LYNN — Needing a win to get its season back on track the Lynn Classical baseball team handed the ball to starting pitcher Kyle Finnigan. The moment wasn’t too big for the Rams junior to come through with a victory.
Finnigan went the distance in a 7-inning effort and pitched the Rams to a 4-0 win over Revere Saturday afternoon at Fraser Field. He allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five Revere batters.
“Every time Kyle’s in there he attacks the hitters,” Classical coach Mike Zukowski said. “He slips in a curveball every once in a while to keep them honest. He fields his position well too. He’s aggressive, which is great. I wish we all had the same enthusiasm and tenacity as Kyle and we’re working on that. I was pleased with today’s performance.”
Classical didn’t bring its best on the offensive end but the Rams made their big hits count. Sean Devin (1-for-2, 2 RBI) hit a 2-RBI single, David Barnard laced a RBI single and Aidan Dow capped the scoring with a RBI double.
“We’re taking baby steps,” Zukowski said. “We’re getting there. There’s still a lot of work to do. Some of the approaches today were terrible but time will tell. We’ll get there.”
The Rams did the majority of their scoring in the bottom of the first inning, before Revere recorded an out. AJ Luciano (2-for-3) doubled from the leadoff spot and Brett Bucklin drew a walk. After Luciano and Bucklin stole second and third, Barnard plated Luciano with a RBI single. Devin kept the rally alive with a 2-RBI single to give Classical a 3-0 lead. Revere starting pitcher Frank Sims induced a groundout and recorded a pair of strikeouts to end the inning without further damage.
Classical added another run in the bottom of the third. Devin reached on an infield error to leadoff the inning. Dow hit a RBI double, scoring Devin, to cushion the Rams lead to 3-0. Again, Sims was able to limit the damage and keep the Patriots within striking distance.
“If we kept the momentum going, who knows where it would’ve gone,” Zukowski said. “Their kid (Sims) stayed with us. He threw strikes and we didn’t do what we were supposed to do. We hit his pitch and not our pitch. That’s been the story lately.”
The Rams left runners on base in every inning except the bottom of the fifth, when Revere relief pitcher James O’Donnell retired Classical in order. Sims threw the first four innings and recorded four strikeouts. O’Donnell kept the Rams off the scoreboard in the bottom halves of the fifth and sixth.
“We left a lot of guys on base,” Zukowski said. “That’s where the approaches come into play. No matter who’s on the mound you can’t come out and try to yank one out every time. It’s situational hitting, timely hitting and at-bats. We really have to focus in on that.
“It’s a 4-0 win against a very much improved Revere team,” Zukowski said. “That’s not an old Revere team. Those guys are turning some heads, definitely ours.”
Revere’s Kasey Cummings doubled in the seventh but Finnigan buckled down to finish the shutout effort.
Classical, 3-5, hosts Gloucester Monday night (7).
