Published in the June 7, 2017 edition
JUNIOR Cooper Marengi belted a three-run home run during the third seeded baseball team’s 10-6 win over sixth seed Shawsheen Tech in the Division 3 North quarterfinals on Monday. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
LYNNFIELD – The third seeded baseball team continued their Division 3 North state tournament journey with a 10-6 quarterfinal win over sixth seed Shawsheen Tech on Monday at Lynnfield High School.
Sophomore Fernando Gonzalez took the ball on a cold and rainy day and pitched six innings. He struck out seven Rams and giving up three runs.
The Pioneers jumped all over the Rams in the first inning, loading the bases and scoring their first run on a wild pitch. Junior Cooper Marengi then stepped up and smashed one to dead center field for a three-run home run that gave the Pioneers a 4-0 lead.
“Marengi, when he gets a hold of one, look out,” said Lynnfield head coach John O’Brien. “He’s hit the ball very well.”
Gonzalez and the defense cruised until the fourth, when the Rams started a rally and scored a run. Senior captain Justin Juliano helped his pitcher get out of a jam, snagging a ground ball, stepping on second and throwing to first for a double play to end the inning.
FERNANDO Gonzalez struck out 7 and gave up 3 runs in six innings vs. the Rams. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Lynnfield scored two more runs in the fourth, when Marengi got on base with a single and advanced to third after sophomore Matt Fiore singled. Marengi scored on a wild pitch and Fiore scored on a base hit by senior Kyle Hawes. Hawes finished the day 3-4 with two doubles, a single and three RBI’s.
“Hawes played a great game today,” said O’Brien. “He’s hitting the ball hard, playing a very good center field and he’s a leader. The kids really respect him, and he’s playing great baseball.”
Shawsheen Tech mounted a comeback bid in the sixth inning, as they tacked on two runs to make it 6-3, forcing the offense to seek some insurance in the bottom half of the inning.
“The kids came back and put some runs on the board, and eventually we needed them,” said O’Brien.
The Pioneers scored four runs in the sixth. Senior Andre Padovani had an RBI single. Hawes had a two-RBI double. Juliano had an RBI single to add some provisions that the Pioneers ended up needing. The Rams scored three runs in the seventh inning, forcing O’Brien to bring in Juliano to get the final out.
Lynnfield will face second seed Boston Latin Academy in the semifinals on Wednesday, June 7, beginning at 4 p.m. at Trinity Stadium in Haverhill. O’Brien knows the Pioneers have to be sharp at this stage of the tournament against quality opponents.
“We played Boston Latin the last two years,” said O’Brien. “They’re very good. We need to play well, we’re expecting a tough game.”
