Youthful Pioneers hang with state champs

NORTH READING – New cast, same quality.Lynnfield lost a lot from last year’s top-ranked sectional squad, but proved it will be a team to be reckoned with despite a 3-0 loss to North Reading Saturday afternoon.”We have some kids up from the JVs last year and we have three kids that played freshman ball. For us to face a team that’s very good (in the 2-0 Hornets, who returned the brunt of their state championship lineup) and stay with them shows me something,” said Pioneers head coach John O’Brien.In fact, with a key hit in the top of the first inning, the result could have been different.Alec Vittum, Jordan Roper and Nick Bruno touched up North Reading starter R.J. Warnock for base hits, loading up the sacks with one out right off the bat. Warnock, who beat the Pioneers in relief for the Division 3 North title last year, battled back with a pair of strikeouts to close out the frame and was virtually untouchable the rest of the way.Conor Sullivan reached on an error in the fifth inning and DH Traverse Briana led off the sixth with a single, Lynnfield’s final baserunners. And with a strong pickoff throw from Hornet catcher Keith Linnane, Warnock faced only one batter over the minimum in the final six as he finished with 10 strikeouts while throwing 102 pitches.”R.J.’s a competitor,” said North Reading head coach Frank Carey after earning his 699th career victory. “You put him in a situation that’s tough and he doesn’t crack.”Sophomore Greg Basilesco impressed in his first-ever varsity start (six hits, four walks and one strikeout in an 81-pitch complete-game effort), yielding single runs in the first three innings.Key blows came from Linnane (first-inning single after Warnock’s double down the left field line), ninth hitter Dennis Rollfs (RBI single in the second) and Colby Maiola (massive triple to center, scoring on Ryan Sanborn’s sacrifice fly).”Is there room for improvement? Absolutely,” said O’Brien as his team slid to 1-1. “Are we losing some focus when we should be focused – on the field, in the dugout, in the on-deck circle? Absolutely. But I’m pleased with the effort. I hope we continue to improve, and I look forward to (tomorrow’s game) to get back on the right track.”Heartbreaking ending to Hornets’ dayMoments after North Reading defeated Lynnfield, town fire chief William Warnock called the team together to inform them that 18-year-old Timothy Chaloux had died in a car crash earlier Saturday morning.A North Reading resident, Chaloux played third base for the Pingree School and was friends with many members of the Hornets.”He played ball with all of these guys,” said Carey as his players received the devastating news.Chaloux’s car left Route 128 South and entered a wooded area near The Home Depot at Liberty Tree Mall. It was discovered around dawn and Chaloux was pronounced dead at the scene.