Lynn Babe Ruth baseball 14s make state semifinals

LYNN – On a scorcher of a Sunday at Clancy Field, the Lynn 14’s put on a clinic in all phases of the game on Sunday in their second pool play game of the state finals.Running out to an early 6-0 lead, the hosts used timely hitting, smooth fielding and outstanding pitching from Brad Scuzzarella to take an 8-5 win over Plymouth and clinch a spot in the semifinals on Tuesday.”This is a huge win for us,” Lynn manager Jeff Earp said. “Plymouth came in with a reputation of being a very good team and they were. It came down to our kids outworking them and outpitching them.”Scuzzarella worked into the seventh inning before tiring and being relieved by Mike Ausiello. Plymouth then cut a six run deficit to three on a hit from, Tristan Capolla but saw the game end when Scuzzarella threw a strike from right to catcher Katie Burt to cut down Brian Christian at the dish.”Brad is an ultimate competitor,” Earp said. “Sometimes we have to tell him to calm down a little bit. But he is just tremendous.”Lynn would have baserunners on all game, stranding 15 in all, and put pressure on Plymouth from the get-go. Scuzzarella was thrown out trying to come home on a passed ball with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the first.Christian, who had been practically untouchable in Plymouth’s run to the finals, would see things spiral out of control quickly in the second. Burt was hit by a pitch to lead off and then both teams had to sit and wait as an argument resulted in a Plymouth coach being ejected.Once the chaos calmed down, Lynn went to work on the bases. Burt moved to second on a fly out and took third on a passed ball. Walks to Brent Lozzi and Anthony Delacruz followed to load the bases.Scuzzarella’s ensuing fly ball to right was dropped, allowing Burt to score for a 1-0 lead. A two out error allowed Lozzi and Delacruz to cross before Scuzzarella made it 4-0 when Bradley Dill was hit by a pitch.Lynn would strike again in the third when Ausiello led off with a double and Lozzi followed with an RBI single. Christian then issued back-to-back walks that loaded the bases and the end of his outing on the bump.Carlos Cordero made it 6-0 with a sacrifice fly to center before reliever Tyler Marini finally ended the inning.”We wanted to come out fast and we did,” Earp said.Controversy returned in the bottom of the third when Plymouth threatened to get back in the game. Shawn Reynolds drove in one run before Anthony Whelan was thrown at the plate by Chris Lessard trying to score on a passed ball. Whelan was ejected on the play for bulling over Burt at the plate.The team’s traded runs in the fifth before Kyle O’Connor singled home Delacruz to make it 8-2 in the sixth.Lynn also won Saturday’s game against Taunton.