Pine Hill in City Series final game

LYNN – Bring it on.Tonight is the night fans have been waiting for all summer. A winner-take-all showdown for the Lynn City Series baseball championship.In one corner is Manager Dan Gisonno’s Rangers, kings of the hill at Pine Hill. In the other corner are the surging Lynn Shore Giants, managed by Mark Sullivan.Last night’s thriller, a 5-3 Pine Hill win over Wyoma, saw two pitchers excel for Pine Hill despite the fact they had never pitched all season, so when now 13-year-old Aubrey Connors said, “This was the best game I pitched all year,” he wasn’t kidding.Connors, a KIPP Academy student, was fantastic, fanning eight of the first nine A’s swingers he faced. Connors gave assistant coach Pete Dow credit for changing his early pitching style to an over-the-head, windmill fastball look. He was in command but his pitch count was reached in the final inning.Manager Gisonno then brought in third baseman Ike Bautista to the mound for his first hill appearance. The Wyoma kids took a page out of Jesse Maggs’ “Never Quit” book and began a last-ditch rally. Jared Difillipo patiently drew a walk to start the final frame. Bobby Alcock then doubled to make the score 5-2. Anthony Magwood hit a high pop fly to right, just foul, but infielder Dan DeSoto of Pine Hill went after it and stunned the crowd with the amazing catch. Alcock tagged up and scooted to third. The next hitter, Ryan Walker, smashed a low drive that went through the legs of pitcher Bautista to make it 5-3. Connor Stevens coincidentally tried the same thing, but this time Bautista shut the door, stabbing the ball at his ankles and firing it to first for the final out.The third inning had been strange when Colin Reddy (the Home Run Derby champ) was hit hard by a pitch on his hand. Then Connors took one on his knuckles. Reddy eventually scored to make it 3-0. Connors retaliated by striking out three in his half of the third.In the fourth, Magwood hit an RBI double, and it stood 3-1. In the fight, Tim Nerich clouted a homer.Reddy brought the fans to their feet again with a laser-shot home run to left field to boost the lead.