PEABODY — The Peabody Western Little League 12-year-old All-Star team kept its District 16 title defense alive Saturday afternoon at Lt. Ross Park with a 13-1 mercy-rule win over Lynn’s Pine Hill.
Pine Hill got off to a strong start and jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. But West responded in a big way in its half, sending 13 batters to the plate, seven of whom scored.
After that, West starter Dylan Annese did the rest, allowing just one hit over the next three innings and finishing with a four-hitter.
“They (Pine Hill) certainly got our attention when they went up 1-0 and I have to admit we were a little nervous there,” said West manager Tony LaRosa. “But we came back and showed what Peabody West baseball is all about. We came out with tenacity and after that 1-0 start, we took advantage of what they gave us, so it was a good win.”
Pine Hill manager Joe Driscoll said his team’s inability to make plays wasn’t due to lack of preparation.
“With a team like ours, we cannot afford to make mistakes and we have to be solid in the field to compete,” said Driscoll. “We haven’t shortchanged on practices and we have worked hard every day for the last few weeks. The kids have put the time and effort in We just didn’t have it (Saturday).”
Ryan Amirault got things started for Pine Hill with a leadoff double through the left side of the infield. He took third on a passed ball and scored on Anthony Seales’ bunt single.
Things unraveled quickly for Pine Hill in the bottom of the inning. West’s only clean hit of the inning was a single to left field off the bat of Alex Jackson. He and Donati Fronduto (on by error) scored West’s first two runs after Jayden Vargas’ grounder to second was booted. After four more Pine Hill infield errors, West had a commanding 7-1 lead.
West added two more unearned runs in the second to make it a 9-1 game.
Jackson (3-for-3, 2 runs, RBI) opened the third with an infield single. Vargas (1-for-3, 2 runs) doubled him home. Pinch hitter Nick Muse (1-for-1, run) singled Vargas home. Joe Keka (1-for-1, run) followed with an infield hit, then Annese (1-for-3) helped his own cause with a 2-run single that made it 13-1.
Annese retired Pine Hill in order in the top of the fourth to seal the shortened win.
For West, Ryan Moreschi (1-for-4, (double), Cory Dooley (1-for-2, RBI, run) and Chris Sinibaldi (1-for-1, run) contributed one hit each. Michael Petromelis reached base twice on errors and scored two runs.
Jaiden Driscoll was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate for Pine Hill.
LaRosa said he was pleased with West’s defensive effort.
“Our outfielders played very well and also catcher Cory Dooley had a big game throwing out two runners at second base on steals,” LaRosa said. “We had to put our foot on the gas and keep it there because you never know what can happen in a Little League game”.
Next up for West is a Tuesday night (5:45) elimination game against Saugus American at home.
“What we have to do is just keep battling it out in the losers’ bracket,” LaRosa said. “So we will continue to fight and move on to the next one.”
