By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield Middlesex Senior Babe Ruth team beat the Lexington 2 team 8-1 on Sunday evening at Lynnfield High School (Lexington has two teams in the league). With that win, the Pioneers improved to 4-3 as they won their second game in a row.
Ben Mullin was the winning pitcher going five innings to go to 1-0 this summer. He gave up one earned run, four hits, no walks and he struck out five.
“He was very efficient,” said Pioneers manager Rob Higdon, as Lexington scored in the fourth inning with Lynnfield leading 5-0 at that point.
The Pioneers scored once in the bottom of the first inning and four more times in the second. They then tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Lynnfield had nine hits total led by Alex Gentile, Nick Lucich and Anthony Grabau who were all 2 for 3. Gentile, who also walked, had a team-high four runs batted in as well while Grabau knocked in two.
On July 21, the Pioneers rolled over guest Malden by a final of 11-2.
“We were able to jump out on them early,” pointed out Higdon, as Lynnfield scored five times in the first and three more in the second to take command.
Tim Pivero improved to 2-3 on the hill going three innings. John McKrell recorded the save going the final four innings as both pitchers gave up one run.
“They both pitched really well,” said Higdon, as combined, they only gave up five Malden hits.
Lynnfield had eight hits led by Dylan Damiani who went 2 for 3 with two RBI. Aidan Burke went 2 for 4 while Lucich had a two-run single for his lone hit.
Lynnfield scored their final three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
On July 20, the Pioneers lost at home to Winchester 7-3.
“The wheels came off in the top of the sixth inning,” admitted Higdon, as the Sachems plated five runs. “It was a combination of good hitting by them and that we made two errors.”
Lynnfield went into the sixth leading 2-1.
Pivero went 2/3’s of an inning in relief of Rob Higdon who pitched the first five frames allowing two runs.
Lynnfield scored in the first inning on an error. They scored twice in the fifth on a Mullin RBI single and a fielder’s choice RBI by Spencer Riley.
The Pioneers only had four hits overall.
On Wednesday (July 28), they host Arlington at 5:45 pm. The next day, the Pioneers visit the Lexington 2 team also at 5:45. Lynnfield then hosts the Lexington 1 team on Aug. 1 at 5:30 p.m.
The Pioneers then visit Winchester on Aug. 3 with that game starting at 7 p.m.
