Big Blue Baseball Advances in Tournament With Extra Inning Win

Ryan Cresta's one-out single in the top of the 8th inning drove in the winning run Thursday, propelling Swampscott baseball to the next round of the North Div. 3 play-offs with a 5-4 win over Watertown.

On Saturday, right hander Al Wallach takes the ball for the 10-11 Big Blue in a first-round match-up against top-seeded North Reading, 18-2, on their field.

On Thursday in Watertown, Swampscott senior Trevor Massey went the distance, fanning 10 batters.

He put a period on the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the 8th, said first-year coach Jason Calichman.

Blue got on the scoreboard in the first inning with an RBI-single by Ryan January.

The team displayed some aggressive, heads-up base running en route to the win.

On one play, senior Robert Serino scored from second base on an infield dribbler. He noticed the catcher was not covering home and scored, the coach said.

The coach said Big Blue looks forward to taking on the number one team in the North Division on Saturday.

The North Reading Hornets were last year's Div. 3 North champs and defeated Swampscott in the quartefinals, 2-1.

"This is the challenge we wanted," the coach said.

The Big Blue must make the routine plays, run the bases well and, in short, play their game on Saturday, the coach said. Al Wallach will be throwing strikes, he said.

The game is listed for a 4 p.m. start on the MIAA website.

Baseball Seedings

1. North Reading (18-2)

2. Bishop Fenwick (16-4)

3. Greater Lawrence (14-4)

4. Arlington Catholic (15-5)

5. Whittier (14-6)

6. St. Mary's (14-6)

7. Stoneham (13-7)

8. Newburyport (13-7)

9. Charlestown (10-6)

10. Lynnfield (12-8)

11. Greater Lowell (11-8)

12. Saugus (11-9)

13. Amesbury (11-9)

14. East Boston (10-9)

15. Shawsheen (9-9)

16. Watertown (9-11)

17. Swampscott (9-11)

18. Bedford (8-11)

19. Weston (8-12)