Lynn defeats Peabody in dramatic Gallant final

SALEM – It looked like the finals of the 26th annual Ray Gallant Baseball Tournament were going to be a yawner as Lynn rolled out to a 6-0 lead with six outs remaining for the win. Then Peabody made things a lot more interesting.After scoring three times in the sixth, Peabody loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh against Katie Burt. But the tournament’s top pitcher stranded the tying runs in scoring position to give Lynn a 7-5 win and its first Gallant title since 2004.Click here for a photo gallery.”Katie was just a monster,” Lynn manager Jack Bartlett said. “We got the big hits when we needed them.”Burt, who was 2-0 with two complete games and 20 strikeouts in her two outings at Forest River Park, also was outstanding when she had to be with the glove. Twice she came up with lightning-quick stabs on shots through the box, including a glove save right out of the hockey files on Bryan Nerich’s bullet to end the bottom of the sixth inning.”She showed why she is such a great goalie there,” joked Bartlett. “Those were a couple of great glove saves.”Lynn was breezing its way towards the title on Tuesday as Burt held a potent Peabody offense to just two hits over the first five innings. But as it had done in four previous games, Peabody kept plugging and worked its way back in.A one-out double by Mike Raymond was followed by a 2-run homer from shortstop Jonathan Barrett that cut the lead to four. Moments later, Jordan Manthorne, who was a ridiculous 13-for-16 in Salem and was named tournament MVP, belted his fifth homer of the week and the lead was 6-3.Burt surrendered another hit to Jack Leonard but used a fielder’s choice and her own fielding ability to escape further damage. Lynn responded in the top of the seventh with what proved to be a mighty big insurance run.Brad Scuzzarella led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Brendan O’Neil. Scuzzarella then went to third on a passed ball, and when the throw down to third sailed into left field, he scampered home to make it 7-3.Scuzzarella’s run would prove to be critical as Peabody rallied in the bottom of the seventh.David Hoar led off the Peabody seventh with a home run to cut the gap back to three. Burt struck out Christian Morales, but Sean Walsh followed with a double. Ryan Collins went down looking for the second out.Raymond followed by working a walk and Burt then hit Barrett with Peabody down to its final strike to load the bases and give Manthorne a chance to end it with one swing. Burt kept Manthorne in the ballpark this time, but his base hit to center brought Walsh home to make it 7-5 and put the tying runs in scoring position for Leonard.Leave it to Burt to finish in style as her quick instincts on the hill once again came out on Leonard’s bouncer, which she fielded on a short hop; she won the footrace to the bag to seal the win.”These kids never gave up,” Peabody manager Joe Spatafore said.The dramatic finish wasn’t on the horizon early as Lynn broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third.Scuzzarella walked and was standing on third with two outs when team MVP Ryan O’Connor singled to give Lynn a 1-0 lead. Damien Earp followed with a walk before Burt went yard, launching a 3-run homer to dead center that just missed grazing the flagpole on its way to a 4-0 Lynn lead.Lynn again found having two outs to its liking in the fourth. Bradley Dill walked with one out and was standing on third with two down when Scuzzarella went deep against reliever Barrett to increase the lead to 6-0 after four.Beverly shortstop Mark Vivenzio was the recipient of the tournament’s gold glove award, given to the top defensive player. In 19 chances, Vivenzio recorded 14 assists and five putouts, and did not commit an error.Hit Zone founder Mike Giardi was on hand to present one player from each of the tournament’s eight teams with a scholarship to the academy. The recipients were Ryan Cresta of Swampscott; Ryan Gray, Salem; Trey Blackmer, Marblehead; Alex Taylor, Danvers; B