By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
PEABODY — The Middleton-Peabody District 8 American Legion baseball team, which features seven players from Lynnfield, beat guest Newburyport 3-2 on Monday evening at Bishop Fenwick High School. With that win, they improved to 6-3 as they are now in third place in District 8. There are eight teams total in the district.
A squeeze bunt in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie.
“It is the second time we have beaten them this season,” pointed out Middleton-Peabody manager Russ Steeves, who is also the manager of the Bishop Fenwick varsity team.
Trailing 2-0, Middleton-Peabody scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game.
Chris Faraca, a Peabody resident, was the winning pitcher in relief going the final four innings.
The team started play in late June and will play a 16-game regular season. Only the district champs will advance to the state playoffs.
The next four games for the team will all be at home. On July 28, they host Andover they then take on Haverhill the next day.
On July 30, they welcome Lynn and on Aug. 2, they play Saugus.
All four of these games will start at 5:30 p.m.
The seven players from Lynnfield are Henry Caulfield (infielder), Nick Razzaboni (infielder), Luke Martinho (centerfielder), Joe Gizmunt (pitcher), Pat D’Amico (shortstop) and the Balian twins, Evan (catcher) and Trent (pitcher).
Gizmunt and D’Amico both play at St. John’s Prep while the other five are from Lynnfield High.
“They have had a positive impact on our team,” said Steeves about the Lynnfield players. “Trent is one of our best pitchers, Evan is a tremendous catcher and Luke is a shut-down centerfielder.”
The team has eight players from Peabody and the other five are from the Masconomet towns (Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield).
