Wyoma All-Stars hang on to beat Nahant

LYNN – The Wyoma Little League All-Stars struck early and hung on for a 4-2 win over Nahant Friday in District 16 Little League action at Nahant.View Photo GalleryThe Lynn team came out firing, scoring four runs in the first inning, but Nahant relief pitcher Connor Donovan slammed the door shut for the next five innings, giving his team a chance to get back into the hunt.Nahant made things interesting with two runs in the final inning, but it was too little, too late.Wyoma starting pitcher Bobby Alcock was impressive, striking out 14 including the final two batters of the game. He scattered five hits, with three coming in the sixth inning, and only walked one.”He battled,” Wyoma manager Rick Anderson said. “He didn’t pitch much during the season because he was hurt for a month. I think this was his fifth or sixth game.”Kyle Finnigan got things going for Wyoma in the bottom of the first inning when he led off with a single to left field and advanced on two passed balls. With one out, Connor Donohoe ripped a double to right center field to score Finnigan and then scored on a line drive single to left field by Chris Kelly. the next batter struck out, but with two outs, Jared DeFillipo (2 hits) launched one that went over the centerfielder’s head for a double, scoring Kelly. Wyoma’s final run came on an RBI single up the middle by catcher Nick Galeazzi.With Alcock mowing the down at the plate and a four-run lead after one inning, Wyoma found itself in the driver’s seat. Nahant starting pitcher Ryan Graciale went 1 1/3 innings with Donovan coming on in relief. Donovan only allowed one hit and struck out three over the next 3 2/3 innings. He was helped be a couple of nice defensive playing including a double play in the fourth inning and two big plays in the sixth.Things got a little interesting in the top of the sixth inning when Nahant’s Connor Donovan and Graciale led off with back-to-back singles. With runners on first and third and no outs, Graciale tried to steal second, but Galeazzi gunned him down.”We figured he was going to go,” Anderson said. ‘The out was more important than the run.”Nick Riser followed with a double, scoring Donovan, and Riser ended up coming home on a wild pitch before Alcock fanned the final two batters for the win.”We jumped on them early,” Anderson said. “The top of our order came through again.”Anderson said it was important to get those early runs because Donovan shut them down after the big inning.”He kept us off balance,” Anderson said.Nahant manager Adolph Graciale credited Alcock with a nice game.’Hats off to Bobby Alcock,” Graciale said. “He pitched a great game. We had a couple of blunders early, but he pitched great. Wyoma’s a good hitting team. They put the bat to the ball. You can’t make any mental mistakes against that team. You have to get your bats going early.Graciale was confident his team will rebound from the loss.”I told the kids. They’re still in it. Nahant has a great all-star team.”Wyoma will play Peabody Blue Wednesday at Pine Hill (5:45). Nahant faces the loser of today’s Peabody White vs. Pine Hill game on Monday at Peabody West (5:45).