MARBLEHEAD — It was a close game through five and a half innings Wednesday afternoon, but the Marblehead baseball team pushed across four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away for a 9-2 win over Beverly in a Northeastern Conference bout at Seaside Park.
Marblehead has now won six games in a row and 11 of its last 12 after starting the season at 1-5.
Shane Keough paced the offensive attack for the Magicians, going 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI. Andy Titus went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI, while James Doody went 2for-4 with one RBI. Liam McIlroy went 2-for-3 with two doubles and three runs scored, while Matthew Titus went 2-for-2. Craig Michalowski (1-for-3) and Brookes Keefe (1-for-3) each had a hit in the win.
Ian Maude picked up the win on the mound for Marblehead, continuing his stellar season by going all seven innings and allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.
The Magicians got things going in the bottom of the first, when McIlroy doubled and was knocked home by Keough’s RBI single to make it 1-0.
Keough struck again in the bottom of the third, cashing in with a bases-loaded, two-run double to push the lead to 3-0. The Magicians picked up another run on a passed ball before Doody ripped an RBI single to make it 5-0.
Beverly answered back with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Magicians responded with a four-run sixth inning to really pull away. Keough got hit by a pitch to drive in one run, while Andy Titus followed that up with a three-run double to push the lead to 9-1.
While Beverly notched one more run on an error in the top of the seventh, Maude was able to work himself out of trouble and take home the victory for the Magicians.
Marblehead (12-6) is right back in action Thursday evening (6:30) with a road game against Lawrence in the opening round of the Hillie Classic Baseball Tournament at Trinity Stadium in Haverhill.
