Jarring loss for Swampscott baseball against MC

MALDEN – After stumbling through the week against its Northeastern Conference foes, the reward for the Swampscott baseball nine on Saturday was traveling to Malden Catholic to face the Lancers, one of the top teams in the commonwealth.The Big Blue received a solid pitching performance from righty Hunter Gordon, who allowed just two hits – but absorbed a hard-luck 2-1 loss to Malden Catholic at Maplewood Park.Gordon fanned shortstop James Castrucci to begin the sixth, but walked left fielder Dario Pizzano, who was replaced at first by pinch-runner Kenny Watkins. Watkins immediately took off for second on the first pitch to teammate third baseman Justin Serabaugh, taking the bag just ahead of the throw by catcher Dan Nellhaus. Gordon fanned Serabaugh for the second out, yet Watkins would advance to third on another stolen base. Catcher Greg Cuovo then lofted a fly to left that outfielder Chris Cameron, playing back, had to race in for. He dove for the ball and ran into a tough wind; the fly landed in his glove, but was jarred loose when his elbow hit the ground. Watkins came home with the winning run.Swampscott (1-4) went down in order in the top of the seventh against reliever Robert Machado for the Lancers’ sixth straight victory (6-1).”We were coming off a three-game slide (headed into today), and the guys showed their resiliency against the top team in the state,” said Swampscott coach T.J. Baril. “That was a tough fly ball in the sixth (that scored the winning run), but what can you do? The wind was strong, and the elements were tough all day.”Trailing 1-0 headed into the fifth, the Big Blue evened matters off starter Matt Ryan. Third baseman John Beaulieu reached on an infield hit, beating the throw from Castrucci. Ryan then walked Nellhaus, and Lancers skipper Steve Freker brought in the UMass-bound Machado. He fanned right fielder Keith Morgan, but centerfielder Stephen Moran singled to center, plating Beaulieu with the tying run.”This is the third time that he’s done this this season, ” said Freker of Machado’s working at least three innings of relief in a game. “The run he gave up today was the first he’s allowed this year. But he’s been shutting down teams for us throughout, and he gives us that advantage.”Malden Catholic took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off a shaky Gordon. He walked centerfielder Tony Serino (on four pitches), who stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Pizzano blooped a one-out double that fell between Cameron and Beaulieu, bringing in Serino with the game’s first score. Further damage was averted when Cuovo, who had reached on a two-out walk, attempted to steal second. The throw by Nellhaus went to second baseman Ryan Squires, who promptly threw back to the plate to get Pizzano (he had moved up to third on an infield out prior to the walk to Cuovo).After walking Machado to begin the second, Gordon quickly settled into a groove, setting down the Lancers in order until a two-out single by second baseman Nate Witkiowski in the fifth.”This was a game that Hunter really wanted to pitch,” said Baril. “He had pitched against Danvers on Tuesday, and he really wanted to pitch against MC. He bounced back (after the first), and showed them how tough he was (Gordon fanned six in addition to walking four).”