Swampscott 11's Take District 16 All-Star Baseball Title

The Swampscott 11-year-old All-Stars earned some ice cream, a post-game pool party, a couple of days off and a District 16 title with their 9-4 win over Saugus American Tuesday night in Nahant.

Swampscott was 2-0, with an earlier 4-3 victory over Saugus American.

The Swampscott boys took care of business last night, racing out to a 5-0 lead before Saugus American (2-2) cut the lead to 5-4 after four innings.

Swampscott put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth scoring four times to go up by five runs. Steven Santanello smoked a double over right fielder Stephen Wright’s head driving in Spencer Perkins and Ishaan George to make it 7-4 with one out.

Liam Faulkner singled up the middle driving in Santanello and Luke Marshall with the final two Swampscott runs. Sean Lahrizi tried to come all the way around from first on Faulkner’s hit but was out by a hair at home for the final out of the inning.

Jordan Cox retired the side in the bottom off the sixth, getting a complete game win, his second over Saugus American in a week. Cox won last week’s game, as well as picking up the win in relief in the first tournament win, a 9-8 extra-inning triumph over Wyoma.

“What can I say about him (Cox)," manager Dan Santanello said after the game as his team ran around the field with the District 16 Title banner in their hands. “Jordy threw strikes, he kept them off balance and we made the plays when we had to.”

Most of the Saugus players were on the 10-year-old team that lost in the state title game last year, and coach Brian Pettenati was philosophical after the loss last night.

“We’re a good team, they’re a good team, we’ll be back, we’ve just got to be a little bit more patient at the plate, but give their guy credit (Cox) he pitched two great games against us in less than a week, my hat’s off to him and the entire Swampscott team,” Bettenati said.

With the win Tuesday night, Swampscott moves on to the State Sectionals next Wednesday against the winner of District 14.

Swampscott’s first four batters Sean Lahrizi, Maxx Cooper, Liam Faulkner and Brett Benoit reached in the first. Lahrizi, Cooper and Faulkner coming home before starter Stephen Pettenati was lifted in favor of Jimmy Alcott.

Alcott gave up two more runs in the top of the third, Cooper and Faulkner coming home on a bunt single and two Saugus errors.

 Saugus cut it to 5-3 after three and 5-4 in the fourth on a homer by leadoff hitter Justin Horvath, but Cox retired nine in a row after the Saugus centerfielder hit one out.

"The kids have been great, the coaches, Ken Perkins and Joe Marshall have really done a great job, I’m proud of this team, they stick together like glue,” Santanello said.

“Everybody has helped this team win, top to bottom, I’m giving them a couple of days off, then we’ll get back to practice,” Santanello said.

Heading into Tuesday night’s District 14 action, Andover National and Tewksbury American were both tied at the top spot with 3-1 records.

"Give Swampscott all the credit they deserve, they made the plays and we didn't, that's a good group over there," Pettenati said.