Sachems win home opener, drop 1-0 affair to Salem

  The Saugus High School baseball team earned a split in its first two home games of the 2023 season. The Sachems came away with a convincing 7-1 victory over Northeast Metro Tech last Friday in the home opener at World Series Park but were edged 1-0 by Salem in a pitcher’s duel on Monday.

  In Monday’s loss to the Witches, starting pitcher Cam Bernard probably deserved a better fate, as he went the distance by going seven innings and allowing just five hits. The lone run against him was unearned, and he fanned six batters. Meanwhile, the Sachems struggled to do much offensively against Salem starter Quinn Rocco Ryan (10 strikeouts).

  Salem managed to push across the game’s only run in the top of the fifth, and Ryan made it hold up. Saugus collected three hits all told – singles by Nathan Soroko, Bernard and Danny Zietz.

  Last Friday’s triumph over Northeast featured another fine starting-pitching effort. This time it was Cam Soroko, who tossed 5 2/3 innings and struck out 11 batters to earn the win. Zietz worked the final inning and a third to close out the victory.

  Entering the bottom of the sixth, the contest was still close. The Sachems held a 2-1 lead before they broke it open with five runs to essentially put the game away. In the end, Cam Soroko doubled twice and drove in a run, while Shane Bourque collected two hits, including a double and an RBI. Five other Saugus players finished with RBIs. They were Tyler Riley, Nathan Soroko, Bernard, Zietz and Connor Bloom.

  Saugus stood at 1-2 overall entering Wednesday’s game at Masconomet. The Sachems then played at Peabody on Thursday and have back-to-back home games next Tuesday and Wednesday, April 18-19, against Lynn English and Winthrop