Published July 3, 2019

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — Last season, the Lynnfield Senior Babe Ruth team finished under .500 and did not qualify for the playoffs. This summer, the team return several veterans including many Lynnfield High varsity players.

The Pioneers varsity team reached the Div. 3 North finals before losing 8-2 to Bishop Fenwick to end the year at 18-6.

In Senior Babe Ruth, players have to be at least 16 years old and can play up until they turn 20 but 20-year-olds cannot pitch.

The oldest player on the team is Cooper Marengi who just finished his freshman year at Endicott. He is a first baseman and outfielder.

Five players just graduated from Lynnfield High and were varsity players. Those five are Sal Marotta (shortstop), Matt Fiore (first base-pitcher-outfielder), Cory Castinetti (first base-third base) and Brian Cardarelli (utility) and Will Garofoli who will pitch and play the outfield.

The Lynnfield players who just finished their junior year are Clayton Marengi (pitcher-outfielder), Christian Maney (pitcher-outfielder), Joe Contardo (catcher), Matt Juliano (second baseman), Liam Farrell (infielder), Matt Stevens (utility) and Tom Schiavone (first baseman).

Farrell is a new player while Stevens and Sciavdone were both on the Lynnfield junior varsity team this spring. The rest of the juniors were on the varsity.

The players who just finished their sophomore year are Luke Martinho (outfielder), Jack Bird (utility), Blake Peters (pitcher- outfielder) and the Ballion twins, Evan and Trent.

Trent is an infielder who played on the varsity team while Evan was a catcher that played on the junior varsity team.

Martinho was on the varsity while Bird and Peters were junior varsity players.

On June 21, Lynnfield fell to 1-1 as they were doubled up by host Woburn, 12-6.

Lynnfield won its season opener on June 19 as they shut out the host Malden Bambinos 11-0. In that game, Garofoli posted the shutout going all seven innings. He fanned nine hitters.

Cooper Marengi had the big hit with a two-run homer.

The next game for the team will be on July 7 as they host the Malden Marlins at Lynnfield High at 5 p.m. The two teams will then meet again, in Malden, on July 10 at 6 p.m.

“We have four players who will also play American Legion (Middleton),” said Lynnfield first-year manager Mauro Cardarelli. “When we have a full roster we have a very strong team. When those guys are at their American Legion game we still have a good team. We expect to make the playoffs.”