Lynnfield absorbs its first defeat

LYNNFIELD – All good things must come to an end, and the Lynnfield baseball team?s winning streak to open the season proved no exception.The Pioneers trailed from start to finish in a 7-4 loss to Arlington Catholic, a game highlighted by three home runs, two from the visiting Cougars.?That?s a very good hitting team we played today and you have to give them credit for jumping on us,” explained Lynnfield coach John O?Brien, whose team opened the year with five straight wins.Arlington (4-0) led by as many as five after taking a 6-1 lead in the fifth inning when Justin DeMarco (4-for-4) tucked a solo shot just inside the left field foul pole to lead off the frame.The hosts wouldn?t go down without a fight, getting an RBI single from Anthony Costa in the bottom of the frame, plating Jake Rourke, who had laced a one-out triple to right-center.An eventful bottom of the sixth saw the Pioneers cut the deficit to two.Jordan Roper (2-for-4) started with a homer to left before Dan O?Leary nearly duplicated the feat on a deep fly out. Traverse Briana (2 walks) would follow with a walk before coming around on a double by Spencer Balian.Cougars starter Jake Ryan was removed in favor of Paul Frisozi, who escaped a jam, leaving two Lynnfield runners in scoring position.DeMarco tacked on a run-scoring single in the top of the seventh.?The kids certainly never gave up and that was nice to see,” said O?Brien. “We put ourselves into an early hole with some bad pitches and defensive mistakes, but take those away and it?s a close game the whole way.”The visitors opened up a 4-0 lead in the second, getting to Pioneers starter Andrew Carbone for five hits in the inning.Matt Wesoloski led off with a base hit before coming around on a double by Christian Rosati. Leadoff-man Ryan Smith (3 for 4) followed with a single, leading to an RBI double from Ryan Spagnoli.Kyle Boudrias plated Smith on a sacrifice fly before DeMarco brought home Boudrias on a single up the middle.?We have a lineup full of good hitters, who were seeing the ball really well today,” said Arlington coach Chris Hall, who lauded the efforts of Ryan (win) and Frisozi, who allowed seven hits between them. “They combined to throw a pretty good game against a good hitting team.”Lynnfield got one back in its half of the frame, getting a leadoff single from Briana, who would later score after Nick Pascucci was picked off first in a run-scoring rundown.The contest?s first long ball came from Smith, who opened the third with a no-doubter to left.