Saugus baseball falls to Danvers

SAUGUS – If the Danvers baseball team’s offense can produce like it did on Monday afternoon in Saugus, the Falcons should be in good position.Danvers (14-4) won 14-2 over the host Sachems (6-13), scoring at least one run in all seven innings. Things looked promising very early on.Scott Hovey (2-3, four RBI) blasted a two-out, two-run home run to right-center field to stake Falcons starter Brandon Hyde to a quick lead before he ever toed the rubber. When he did take the mound, the Falcons got exactly what they expected from their number three starter, who has yet to lose this season.”He may be a three, but he has pitched like a one all season long,” said coach Roger Day of Hyde’s season-long dominance (7-0 on the year). “Nobody has pitched better than him; it’s unbelievable what he’s done this year.”With his quirky delivery, Hyde managed to limit the Saugus offense to runs scored in the fourth and fifth innings. Saugus made plenty of contact off the finesse pitcher Hyde, but as Day explained, pitching isn’t all about being a flame-thrower.”He isn’t overpowering but he is composed and throws strikes. He rarely walks anybody so it takes three hits to score off of him,” explained Day.Hyde finished with a line of six innings pitched, surrendering seven nearly harmless hits, striking out two and walking none.After the two-run first, the Danvers bats went right back to work in the following inning off Sachems starter Tom Trainor. Three more Falcons would touch home in the frame. The inning started with Evan Eldridge and Joe Olczak, who reached base via a single and walk, respectively. Both advanced on an ensuing sacrifice bunt from Anthony Garron before Eldridge scored on an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of nine-hitter Joe Strangie.Olczak would eventually score on an RBI single from Dan Connors before a Scott Enos error sandwiched between two walks loaded the bases. Hovey walked, giving him his third RBI of the game.Things kept up for the Falcons in the third as they received a two-run single from Connors, before Tyler Dustin knocked in a run of his own in the fourth, pushing the lead to 8-0.Saugus got one back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI groundout from Dante DelTorto, scoring Justin DeSantis (2-3), who led off with a sharp double down the left-field line.Saugus scored again its next time up when Danny Groark’s groundout to first plated Steve Blaney following a leadoff double. Danvers continued its hot hitting, however, eventually overwhelming the Sachems.Danvers got RBI singles from Hovey and Olczak in the sixth before three more scored in the seventh, including a solo shot from Ray Arocho.The entire Falcons lineup, bench included, hit the ball hard, a fact that Day was both pleased and surprised with.”It really hasn’t been like that all year, but we always seem to hit well in this park; we got fortunate today,” said Day.Danvers continues its quest for another conference title tomorrow night at home against Winthrop before games Wednesday and Saturday against Gloucester and St. John’s, respectively. The Falcons are seeking a 12th conference championship in the last 14 seasons.