Published July 29, 2020
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
LYNNFIELD — On Sunday evening, the Lynnfield Northeast Baseball League team fell to visiting Billerica 7-4 at Lynnfield High. With that result, the Pioneers’ record dipped to 4-3-1.
“We were sloppy in the field early and it cost us,” said Lynnfield manager Anthony Martinho.
The Pioneers committed three errors in the first three innings as Billerica scored two unearned runs.
“Blake (Peters) pitched great,” stated Martinho.
Peters, who took the loss on the hill, pitched the first three innings allowing just one hit.
The Indians scored two runs in the 5th inning, two more in the 6th and once in the top of the 7th.
Lynnfield scored its first run in the bottom of the 1st inning on an error. They then scored three times to cut the lead to two in the bottom of the 6th.
Luke Martinho had a two-run triple to left-center field and Joe Gizmunt added an RBI single for the third run of the inning.
The Pioneers had seven hits overall but no multiple hitters.
The home game against Newton scheduled for July 23 was postponed and now will be played this Saturday night, 6 p.m. at the middle school.
On July 21, the Pioneers beat visiting Tyngsboro 9-4 to finish 1-0-1 against the Tigers this summer.
Alex Gentile was the winning pitcher going all seven frames. He gave up four earned runs, six hits, three walks and he struck out three.
“It was the first time he has pitched in two years,” pointed out Martinho. “We didn’t know who was going to pitch but he stepped up and I gave him the game ball. He is a gritty fighter.”
After Tyngsboro scored once in the top of the 1st, Lynnfield’s offense erupted for five runs in the bottom of the 1st to give Gentile some cushion.
The Pioneers, who had a season-high 16 hits, scored once in the 2nd, twice in the 4th, and once in the 6th.
Peters led the offense going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI’s. Tyler Scoppettuolo was also perfect at the dish going 3-for-3.
Aiden Burke also had a big night going 3-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored. Pat D’Amico was the team’s other multiple hitter going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Gentile helped his own cause with a run scored after he tripled.
Tyngsboro scored once in the 3rd and twice more in the top of the 4th.
The Pioneers are fourth in the South Division but they are just one game back of Wilmington and 1.5 games back of North Reading and Billerica.
Lynnfield will visit Wilmington at Scanlon Field on Thursday night at 6 p.m. Then, after the Newton game on Saturday, Lynnfield will wrap up the season on Sunday night at 6 p.m. as they welcome Lowell at Lynnfield High.
