Little League: Barnard, Wyoma advance

Pitcher David Barnard allowed just one hit while striking out 10 as Wyoma defeated Nahant, 12-0, in District 16 Little League baseball action at Pine Hill on Sunday.”He threw a lot of good fastballs,” manager Leon Elwell said. “He spotted his pitches well. He mixed in his curveball a couple times. Basically it was just fastballs.”The game went four innings because of the 10-run rule.On offense, Elwell said, “Everybody hit. We got runs from everywhere. One through 13 did damage.”Those who excelled at the plate included James Wilkins (grand slam); Zach Elwell (2-2, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 3 R); Bobby Alcock (2-2, 1 BB, 2 RBI); and Anthony Nikolakakis (2-out bases-loaded first-inning single that “got us going,” Leon Elwell said).The manager also said that catcher Matt Godbout did a “great job behind the plate.”Wyoma moves on to play Salem Thursday (site TBD, 5:45). Nahant will face Swampscott on Saturday (4).Salem 6, S’scott 4At MacArthur Park in Peabody, Ruben Baez hit a 2-out grand slam in the top of the seventh inning and Salem held off a Swampscott rally in the bottom of the inning to prevail.”It was a very exciting game,” Salem manager Steve Ouellette said, “a fantastic game.”Salem went up 1-0 in the second inning on a solo homer from Bryan Pena. However, in the bottom of the fifth, Dylan January hit a two-out, two-run homer to give Swampscott a 2-1 lead.In the top of the sixth, Aaron Fournier hit a 1-out double and Matt Silva delivered a 2-out RBI single to tie the score. Swampscott had a chance to win in the bottom of the inning, but with the bases loaded, two out, and a 3-2 count, Salem induced a ground ball to third for a force play to send things into extra innings.In the top of the seventh, Kyle Ouellette drew a leadoff walk, Pena singled and a sacrifice put runners at second and third. Fournier walked, loading the bases and setting the stage for Baez.Once again, Swampscott threatened in the bottom of the frame as Graham Inzana singled, January walked and Russell Hopkins hit a 2-run double. With two outs, a walk put runners at first and third, but Salem got a hard ground ball to third, and Brian Palacios threw to Kyle Ouellette for the out.Jake McIntyre only allowed one run in 5.2 innings for Swampscott.”We took him out, and the wheels came off the wagon a little bit,” Swampscott manager Pete Inzana said.Peabody West 8, WLA 0At Saugus American, Nick Iannuzzi did not allow a hit over 5.1 innings and Peabody West pitching only allowed one hit the whole game. Jonathan Polignone closed things out.Don Lewis had a pinch-hit two-run homer in the third and Caroline Kukus played well at second base and in the outfield. She added a couple of hits.Peabody West will play Peabody Blue Thursday (5:45) while West Lynn American will play Revere Saturday (1).In other Little League news, Peabody Blue won by forfeit over Revere.Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].