Baseball: Fenwick outlasts Lynnfield to reach North semis

The Bishop Fenwick baseball team brought its hitting shoes to the Division 3 North quarterfinals on Monday ? and so did Lynnfield. What resulted was a game that left all those in attendance on the edge of their seats.The Crusaders had an 8-2 lead through three innings and then had to hold on as Lynnfield staged a valiant comeback that wasn’t stopped until Mike LaChance struck out a Pioneer batter with the tying run at second to seal a 9-8 win.”It was a very well played game,” Fenwick coach Russ Steeves said. “It was tight the whole way.”Fenwick (17-5) moves on to play No. 2 seed Newburyport in the semifinals on Wednesday (4, at Fraser) but had to survive the Pioneers.”Fenwick is a good hitting team,” Lynnfield coach John O’Brien said. “But our pitcher deserved a better fate.”Fenwick led 2-0 after one on a homer from Mike Davis before Lynnfield’s Craig Anderson tied it with a 2-run shot in the second off Crusader starter Kevin Church.The Crusaders then scored six times off Lynnfield starter Joe Satorelli in the third to go up 8-2. Ricky Berardino’s grand slam in the fifth suddenly made it 8-6 and had people in black and gold sweating.Gianni Esposito’s sacrifice fly in the sixth made it 9-6 before Lynnfield closed to within one in the seventh on Berardino’s leadoff homer, Chris Klotzbier’s single and a B.J. Neal sacrifice fly. Mike LaChance came on to save it for Church.Saugus 8, Weston 4At Weston, the Sachems (8-15) reached the Division 3 North semifinals for a second straight season on the back of a complete game effort from Scott Enos on the hill and a 4-for-4 day at the plate from Peter Polcari.”Right now we’re getting production from everyone,” Saugus coach Rich Angelo said. “The confidence is there. The kids want the ball hit to them and want to be at bat.”Enos was also 2-for-3 at the plate and had a 3-run homer that gave his team a 7-0 lead in the third.Saugus will take on St. Mary’s (4, at Fraser Field) in the semifinals on Thursday.Gloucester 6, Beverly 2At Cooney Field in Beverly, the 13th seeded Fishermen (12-10) got a masterful four-hitter from Alex Silveira on the mound to move on to the Division 2 North semis against top seeded North Andover on Thursday (7, at Fraser Field).Lincoln-Sudbury 9, St. John’s 5At Sudbury, the Eagles (16-6) had plenty of success against Vanderbilt-bound Warrior pitcher Adam Ravenelle in the first five innings but saw the hosts pull ahead for good in the seventh.Pat Connaughton was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a first inning homer. Justin Peluso and Dillon Gonzalez added two hits and an RBI each.Danvers 9, Tewksbury 8 (11 innings)At Twi Field, Dan Connors drove home Nick Gikas in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Falcons (18-4) moved on to the Division 2 North semis against No. 15 Classical on Wednesday (7) at Fraser Field.”It really was a crazy game,” Danvers coach Roger Day said.In other action, Lawrence eliminated Peabody for the second straight year in the Division 1 North quarterfinals, 14-4, at Bezemes Diamond.