Sometimes, it’s not how you start, but how you finish that makes the difference.
Down 2-0 after the top of the first against league rival North Reading Saturday morning at the high school, the Lynnfield baseball team (6-2) was rock solid the rest of the way in its 4-2 win described by head coach John O’Brien as “the best all-round game we’ve played this year.”
Madux Iovinelli went the distance to pick up the win. He allowed one earned run on six hits with nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
O’Brien said all of Iovinelli’s pitches were working for him.
“His fast ball, moving it in and moving it out, and he was just throwing strikes,” O’Brien said. “He kept the North Reading kids off balance a little. He came up huge today.”
Lynnfield didn’t have a ton of offensive opportunities, but the Pioneers made the most of them when it counted.
First baseman David Tracy (2-for-2, double, run, 2 RBI) had a big day at the plate, knocking home the game-winning and insurance runs with a two-out single in the bottom of the fifth. Third baseman Anthony Grabau (1-for-3) blasted a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the first to put the Pioneers on the board.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Tracy led off with a double, advanced to third on a perfectly-executed bunt by left fielder Owen Mullin (1-for-3) and scored on second baseman Dylan Damiani’s (1-for-2) sac fly to left.
The Pioneers took the lead for good in the fifth. Shortstop Tyler Adamo (1-for-3, run) led off with a double. After right fielder Nick Groussis (1-for-2, run) was hit by a pitch, both runners scored on Tracy’s two-run double that made it 4-2.
But as clutch as the Pioneers were at the plate, it might have been the defense that was the difference in this one. In the second, Iovinelli gunned down Hornets’ starting pitcher Ethan Quan attempting to steal third base to end the inning. In the fourth, Iovinelli picked Ryan Labb off first base.
Groussis made a highlight-reel catch in the third inning, running a country mile to catch a sliced ball near the foul line.
“Nick had another big game in the outfield,” O’Brien said. “He must have run 50-60 feet on that ball. He’s turned into quite an outfielder. And he’s hitting the ball, too.”
In the sixth, with one Hornet at second, Tracy made a running, over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory for the second out. Up next was Antonio Ricca, who drilled a line drive back to Iovinelli. The ball ricocheted off him to second base where Adamo made a diving stab and threw Ricca out at first – from his knees – to end the threat.
“He (Adamo) is terrific there,” O’Brien said. “As good as he is as a player, he’s an even better kid. He plays hard. He gives it everything he’s got. He gave a great effort today.”
Fittingly, the game was sealed on another defensive gem. Iovinelli got the first two Horners on strikes in the top of the seventh. Nick Torra hit a rocket to left where Mullin chased it down and fired a perfect relay to Adamo. Adamo gunned it to Damiani at second to catch Torra trying to stretch a single into a double.
“Just a terrific play,” O’Brien said. “Sometimes, the kids don’t want to practice things like relays, but it comes in handy. It’s good to see. Our coaches work very hard with these kids on things like that.”
O’Brien singled out Tracy, Mullin, Damiani and catcher Cole Hawes.
“Tracy played well and Cole played really well today,” O’Brien said. “Owen Mullin got that sac bunt today down to keep us going. He’s a terrific leader. He also does whatever is asked of him. Without any baloney, he just plays the game. Dylan had a nice base hit and played a good second base. This was our best game. We did a lot of hitting yesterday, getting ready for this game and it paid off. We only struck out one time today.”
The Pioneers’ next game is Tuesday at Pentucket with first pitch slated for 4 p.m.
“They do a nice job up there,” O’Brien said. “We had two tough games with them last year. They just don’t quit. They keep hacking.”
