PHOTO BY ANNE MARIE TOBIN
Peabody West’s Dom Annese watches his home run sail out of Reinfuss Field Saturday.
BY SCOT COOPER
LYNN — The late Earl Weaver would have loved Peabody West’s 8-6 win over the Nahant Little League all-stars Saturday afternoon at Wyoma.
The two teams combined for seven runs on three homers, as West improved to 4-0 in the District 16 tournament, handing Nahant its first loss while securing a spot in Thursday’s district final
West kicked things off in the top of the first when Zach Fisher walked off Nahant’s Aidan Graciale, and then swiped second base. Fisher could have saved his energy, though, if he’s’ known he’d come all the way around when Chris Faraca blasted one over the right field fence for a 2-0 West lead.
Wyoma’s Reinfuss Field has been great for Faraca this weekend. Friday night he did it with his arm in a no-hitter against Swampscott, Saturday he went 2-for-3 at the plate, with three RBI.
Nahant tied things up in its half of the first, Graciale singled and moved up on another single by Billy Conigliaro off of Peabody starter Dom Annese. Graciale scored on an error, and Conigliaro followed on a wild pitch and it was 2-2 after one full.
Nahant lost right fielder Aidan Wyse in the second when he took a pitch under the left ear. He left the game and did not return.
Peabody took the lead for good in the top of the third. Fisher led off with a double and came around on a single by Harry Lynch. Annese, who singled with one out, scored when Nahant boxed the ball around, making the score 4-2.
Nahant got a run back in its half of the fourth. Jamie Godwin, who came in for Wyse, singled and scored on a single by Drew Botta.
Peabody West thought it had busted the game open with four runs in the top of the fifth, but there was a wild finish still ahead.
Fisher drove in Jeffrey Roach with a single to make it a 5-3 game. Two batters later, Annese struck the big blow in the inning for West, slamming a three-run shot over the left field fence, bringing in Fisher and Faraca ahead of him and it was 8-3 after 4 ½.,
Nahant climbed a little bit closer in the bottom of the fifth, catcher Jake Desmaris singled and rounded the bases on a double by Jace Roosein.
Down 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth, Graciale walked and came around on a homer by Conigliaro made it 8-6, with no outs. Nahant put a couple of runners on, but Fisher got a strikeout for the final out to preserve the win for Peabody West.
Peabody West manager Gary Lynch was pleased his team could hang on for the win.
“We were able to get a good win over a good team,” Lynch said. “It got a little tight at the end, but we were able to win it.”
“We battled the whole way, that’s all you can ask of the kids, we’re all exhausted physically and mentally, now we just have to get ready for the next one,” Nahant manager Adolph Graciale said.
