PHOTO BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
Lynnfield’s Patrick D’Amico hits a home run against Nahant during a game at MacArthur Park on Friday.
By ANNE MARIE TOBIN
PEABODY — The Nahant 12-year-old all-stars sent 12 batters to the plate and exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning, then added four more in the fifth to defeat Lynnfield 14-3 at MacArthur Park.
Jake Desmarais had a big day batting in the nine slot, going 3-for-4 (double) with four RBI, while Nahant starter Drew Botta came within one batter of going the distance. He allowed two earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and did not walk a batter. He helped his cause with an RBI triple in the fourth inning.
“Drew was fantastic,” Nahant manager Adolph Graciale said. “He gave it a great effort and our veteran players stepped up tonight.”
Lynnfield starter Luke Martinho breezed through the first inning, needing only 11 pitches to retire the side. Aidan Burke, Martinho and Patrick D’Amico (RBI) opened the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Nahant took advantage of a Lynnfield error to tie the game, then took the lead on an RBI single by Desmarais.
Lynnfield regained the lead with solo runs in the second and third. Nick Boustris opened the second with a double and scored on Chase Carney’s double. In the third, D’Amico homered to center to give Lynnfield a 3-2 lead. Tommy Pascuccio followed with a long triple to right, but Botta got out of the inning with a strikeout.
After that, Botta retired eight of the next nine batters to seal the win. Billy Conigliaro came on in the relief to retire the final batter of the game, thanks to third baseman Sam Reenstierna, who made a back-peddling catch on the grass to end the game.
“We threw it around and made some errors that cost us,” Lynnfield manager Tony Martinho said. “We knew they were a tough, feisty team that wouldn’t quit. He (Botta) pounded the strike zone and I think he threw harder in the last three innings than the first three.”
Lynnfield must now fight its way through the losers’ bracket and will take on either West Lynn or Peabody Blue Thursday at Swampscott, while Nahant will play Pine Hill on Friday, July 8 (TBD).
