Area baseball teams ready for tournament

Last season?s early exit from the inaugural Division 1A tournament was a bitter pill to swallow for St. John?s Prep, but it also laid the groundwork for what the Eagles have done this year.
St. John?s spent most of this season as the top-ranked team in the state, posting an 18-2 record and earning the No. 1 seed in the 1A tournament when the pairings were announced on Monday.
?Honestly, I haven?t been nervous all season until (Monday), even though we kind of knew what was going to happen,” Eagles coach Dan LeTarte said. “I?m confident that our guys are ready for this.”
The Eagles will have their hands full on Wednesday as they face defending 1A champion Newton North (16-6).
?We are going against a team that knows how to win and we have a lot of respect for them,” LeTarte said.
Justin Foley?s 9-0 record on the mound has led the Eagles staff while Ted McNamara, Jacob Yish, Nick Latham and Keith Leavitt have led the offense.
In Division 1 North, another team that spent time this season as the top-ranked team in the state was Peabody. The Tanners (17-5) opened with 10 straight wins but scuffled to a 7-5 mark in the back half of their schedule, settling for the No. 3 seed and a date with former Greater Boston League rival Everett (10-10) on Thursday.
?We just need to play our game,” Peabody coach Mark Bettencourt said. “We have to throw strikes and get some timely hits.”
Lynn English (14-6) garnered the No. 7 seed in the sectional and a home game against No. 10 Chelmsford (13-7) on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Bulldogs coach Joe Caponigro expects that his team will get a stiff challenge from the Merrimack Valley Conference power.
?Chelmsford is a very strong team so we?re going to have to play well,” Caponigro said. “But the fact that we?re playing at home is great.”
The Bulldogs have blended senior leadership from the likes of Lucas Harris, Kyle O?Connor and Anthony de la Cruz with a core of young but talented kids to go 9-2 in the last 11 games.
In Division 2 Lynn Classical (14-6) earned the No. 5 seed and a home game against No. 12 Winchester (9-9) on Thursday. The Rams? blend of youth and experience helped them contend for a Northeastern Conference/North title but they will be tested against one of the Middlesex League?s most consistent programs.
Danvers was supposed to take a step back this season after graduating most of its starting lineup but the Falcons went 17-3, won the NEC/South title and earned the No. 1 seed in a three-way coin flip with North Andover and Masconomet.
The Falcons, led by NEC MVP Andrew Olszak, open on Thursday against No. 16 Tewksbury (6-14). Beverly (11-9) is the No. 10 seed and faces No. 7 Arlington (12-8) in the opening round Thursday.
In Division 3, St. Mary?s (14-6) will have homefield advantage in the opening round when it faces No. 11 Newburyport (13-6) at Fraser Field on Friday. The Spartans were in the mix for a Catholic Central League title until the last week of the season.
Swampscott (13-7) will hit the road for the opening round, facing No. 8 Boston English (12-6) on Friday.Lynnfield (9-11) and Saugus (8-12) are the 20thand 21stseeds in the tournament.In Division 4, Winthrop (6-14) is the No. 11 seed and visits No. 6 O?Bryant (12-8) on Wednesday.