Gauthier, Lynn open playoffs with win over Wakefield

LYNN – After finishing up the regular season at 14-4, the Lynn Post 6 Legion baseball team started off the playoffs on a solid note. It was the Kyle Gauthier show on display Sunday night at Bowser Field as the starting pitcher dazzled Wakefield all night on the mound, as well as at the plate in a 5-1 victory.Gauthier went six innings on the bump, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out eight and walking only one batter. The University of Hartford-bound freshman-to-be also added a pair of RBI singles to help his own cause.”Gauthier and defense ? that’s how it’s been all year for us,” said Lynn coach Chris Tgettis following the win. “Every time he takes the mound we know we are going to get a real good effort, and it’s not just him, it’s been like that with everyone this year.”Lynn grabbed the lead in the second as Joe Kasper led off with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Dan Donovan’s grounder to short got through Paul Ardizzoni, scoring Kasper before Dylan Dennis’ throw home sailed to the backstop, allowing Donovan to move up a base.Lynn also escaped a scary moment in the inning as a foul ball line drive off the bat of Donovan struck teammate Cam O’Neill in the leg in the on-deck area. After going down on all fours, O’Neill was able to walk it off and stay in the game.Gauthier’s first run-scoring single came in the third as the three-hitter’s sharp single to right easily scored a speedy David DePena from second. Wakefield would threaten in the fourth, but a calm and collected Gauthier escaped any damage.Back-to-back singles from Dennis and Al Nahigian before a wild pitch left both runners in scoring position, with two outs. Gauthier would induce Ardizzoni into a groundout to second to end the threat.A three-run fifth put things all but out of reach for Lynn, as tough-luck losing pitcher Rob DiFranco would be forced to depart in the inning. “Tough-luck” might be an understatement, as defensive miscues resulted in Lynn’s runs in the inning.Brian Wilkins and DePena both reached on errors at second and short, respectively, before Gauthier’s second RBI single scored Wilkins, ending DiFranco’s night. An intentional walk to Matt Burnham set the stage for a two-out, two-run single by Donovan.Wakefield’s lone run of the night came in Gauthier’s final inning. Dennis would come in to score on a passed ball, after getting on by an error to lead off the inning. Gauthier ended his outing with one last emphatic punchout on an inside curveball.Lynn turned things over to Kasper, who got the first two outs before Wakefield attempted to rally. Pete Franchi was hit before a single from Anthony Capuano and walk to Brett Barbati loaded the bases. Burnham was called upon to end things, which he successfully did with a strikeout of Joe Barry.”It’s nice having a bunch of pitching, and getting solid offense and defense like we did tonight,” explained Tgettis. “That was some good baseball out there tonight.”Lynn plays again today against host Billerica at Marshall Junior High School.