg Parthum and Kelsey Sullivan (two assists each) and Payton Quirk (one assist).
Goalie Lauren Vaccaro had 10 saves.
The Spartans are at Fenwick Wednesday.