Lynn 14s continue to dominate in states

LYNN – It was another thoroughly dominating performance for the Lynn 14’s Monday at Clancy Field as they completed pool play in the state championships with a command performance against Franklin.Click here for a photo gallery of last night’s gamePlaying for first place in their pool, Lynn never trailed in scoring 15 runs on only five hits en route to a 15-2, 5-inning win that earned them a semifinal date with Burlington on Wednesday (5:30) at Clancy.”We were able to come out and take care of the business we needed to and that’s what this team seems to do,” Lynn manager Jeff Earp said. “That team over there (Franklin) is very good and we could see them again down the road.”Taking advantage of 11 walks and three hit batters, Lynn was in control right from the start as Brent Lozzi and Chris Lessard teamed to hold Franklin to five hits all told.Lynn took control in the bottom of the first and never relinquished it. Kyle O’Connor walked with one out, swiped second and took third on Lessard’s two out infield single.A passed ball sent Lessard to third and both runners crossed on Bradley Dill’s single to right for a 2-0 lead after one.An inning later, Lynn blew the game wide open.Jordan Javier, Anthony Delacruz and Brad Scuzzarella all drew one out walks to load the bases.O’Connor was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Carlos Cordero followed with a 2-run single for a 5-0 lead.Lessard then belted a 2-run single of his own for a 7-0 lead when O’Connor and Cordero scored. Lessard would complete the six run explosion two batters later when he scored on the back end of a double steal.Franklin got on the board in the top of the third as Mike Doherty singled and later scored on a walk that knocked Lozzi out of the game. Lessard came on to strike out Dave Tetrault with the bases loaded to end the inning.Lynn responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half on RBI singles from Dill and Mike Ausiello before capping their productive day with five runs in the fourth without the benefit of a single hit.Franklin scraped across a run in the top of the fifth on three hits but Lessard struck out Tetrault with a runner at third to end the game.”These kids have worked hard,” Earp said.”And they’re in the spot they want to be in right now.”