Lynn earns place in Babe Ruth 13s final

MARBLEHEAD – It was yet another nail-biter for the Lynn Babe Ruth 13s, who secured a spot in the District 1 All-Star Tournament final with a 5-4 win over Danvers Friday at Seaside Park.
Lynn is now 4-0 in the tournament, while Danvers finished 2-2. Lynn will face Peabody in the final at 4 p.m. Sunday at Seaside Park.
In the Lynn-Danvers battle, the lead changed four times. Knotted at 3-3 heading into the sixth, Lynn?s Aubrey Connors led off with a single and stole second. Matt Devin?s long double to center scored Connors, and Tim Nerich added some insurance with an RBI groundout.
?These kids, they?re not going to let me enjoy my summer,” Lynn manager John Nerich joked about the dramatic victories Lynn has had in the tournament. “But, they make me laugh, so it?s hard to stay too mad at them.”
Danvers threatened in the bottom of the seventh. Ted Wilson singled, stole second, and advanced to third on Aaron Paskowski?s two-out single. He scooted home on a wild pitch, but Lynn reliever Andy Duverge got a ground out to end the game.
Miguel Acosta started for Lynn and went four-plus innings, allowing three runs on two hits and seven walks. He left with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth.
?(Acosta) was great on the mound,” said Nerich. “He battled, he had some tough times, but I couldn?t ask more from him. It was a game-time decision to start him.”
Duverge inherited a sticky situation, but allowed only one run to score on Kevin Rooney?s one-out single, which put Danvers on top, 3-2. With the bases still loaded, Duverge struck out the next two batters to limit the damage.
?I don?t even know what to say about (Duverge),” Nerich said. “He came into a tough situation, and to have a 13-year-old who can come into that situation and to be competitive and battle that adversity, it?s great.”
Duverge was instrumental in Lynn?s two-run first inning as well. He walked to start the game, and scored on Will Hunter?s groundout. Jomar Moreta scored the second run on a wild pitch.
Rooney, who went 2-for-3 on the night with two RBIs, got one back for Danvers in the bottom of the first to make it 2-1.
Wilson went the distance on the mound for Danvers, allowing four hits and three walks.
?Danvers is a great defensive team,” said Nerich. “They took everything they could from us. They chipped away, but we chipped away, too. Fortunately we had some gas left in the tank.”
Both teams were very aggressive on the bases. The Danvers team swiped seven bags, and Lynn stole six.
?In a tight game like this, every baserunner is important,” said Nerich. “We try and get every runner into scoring position, and just hope the next kid steps up and drives him in. In this tournament, every game has been a game of inches and a game of plays.
?Today was a full 1 through 15 effort,” said Nerich. “Everyone comes in with a vision of who they are and what they?re about, but they find their place as part of the team. It was a complete team effort.”
Katie Morrison can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @KatieMo61.