THE LYNNFIELD 9-year-old All-Stars won the Stan Brown Jamboree championship with an 11-2 victory over Danvers in the Finals on Saturday. (Courtesy Photo)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
DANVERS — The Lynnfield 9-year-old All-Star baseball team captured the Stan Brown Jamboree title in Danvers last Saturday afternoon at Moulton Field as they beat the Danvers National team 11-2.
Lynnfield ended up going 5-1 in this tournament.
Xander Maliawco was the wining pitcher in relief going the final four innings. He gave up one run, three hits, one walk and he struck out four.
“It was an incredible effort,” stated Lynnfield head coach Bill Mandell. “He hit the second batter he faced but was able to keep his composure and pitched great.”
Maliawco also led the offense as he was a perfect 4 for 4 at bat with two runs batted in.
“He was the star for us and helped his own cause with his hitting,” said Mandell.
This game was closer than the final would indicate as Lynnfield was only up two (4-2) heading into the top of the fifth inning.
In that top of the fifth, the locals took control scoring seven times.
“They ran out of pitching and we were able to take advantage,” said Mandell.
Lynnfield finished with a tournament-high 20 hits. Along with Maliawco, the team had six other multiple hitters.
Matty Cavallo, Nico Mandell and Ben O’Hara all were 3 for 4. Cavallo also walked and knocked in two runs while O’Hara had one RBI.
Nico Cavallo was 2 for 3 with a walk while John Kayola and Marco Bevilacqua both went 2 for 4 with one RBI.
After the game was over, the Lynnfield players each received medals.
Lynnfield had a chance to clinch the title last Thursday night but Danvers, who came out of the losers bracket, forced a final game by winning 8-5.
Danvers scored five runs in the bottom of the first to go up 5-1 and put Lynnfield in an early hole.
“It was a rough first inning,” admitted Mandell. “We ended up walking seven but, even though we got down big, we did fight to the end.”
Along with their first-inning run, Lynnfield scored once in the second and three more times in the sixth.
Danvers’ other runs came in the bottom of the fourth as they led 8-2 going into the sixth inning.
Lynnfield finished that game with eight hits as eight different players had one hit each.
Luca Mandell had an RBI single in the first while O’Hara had the RBI single in the second.
In the bottom of the sixth, Dylan Delory delivered an two-run double to left field. Bevilacqua also had an RBI single.
Overall, it was a very successful summer for the team as, along with this title, they came in second place to West Peabody in the Wyoma Sawyer Walsh Tournament.
“This was a nice way to finish the summer,” said Mandell. “It was very enjoyable to coach these kids and I hope to coach them next year.”