Sachems defeat Masco, fall to Panthers

  Coming off what Head Coach Joe Luis referred to as a game it should have won two days earlier, the Saugus High School baseball team came through with a dramatic, extra-inning victory over Masconomet last Friday at World Series Park. Matt MacEachern singled in the winning run in the eighth inning to catapult Saugus to a 2-1 triumph.

  Two days before, Saugus saw a 3-0 lead through three innings slip away against Winthrop in a contest it ended up losing by a 9-4 margin. Against Masco, Saugus starter Nathan Ing took part in a pitcher’s duel with Masconomet’s Erik Sibbach. Both teams managed a run through seven frames.

  A great defensive play by outfielder Anthony Cicolini in the top of the seventh inning squelched a Masco rally, as he made a diving catch and then doubled off a runner at third base to get out of the inning. The game moved into extras. Cam Soroko singled to open the bottom of the eighth and got to third on two groundouts. That’s when MacEachern came through with the game-winning hit.

  After the contest, Luis told the press that it was the type of victory that could inspire the team moving forward. “This was a big win for us, because we were coming off a game that we felt like we should have won and we needed to bounce back,” he said. “This is the kind of win that can really jump start the guys.”

  Ing didn’t end up with the win despite hurling seven-and-a-third innings, giving up just two hits and striking out 12. He was replaced by Ryan Mabee, who picked up the win in relief.  Mabee got the start in Wednesday’s game at Beverly and weathered a rough first inning, as the Sachems fell behind 5-0 after one frame.

  Saugus battled back with four runs in the top of the third to close within 5-4 before the Panthers increased the margin to 7-4. Saugus would score twice more but it wouldn’t be enough in an eventual 8-6 defeat. Third baseman Ing injured himself in the first inning chasing down an errant throw and had to leave the game.

  Anthony Macone drove in two runs with a hit and Cam Soroko and Drew Gardiner added RBIs with a hit each. The loss dropped the Sachems to 4-3 overall on the season (1-2 in Northeastern Conference play). Saugus travels to play Swampscott Friday and returns home to play Gloucester next Wednesday, April 27.