LYNN — A midweek matinee at Fraser Field featuring some of the best college baseball players in the country – not bad for a Wednesday.
The Ocean State Waves spoiled the party, however, escaping Lynn with a 7-5 win against the North Shore Navigators.
That said, it wasn’t all bad, and highlights were aplenty. The Navs’ Cooper Smith (Naples, Stetson) had it going early, striking out three in a row to open the game – and that was before the run support.
Evan Griffis (Longwood, Stetson) ripped an RBI in the bottom of the first, followed by Henry Kaczmar (Akron, Ohio State) plating two more with a two-run double down the left-field line for a 3-0 Navs lead.
Brendan Jones (Arlington, Holy Cross) was responsible for the second-inning highlight, starting a 4-6-3 double play to end the frame in style.
The Waves tacked one on in the sixth, but relief pitcher Sawyer Duarte (Port Washington, Middlebury) of the Navs retired the side to send two baserunners back to the dugout (3-1).
After some back-and-forth action, the Waves reached way back to tie things 5-5 after a two-run single in the eighth.
They didn’t slow down, either, scoring for the fourth consecutive inning to take a 7-5 lead in the ninth.
The hosts had no answer in the bottom of the inning, and the game was lost. The Navs return to action Thursday in a home game against Vermont at 6:35 p.m.
