Division 3 North Baseball Down To Two

Twenty teams started the Division 3 North baseball tournament less than two weeks ago and Sunday in Lynn the final two teams square off in the title game.

No. 3 seed Lynnfield (21-2) faces No. 5 seed Austin Prep (19-4) at Fraser Field beginning at 1 p.m. Neither is a surprise, and neither can play the underdog card. From April to June, both the Pioneers and the Cougars have been playing competitive baseball in tough conferences.

In three tournament games their numbers are almost identical. Lynnfield and AP have each given up nine runs and Lynnfield has scored 25, AP 26. Lynnfield's wins have come against Saugus, Shawsheen, and Latin Academy. AP has beaten Newburyport, Swampscott, and Bishop Fenwick. Lynnfield, which is going for its first state title since 1961, has had an extra day of rest with its last game Wednesday. AP won its semifinal on Thursday.

The winner will play the South champion. That game pits Dover-Sherborn vs. Norton, also on Sunday.

Lynnfield third baseman Mike Stellato. Photo by Bob Holmes