Classical softball roars back, defeats Peabody

LYNN – In its previous 12 wins this season, the Lynn Classical softball team has done a superb job of taking advantage of any opening its opposition has provided. Game No. 13 on Wednesday would prove to be no different at Grace Rogato Field.After getting into a quick 1-0 hole to Peabody, the Rams hitched up their belts and rattled off the game’s last 13 runs to take a 13-1, 6-inning win over the Tanners.”(Peabody) was coming in off a big win against Saugus,” Classical coach Chris Warren said. “And you have to come to the field ready to play every game and the girls did a good job of adjusting to their pitchers.”It seemed like 13 was the Rams’ lucky number on Wednesday as they pounded out 13 hits in win No. 13.”It’s tough to beat a team as good and talented as Classical,” Peabody coach Butch Melanaphy said. “And when they don’t make any mistakes, it’s even harder.”The Tanners gave Green-and-gold fans a quick jolt in the top of the first as they grabbed a 1-0 lead when Holly Smith singled and came around on a two-out hit from catcher Olivia Brothers.It stayed 1-0 until the bottom of the third when the Rams (13-0, 11-0 Northeastern Conference/North) worked a little bit of two-out lightning against Peabody starter Shannon Pires.Jennie Erekson (3-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 RS) led off with a single but was forced at second on an Olivia DeJoie fielder’s choice. A walk to Amy Blocksidge was followed by a strikeout of Franki Galeazzi. Danielle Moran (3-for-5, 2 RS, 1 RBI) then slapped a single to left to plate both DeJoie and Blocksidge.Sam Earp followed by reaching on a throwing error that allowed Moran to scoot home for a 3-1 lead.Neither team would score in the third before the Rams busted the game wide open in the fourth, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring seven times on five hits.Chelsey Bartlett; Mackenzie Coppinger; Erekson; Moran and Earp all drove in runs with the final two scoring on errors.”We hit the ball really well,” Warren said. “And we also made some loud outs.”Classical would add two more in the fifth via RBIs from Erekson and DeJoie before capping the game on Bartlett’s RBI single in the sixth.”We had a lot of experience and success coming back from last year and I think that has helped the girls settle down and do well this season,” Warren said.