Sports
VIDEOS: Baseball Team Notches Second Win
The Big Blue used two big innings and Sean O'Brien to defeat Winthrop in Swampscott Thursday afternoon, 7-4.
The used a three-run second inning and a three-run fourth to knock off Winthrop 7-4 Thursday afternoon on Forest Avenue.
The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but was delayed for a day because of poor field conditions. With game time set for 2:30 Thursday, the first pitch didn’t happen until 3:20 because of a snafu getting umpires for the game.
High school games use two umps, but one was on hand to call all the action from behind the plate on Thursday.
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The Blue (2-3) and the Vikings (0-5) took to the field under less than ideal conditions, the cold and wind favoring the pitchers, according to Winthrop coach Frank DeMarco.
“The weather is definitely a factor,” Demarco said. “The pitchers have the advantage when the weather is like this.”
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The Vikings struck first when second baseman Nick McCarthy went deep with one out in the top of the first off Swampscott pitcher Sean O’Brien. Winthrop pushed across another run in their second, when Dan Eruzione, nephew of Olympic hero Mike, plated Chris LeBlanc on a fielder’s choice.
The Blue pushed across three runs on one hit in the bottom of the second to take their first lead. O’Brien, Trevor Massey and Matt Videtta came home for Swampscott, the only hit of the frame an RBI single by Mike Walsh.
Hits were hard to come by: the Vikings only had four against O’Brien; and the Blue smacked seven hits off starter Anthony Hatzisavas and reliever Justin Rowe.
Winthrop tied it at three in the top of the fourth when Mitch Paulson scored on an RBI single by Eruzione.
“O’Brien did a good job on the mound for us,” Swampscott coach T. J. Baril said. “He pitched very well against Danvers, got the save against Saugus, and gave us seven strong innings today.”
Swampscott went ahead for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. First baseman Justin Perry smacked a double to right-center with the bases loaded.
A pitch to start off the inning hit Justyn Fischer-Block, and Hatzisavas walked Gino Cresta and Walsh to load them up for Perry.
McCarthy hit his second homer in the fifth inning to get Winthrop within two, but that was the last hit O’Brien would allow.
Pinch-hitter Robert Faia singled home Walsh with two out in the sixth, giving O’Brien a three-run cushion.
O’Brien induced three ground outs in the top of the seventh, and the Big Blue had a two-game winning streak going after Monday’s win over Saugus.
The junior hurler whiffed six batters Thursday, the offense was led by Perry's three RBI's and two hits by Walsh.
“We made some mistakes, but they’re correctable,” Baril said. “We’re happy to get this win today.”
Swampscott heads to Pentucket Friday morning for a 10 a.m. game against the Sachems, looking to reach the .500 mark on the season.
