Peabody West 8-Year-Old All Stars Win Opening Game

SWAMPSCOTT — The Peabody West Little League 8-year-old All Star Team won its opening game of the Swampscott Tournament, 6-5, over Wyoma Little League on Wednesday night at Phillips Park.

Ryan Skerry started for Peabody West and was practically unhittable. Skerry was efficient, throwing just 16 pitches total in the first two innings combined and struck out 12 batters while allowing just one baserunner over his five shutout innings of work.

The Peabody West bats got to work in the fourth inning. Patrick Woods led off the inning with a single and Ricky Williams followed that with a walk. Wyoma got the next two batters out but Peabody West would put the following five batters on base. Tyler McMahon walked to load the bases and Andrew Wenzel was hit by a pitch, bringing in Woods from third. Brayden Beals was hit by a pitch on the next at bat, which scored Williams, and then Geovanni Capo walked to score McMahon, giving Peabody West a 4-0 lead.

Skerry used just 11 pitchers to get through the fifth inning before maxing out his pitch count.

Over the course of the first five innings, Peabody West got an excellent defensive effort from Landon Lohnes, who also pitched in the game and started at first base, as well as Gavin Jurczyk and Anthony Ragusa, while Beals and McMahon were solid behind the plate and Wenzel closed out the top of the sixth on the mound. Capo made a huge out on a pop fly to short in the third inning to leave the only baserunner Skerry allowed stranded on second.

Wyoma's bats finally got to PWLL in the sixth inning, when they were able to cross five runners and take a 5-4 lead heading into Peabody West's final at-bat.

That set the stage for some walk-off heroics.

Skerry led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk and then stole second and third before taking home on a passed ball to tie the score. McMahon was hit by a pitch in the back to put the game-winning run on base and he advanced to second on a single by Jared Devereaux. Wenzel then put a ball into left-center, scoring McMahon from second and giving Peabody West a walk-off win.

PWLL will hit the field again on Thursday, when they face Lynnfield at 6:15 p.m.