St. Mary’s advances to Clancy final

LYNN – St. Mary?s relied on its pitching and defense for a 6-1 win over North Reading Friday in the first game of the annual Clancy Tournamentat Fraser Field.
Matt Costanza went 6 ? innings and earned the victory, allowing just one run on eight hits and a walk while striking out two. Costanza was a critical part of the Spartans? pitching staff last year, but this was only his second outing this season.
?He?s been out with an arm issue for the last three weeks,” Spartans coach Derek Dana said. “He won five games for us last year, so it?s really nice to have him back.”
St. Mary?s jumped out to an early lead thanks to a couple of errors by North Reading infielders. Costanza reach on an error, swiped second base, and moved to third as Brady McLaughlin also reached on a miscue. The Spartans then triggered a double steal, provoking a throw down to second as Costanza crossed the plate.
A Brent Lozzi single in the second brought the lead to 2-0, but North Reading responded with one of its own in the top of the third.
The Spartans took control by plating three in the bottom of the frame on just one hit. McLaughlin reached on an error for the second time, Clay Yianacopolus was hit by a pitch, and Brandon O?Neill drove in a run with a single up the middle. Yianacopolus scored the second run of the inning on a passed ball. Lozzi drove in another with a ground ball to second base, as North Reading second baseman Sean DiVecchia made a diving stop to keep the ball in the infield and get the out at first.
DonnieWeisse drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a single up the middle after Lozzi drew a leadoff walk.
In the seventh, Costanza was lifted after a one-out hit and walk. O?Neill relieved and allowed a single to load the bases, but induced a 6-4-3 double play to finish things off for St. Mary?s.
Despite scoring six runs, St. Mary?s managed just four hits. But the Spartans played small ball, making the most of their base runners and racking up five stolen bases.
?This is who we?ve been this year. I think we?re a better-hitting team than we?ve shown,” said Dana. “But I liked that we applied pressure on the basepaths and forced them to make plays.”
With the win, the Spartans improve to 12-5.
?We?ve had very good pitching and our defense has kept us in games,” said Dana. “Our pitching and defense has definitely got us where we are.”Katie Morrison may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KatieMo61.