Peabody wraps up NEC/North title

The race for first place in the Northeastern Conference was tight, but the Peabody Tanners separated themselves from the pack with a 7-1 win over Lynn Classical on Wednesday at Fraser Field.
Had Peabody lost to Classical, the division lead would have ended in a three-way tie. But thanks to Bobby Tramondozzi?s strong performance on the mound and some timely Tanner hitting, they ensured that they wouldn?t be sharing their 10th straight title.
Classical starter Herbie Newton battled with command issues in the first, allowing a walk and hitting a batter, but escaped the jam.
More walks and another hit batter hurt the Rams in the second, however. Peabody?s Jake Gustin opened the frame with a walk and advanced as Kevin Lebel was hit. Tanner Moquin loaded the bases with a single, and two consecutive walks to Matt Correale and Christian Morales scored two runs for Peabody. Tyler Way took over on the mound, and quickly induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.
Tramondozzi got into a bit of trouble in the third, allowing a leadoff single to Kyle Morrill, who was erased in a 4-6-3 double play. Way doubled and Damien Earp reach on a hit by pitch, but Tramondozzi struck out Brandon Devin to end the threat.
The Tanners took advantage of three walks and a couple of wild pitches in the fourth as three Peabody runs crossed the plate. Matt Gonick knocked in two runs with a two-out double. The Tanners added a run in the sixth and one in the seventh as well.
The Classical offense showed some life in the sixth as Earp hit a leadoff single and scored on Andre Gaudet?s double, but that was it for the Rams, who went in order in the seventh.
Tramondozzi went the distance for Peabody, using 83 pitches and allowing one run on five hits, with one walk, five strikeouts and two hit batters. It was his second varsity start, improving to 2-0 on the season.
?He showed that he has the stuff to pitch at the varsity level,” said Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt. “He was working both sides of the plate and keeping hitters off balance.”
?He was getting the ball over the plate. That was the biggest thing,” Classical coach Mike Zukowski. “He stayed ahead in the count.”
Peabody?s offense could muster just six hits, but took advantage of Classical?s mistakes. Of the seven batters who reached on a walk for Peabody, five crossed the plate.
?A lot of our runs were given to us early, but won?t say no to them,” said Bettencourt. “Our bats came alive late in the game. We sprayed the ball around, made them make plays.”
?We just didn?t show up,” said Zukowski. “The walks killed us and they capitalized. Our pitchers didn?t get the ball over the plate. We just didn?t have it. We have a lot of things to figure out, individually and collectively, before tournament play starts if we want to do well.”Katie Morrison may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @KatieMo61.