Fifth-inning explosion leads Peabody West to victory

WORCESTER – Playing in the Massachusetts State Little League Finals is nothing new for Peabody West, as the District 15 champ has done it three years in a row. But winning the crown is something that Peabody is trying to do for the second time in those three tries.On Saturday at Joe Schwartz Field, Peabody was in jeopardy of seeing that chance evaporate against Westfield North. But a seven-run barrage in the bottom of the fifth inning broke the game open and kept West alive thanks to an 11-3 win.Yesterday, Peabody was slated to play Middleboro for a trip to the finals against Parkway National, but thunderstorms and heavy rains washed out the day. The teams will now play today (4), with the winner tentatively slated to play Parkway one hour after the game’s completion.Peabody got the scoring started in the bottom of the first when Tyler Noe laced a triple to right. One-out walks to Frank Lowry and Matt Hosman preceded a wild pitch that allowed Noe to score for a 1-0 lead.Westfield responded in the second against West starter Ryan McManus thanks to some two-out magic. Madison Atkocaitis walked and Zach McCormick singled before Yeugnay Pyshniak was plunked to load the bases.Walks to Garrett Fitzgerald and Nathan Summers forced in the tying and go-ahead runs, spelling the end for McManus. Hosman came in to put out the fire.Peabody retook the lead in the bottom of the second. McManus walked and went to third on a wild pitch. Derek Owen’s base hit plated him to tie the game. Matt Correale followed with an infield single and Noe walked before a passed ball scored the speedy Owen to make it 3-2.Westfield tied the game in the third on Alex Marcyonak’s double before Peabody went ahead for good in the fourth when Noe took aim at the snack bar behind the centerfield bleachers with a cannon shot of a homer that gave West a 4-3 lead.Hosman made that lead hold up as he kept Westfield scoreless the rest of the way. In the fifth, Peabody finally put together its trademark big inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs.One run scored when Austin Batchelor was plunked with the bases juiced. Frank Lowry then cleared the bases with a double to make it 8-3. Two batters later, Dave Cravotta went yard for a 3-run shot that accounted for the 11-3 final.