Baseball: Classical, Peabody win a pair of thrillers

Classical’s Greg Rybak and Danvers’ Tim Wilkinson locked horns in an old fashioned pitcher’s duel on Wednesday at Twi Field. And it was the Rams hurler who got the best of the Falcons in this one.Rybak needed only 75 pitches to hold Danvers to one run on five hits as the Rams snared a 2-1 win in a game that was moved to Danvers because of field conditions at Fraser Field.”That was by far Greg’s best game,” Classical coach Mike Zukowski said. “Anytime you get a win over a program like Danvers is great.”The Rams (3-8) were the home team on Danvers’ home field in this one and didn’t waste time in getting the scoring started when Brian Kolodziej was driven home by Wilson Mercado.It stayed a 1-0 game into the fifth thanks to the stellar pitching of Wilkinson and Rybak. The Falcons (2-9) fought back to tie the game in the top of the inning when Nick Gikas doubled to left. But Classical had a response when Tyler Gauthier doubled and was sacrificed to third by Mike Gallo. He scored on the play when the throw across the diamond hit Gallo and went into right field.Danvers threatened in the top of the seventh, putting two on with one out before Rybak got the final two batters.Peabody 3, Swampscott 2 (10 innings)At Bezemes Field in Peabody, the Tanners (11-3) needed to rally for two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh against Big Blue (6-6) ace Hunter Gordon to force extra innings. They then got a game-winning single from Jared Shields in the bottom of the 10th to qualify for the state tournament.”We just found a way to win,” Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt said. “That was the best I’ve seen Hunter pitch. He was mixing it up so well that we had to change our game plan midstream.”Steve Moran led off the game with a homer for Swampscott and Casey Collins’ infield single in the sixth made it 2-0.Peabody had struggled all game against Gordon until the seventh when Ryan English and Ramses Vittini singled and Brad Piza walked to load the bases with no outs. Gordon then whiffed Mark Linehan and Pete Sucharewicz before uncorking a wild pitch that scored English. The throw to get the runner was wild, allowing Vittini to come in from second and tie the game.Gordon departed after the ninth, finishing his effort with 13 strikeouts and five hits allowed. In the 10th, Brian LaTorella bunted for a hit and was sacrificed to second for Shields’ heroics.Joey Gruntkosky pitched four innings of one-hit relief to get the win after Pat Dumas had allowed one earned run over the first six innings.”Peabody is a really good baseball team,” Swampscott coach T.J. Baril said. “They are well coached and do all of the little things well.”Marblehead 10, Salem 1At Salem State, the Magicians’ (6-6, 6-3 NEC South) Evan Comeau was in complete command on the mound, surrendering only three hits and one earned run while striking out six in the complete game win.”He really pitched well,” Marblehead coach Jason Tarasuik said about Comeau. “He kept the ball down and had command of all his pitches.”Brandon Lee (4-for-4, 3 runs, homer,3 RBI) led the offense for Marblehead. Dan Comeau was 3-for-4 with a triple, homer and an RBI and Ben Koopman was 2-for-4 with an RBI.Cath. Mem. 6, St. John’s 4At West Roxbury, the Eagles (11-4, 2-4 Catholic Conference) trailed 4-0 early, but rallied to tie the game in the sixth before the hosts scored twice in the bottom of the inning to get the win.The Prep hit into three double plays with the bases loaded in the game. Derek Dubois and Garrett Folger each drove home two runs.Masco 9, Lynnfield 2At Topsfield, the Pioneers (4-10) ran into one of the Cape Ann League’s top teams as Dante Padovani and John Caruso each hit solo homers to account for Lynnfield’s runs. Padovani was 2-for-3 in the game.Revere 7, Winthrop 3At Revere, Brenden Carter had two hits in the game, but both were homers. Carter was 2-for-2 with seven RBI, including a grand slam to account for all the Revere offense.Nick DiMare went the distance for the Patriots (3-11), stri