SAUGUS — Todd Tringale didn’t waste time getting his senior campaign started on a high note Wednesday in the Saugus baseball team’s season opener. Tringale, the ace of Saugus’ pitching rotation, collected 17 strikeouts and delivered a lights-out performance in a 1-0 win over Stoneham at World Series Park.
“I thought Todd did great,” Saugus coach Joe Luis said. “He didn’t walk a batter. He’s worked hard over the winter. He’s been working out with travel teams. That gave me the ability to let him pitching a little longer. He’s been throwing his innings since January, February, March. His fastball was great, two-seam fastball, curve. We didn’t have to throw many change-ups with what he had. He can only get stronger.”
Tringale allowed just two hits over his seven innings of work. Catcher Jackson Stanton (1-for-2, RBI) delivered all the offense Saugus needed with a RBI single, scoring third baseman Anthony Macone (1-for-2), in the bottom of the fifth inning. Also collecting base hits were center fielder Zack Falasca (1-for-3), left fielder Jack Devereaux (1-for-3) and first baseman CJ Graffeo (1-for-3).
“It’s nice that a couple of the guys who got the hits are juniors,” Luis said. “It’s not just the seniors that are helping out. It’s good that the younger kids contributed.”
Saugus didn’t make things easy on Tringale, leaving nine runners on base. The Sachems left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second and third innings.
“I think part of the hitting comes with early spring, not being able to see much live pitching and not being able to take much batting practice with the bad weather,” Luis said. “Hopefully as the weather gets nicer, the bats are going to pick up.”
Saugus went down in order in the bottom of the first before threatening to score in the second inning. Ronnie Paolo and Tringale reached on back-to-back walks to start the inning and Anthony Cogliano reached on an error to load the bases. But Stoneham starter Nick Bamforth (5 1/3 innings, four walks, four strikeouts) escaped the jam.
Saugus loaded the bases again in the third inning but, again, couldn’t push a run across. The Sachems got their break in the bottom of the fifth. Macone, Saugus’ leadoff hitter, reached on a one-out walk and swiped second base. Stanton brought Macone home on a two-out RBI single to give the Sachems a 1-0 lead.
“The key play was the two-out steal from Anthony and the RBI single from Jackson,” Luis said. “With Todd on the mound, in an unbelievable performance, it would’ve been a shame to have him lose that game somehow, someway after striking out 17.”
Meanwhile, Tringale made quick work of the Spartans. Aside from allowing a pair of two-out singles to Jacob Nardone and Giuseppe Azzarello in the top of the fifth, it was smooth sailing for Tringale.
Tringale fanned four of the final six batters to seal Saugus’ 1-0 win.
“That’s part of why Todd was a Northeastern Conference all-star last year,” Luis said. “We’re going to be riding him every game when he’s pitching. We just have to find more ways to get the big hit in timely manner.”
Saugus (1-0) travels to Dracut Thursday (4).
