GLOUCESTER — In an extremely well-played game on the part of both teams, the Beverly 11-year-old All-Star team defeated Lynnfield, 1-0, to win the Section 4 championship Monday night at Boudreau Field at Stage Fort Park.
The win clinched a spot in the state championship final four for Beverly, to be played at Moulton Field at Tapley Park in Danvers starting July 19.
Hits were scarce in this one with Lynnfield owning a 4-2 edge. Lynnfield also had runners on base in every inning – stranding nine – but Beverly had the edge in the only place it mattered: the scoreboard.
The only run of the game was scored on a bases-loaded hit batsman in the bottom of the second inning.
“Lynnfield is a tremendous team, a well-coached team as well,” said Beverly Manager Andy Fox. “Our defense was tremendous today and that is something we focus on. Our kids are a great group and a real lunch-pail gang – the way they work. It came down to attention and focus with two amazing pitchers just grinding. At the end of day, with hard work, comes luck. They’re a tremendous team and I have to credit Lynnfield.”
This is the second consecutive year that Beverly has eliminated Lynnfield in the sectional tournament.
Lynnfield Manager Chris Cavallo said his team battled from start to finish, but just didn’t have it when it counted most.
“That’s baseball. We played great defense today. In a 1-0 game, it comes down to getting those key hits with runners in scoring position. We had a lot of baserunners, but we just didn’t have that key hit at the right time. That was the difference in the game. Credit to them. Their pitchers pitched well, but our guys fought a lot and got on base a lot of different ways. We hit the ball hard. We had some good at-bats to get walks. We had bunts that got down to move guys over, so we played great baseball. It came down to when we had our chances, Beverly had some really nice plays to end it.”
Lynnfield got off to a promising start. Matt Cavallo (1-for-3) drilled a leadoff double to deep center in the top of the first, got to third on a sac fly to center by John Kayola, only to be stranded when Beverly starter Drew Fox (4 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 K) got the next two batters and escaped the jam.
Beverly got on the board in the bottom of the second. It sandwiched singles by Gregory Richarson and Brendan O’Connell around a strikeout by Lynnfield starter Nico Mandell (3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K, HBP). Adam Besse drew a walk to load the bases for No. 11 hitter Will Clarke, who took one for the team to score Richardson.
In the third, Lynnfield had the bases loaded with one out on a walk to Maverick Murphy, an infield hit by Fin Charville (1-for-1, BB) and a bunt single by Xander Maliawco (1-for-2), but Beverly escaped again with a force play at the plate and a routine grounder to second base.
In the fourth, Lynnfield had runners at second and third on a single by Luca Mandell (1-for-3) and a walk by Nico Cavallo with two outs, but Drew Fox got the last out with a strikeout.
After reaching his pitch count (85) in the bottom of the fourth inning, Nico Mandell was lifted for reliever Luca Mandell (K), who pitched 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief. He had a little help from catcher Genaro Antonelli (in for starting catcher Luca Mandell), who gunned down a Beverly baserunner attempting to steal second in the bottom of the fifth.
Down to its last three outs, Lynnfield’s leadoff hitter, Matt Cavallo, hit a low scorcher back to reliever Bobby McGrath, who took it off his foot and made the play to first for the out. A walk to Kayola kept Lynnfield’s hopes alive, but not for long, as Beverly got the final two outs to seal the win.
“Matt hit a hard ball that their pitcher stopped with his foot, so that was a little unlucky for us in that moment,” Chris Cavallo said. “It’s funny because that pitcher and Matty know each other because they play club ball together, so it was just a little bit of bad luck”
Fox said Beverly baseball is back.
“I was just told that our first game at states will be [against] Parkway, but we’ll take on anyone any time. We are ready to go,” he said. “This team’s IQ is incredibly high and that’s what we are going to bring to Parkway.”
Despite the loss, Chris Cavallo said he was proud of his players and their performances.
“It was great baseball – good pitching, great catches, and really good defense,” he said. “Beverly, too. We did those plays and they did those plays, but we’ll be back next year. Last year, we were just short of the finals here and this year, we are in the finals. It’s a great group of kids, so I know we will be back. The goal will be to continue to move forward.”
