Baseball: Stoneham tops Saugus with walk-off win

The Stoneham High baseball team defeated Saugus in walk-off fashion 2-1 at Stoneham Thursday.It was a tale of two completely different games this week between these teams. They played earlier in the week and had a 14-7 final in a slugfest. This game was the polar opposite to the last, but Saugus coach Rich Angelo was ecstatic to be part of a pitcher’s duel.”It was one of the best high school baseball games I have ever witnessed. It’s a shame that a team had to lose this game,” Angelo said.Sachems sophomore pitcher Danny Groark was the story. Groark pitched 8.1 innings giving up two runs on two hits, three walks, and eight K’s in a losing effort. Angelo was very impressed with Groark’s performance.”He got stronger as the game prolonged. He pitched unbelievable. It is just a shame it was in a losing effort,” Angelo said.Saugus’ Christian Fabrizio was 2-4 and John Moore was 2-4 as well. Saugus is now 1-1.Gloucester 7, St. John’s 6At Gloucester, the Fishermen erased an early four-run deficit and then capitalized on poor execution in the bottom frame to earn a victory. St. John’s jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by the second inning behind a two-run homer by Tyler Coppola. Coppola, the Prep’s catcher, finished the game three-for-three and also threw out two runners attempting to steal.After Gloucester tied the game at 4-4 in the fifth inning, the Prep scored twice more and carried a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, Gloucester scrapped together two runs after St. John’s hit a batter, walked two, and then allowed a single.Danvers 20, Brighton 2At Twi Field, Greg Ladd went four innings for the win, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out five. Brendan Kelleher, Matt LaFleur and Scott Hovey took care of the relief effort.The Falcons had the bats going as well. Mike Harris had two hits, including a triple, and two RBI. D.J. Yost and Kyle Larson also each had a pair of hits. Danvers got six runs in the third inning to put this one out of reach.