Lynn 14s edge Saugus, advance to semifinal

DANVERS?Timely hitting late in the game overcame some early defensive lapses as the Lynn Babe Ruth 14-year-old team came back to defeat Saugus, 7-5, Monday at Twi Field.
The win puts Lynn at 3-0 in the tournament and into the semifinal round.
Dayshon Anderson got the start for Lynn and pitched well, going four innings. Kenny Moore came on in relief for an inning and got the win, while Christian Burt got the save.
Lynn started the scoring right away in the top of the first. After a single, a walk, and a passed ball produced one run, Lynn loaded the bases for James Wilkins. He got a good pitch to hit, but got under it and popped out to end the inning.
Saugus came right back to load the bases in the bottom of the first. Next up was right fielder Sean Doherty, who squibbed a grounder up the first base line. A high throw to first scored one run, then another high throw into the plate allowed two more. When the dust settled, Saugus held a 3-1 lead.
Lynn grabbed one run back in the second on Kevin Durant?s sacrifice bunt. After that, Anderson settled down on the mound and moved through the Saugus order 1-2-3 in each of the next three innings.
The tables turned in the top of the fifth. Lynn notched two singles and a fielder?s choice to load the bases. On a grounder to third, the Saugus throw sailed over the first baseman?s head to score one run. Then the throw into the plate was too high, and another run scored. Just like that, Lynn retook the lead, 4-3.
Saugus responded in the bottom of the fifth when Ryan Beliveau knocked an RBI single to tie the game. Saugus then loaded the bases, but couldn?t capitalize any further.
James Wilkins doubled to lead off the top of the sixth for Lynn. After Moore sacrificed him to third, pinch-hitter Brett Bucklin stepped up and ripped an RBI double down the left field line to put Lynn back in the lead.
?He stepped up exactly when we needed him to,” Lynn manager Leon Elwell said.
Three batters later, second baseman Aeydon Leydon lined another RBI single to give Lynn a 6-4 lead.
Saugus got one back in the bottom of the sixth when pinch hitter Grant Rust smacked an RBI single to score Christian Correia.
Lynn grabbed one insurance run in the top of the seventh when Wilkins ripped another liner into left field to score Anderson.
Burt came in to finish the game for Lynn and walked the first batter. But he quickly picked him off, then got the next two batters to seal the win.
?I liked our resiliency today,” Elwell said. “We kept scratching and clawing the whole way.”Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.