Lynn 13s take home district title

It was the same story on a different day for the Lynn 13-year-old all-stars, who claimed the District 1 Babe Ruth championship plaque following a 14-3 ?mercy-rule? victory over Salem/Beverly at Seaside Park on Tuesday.Lynn won each of its five games via the 10-run rule and hopes the momentum carries over into the State Championships, which get under way on Thursday in Quincy.?I?m so proud of my guys,” said coach Leon Elwell seconds after being doused by an ice-cold water cooler. “They haven?t had any times to themselves this summer but continue to show up to work and now they have another four games at the very least.”Elwell is in the full understanding that the one-sided affairs could very well be done with.?The further you go, the harder it?s obviously going to get,” he explained. “Our guys played terrific baseball these past five games and hopefully it continues on into States.”Leadoff hitter Dan Lilja set the tempo for the hosts, finishing with four runs scored on three walks and a third-inning single.After a quick top of the first from starter David Barnard, Lilja drew a free pass to open the Lynn half before reaching third on a Christian Burt single and scoring on a passed ball. Burt would come across on another pitch that reached the backstop.James Wilkens (single) and Eric Ubri (fielder?s choice) would tack on RBI before the frame was over, with Ubri?s scoring Wilkens.Lilja?s second walk of the game in the following inning preceded a stolen base, which gave way to a run-scoring single from Aedon Leydon. A fielding error on shortstop Ruben Baez after a ground ball by Dayshon Anderson upped the lead to six.?Everything starts with Dan at the top of the order,” lauded Elwell of his centerfielder. “He works the count in every at-bat, sees a lot of pitches and that kind of patience is contagious. The consistency of quality at-bats we have turned in go right down the order.”A six-run third put the hosts on the brink of victory.Pinch-hitters Emil Rossi and Aaron Eang reached on consecutive infield singles to begin the frame before Zach Elwell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rossi and Eang would score after an error on second baseman Matt Silva before Elwell crossed on a passed ball.A heads-up baserunning play from Justin Rooney resulted in a double-digit lead after he scored from third when a dropped third strike to Leydon was thrown to first. Lilja (single) followed shortly after a miscue from third baseman Bryan Pena.Anderson capped the inning with an RBI single, scoring Burt.Salem/Beverly got three runs back in the third, helped along by a pair of Lynn miscues.Ryan Munzing singled off Rooney, on in relief of Barnard, before advancing to second on a wild pitch. An ensuing ground ball off the bat of Bryan Palacios got through Rossi at first, allowing the visitors to break the ice.Palacios and Baez would come across after an errant throw from Anderson at third.?We were solid through the first few innings but got a little unfocused in the end again,” reflected Elwell, whose team would score two more in its half before closing out the win in the fifth.Leydon lofted a sacrifice fly to score Jack Yanakakis (single) before Lilja walked and scored on an error to conclude the scoring.Lynn will play Winchester Thursday at Coletta Field, Quincy, at 5 p.m. before playing the next three games at Adams Field in Quincy: Friday against Plymouth (11:30), Saturday against Newton (1) and Sunday against Silver Lake.