Sometimes, you need a bit of good fortune to win games.
And the Triton baseball team will certainly take it. The Vikings were down 5-3 in the top of the sixth inning on Tuesday, but a costly error committed by host Lynnfield plated three runs. Nick Bonasera then closed out his 4.2 innings of relief with two clean frames, leading the Vikings to a season-opening victory over the Pioneers, 6-5.
Both teams jumped out early with two runs each in the first inning, as Bonasera crushed an RBI-double and Gavin Fraser laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored him. Junior Liam Friis got the start for Triton and pitched 2.1 innings, allowing four hits but struggling a touch with command allowing seven walks. Bonasera settled things down on the mound, but Lynnfield was still able to add a run each in the second, third and fourth innings to take a 5-2 lead.
The Vikings weren’t going to lay down, though.
Josh Hersey came up with a clutch RBI-single in the top of the sixth, followed by the error that allowed three more runs to score. That gave the Vikings a 6-5 lead, and Bonasera was nails to get the final six outs and pick up the win. The Vikings themselves only had five hits for the game, as Connor Rumph, Jack Lindholm and Jack Harding joined Bonasera and Hersey with base knocks.
Newburyport baseball falls on the road
The Newburyport baseball team couldn’t hold on to a late lead, surrending four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to fall at Haverhill in its season opener, 7-4.
Junior Evan Luekens was solid taking the bump on Opening Day, tossing five innings with five hits allowed and seven strikeouts. The Clippers opened the game getting an inside-the-park home run from Connor Stick (2-for-2) to take an early 1-0 lead, but would surrender two in the bottom half. The Hillies would then add a run in the second to make it 3-1.
Newburyport, however, fired back.
A two-run single from Jackson DeVivo in the top of the fourth tied the game, then Jack Sullivan stepped up and doubled him home to make it 4-3. Both finished 1-for-3 at the plate for the game, and Parker Cowles and Ben Cook also had hits for the Clippers — who, weather depending, will host Pentucket on Thursday.
Port girls tennis keeps on winning!
It’s now a 3-0 start for the two-time defending state champion Newburyport girls tennis team, which squeaked past Lynnfield in a nailbitter on Tuesday, 3-2.
The doubles teams got the job done for the Clippers. At No. 1 it was Lauren Brennan and Janie Turgeon picking up a 6-2, 6-1 win, while the team of Delaney Woekel and Kate Powers earned a 6-2, 6-0 victory at second doubles. Newburyport’s final match win of the day came from Bridgette Mellet at No. 3 singles, who took home the 6-2, 6-4 victory.
White, Amesbury nearly take down Essex Tech
It was a much better showing from the Amesbury boys lacrosse team on Tuesday.
Following a tough season-opening setback to a talented Ipswich team, the Redhawks played much better against Essex Tech. Max White again led the way with 3 goals and 2 assists, and the Redhawks nearly got into the win column before falling to the Hawks, 9-6.
Shawn Asselin had two goals for Amesbury (0-2), Nick Creps had a goal and Braden Delisle picked up an assist.
Triton boys lacrosse downed at Lynnfield
The Triton boys lacrosse team ran into a solid Lynnfield squad on Tuesday, and fell to the Pionners, 12-3. Charlie Clare was excellent in net for the Vikings with 12 saves, and the trio of Paxton Laky, Alex Pasquini and Seamus Cahill had goals.
Cahill also added an assist, as did Vinny Magee and Lukas Rainsford.
Clippers have marathon matches, but fall to H-W
There were some absolute wars happening on the tennis courts between the Newburyport and Hamilton-Wenham boys on Tuesday, but when the dust finally settled, it was the Generals escaping with a 3-2 victory.
Newburyport’s two wins came at Nos. 1 and 2 singles, with Austin Yim earning a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 victory, and Alex Lambert fighting back to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph. But even though the Clippers fell in the final three matches, they were all competitive. The team of Caden Eiserman and Brindley Fisher lost 6-2, 4-6, 3-6 at first doubles, while the second doubles squad of Connor DeMann and Sam Brickman fell 0-6, 6-7 (6-8).