Peabody West Tops Lynnfield in Swampscott Tournament

SWAMPSCOTT — Peabody West Little League won its second game of the Swampscott Tournament on Thursday night after holding off a surging Lynnfield team, 10-8; the Pioneers plated four runs in the bottom of the last inning.

Peabody West gave itself some breathing room early in the game with a five-run first inning. Leadoff hitter Patrick Woods started the inning with a walk and six of PWLL's first seven batters got on base. Ryan Skerry walked and Landon Lohnes singled up the middle to load the bases. Woods scored on a passed ball later in the inning and Tyler McMahon then walked, to re-load the bases. Jared Devereaux's worked a full count before drawing a free pass — Skerry scored on the play — and Andrew Wenzel hit a single to the outfield that scored Lohnes from third and McMahon from second.

Devereaux would score to close out the inning when Brayden Beals singled to right field.

Peabody West's top of the order got cooking again in the third inning. Skerry walked and Lohnes followed by connecting on his second hit of the night. McMahon drew another walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count and Devereaux would single to score Skerry from third.

That brought Wenzel to the plate again, and he earned two more RBIs when he singled to right center, scoring Lohnes and McMahon. Devereaux advanced to third on Wenzel's hit and he crossed the plate when Geovanni Capo slapped a single up the middle. Anthony Ragusa nearly brought in more runs for PWLL, crushing a pitch just foul down the right-feld line and then he roped a ball to the right side but the Lynnfield second baseman somehow snatched it.

Kamron Turner started on the mound for Peabody West, working 3-1/3 innings and striking out three batters. Turner maxed out his pitch count on the second batter of the third inning, and he closed his night out in style, making a diving catch off the mound to record the first out of the inning.

PWLL received a good defensive effort from Ricky Williams, who started the game in center field, and Gavin Jurczyk nearly had a putout at third base in the last inning after Devereaux fired a laser beam from center field.

Woods came in and earned the save, throwing the last 1-2/3 innings before the game was called due to reaching the 90-minute time limit.

Peabody West returns to the diamond on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. at Phillips Park against crosstown rival, Peabody Little League.