It was a very productive week for the Marblehead High baseball team (6-5 in the Northeastern Conference, 8-6 overall), and it all started with an exhilarating 8-7 triumph over rival Masco at Seaside Park on May 10.
The Magicians fell behind early, 6-0. The home team then got four back in the third before the Chieftains tacked on an additional run in the fifth to go up by three. The Marblehead boys then forged ahead with four in the sixth.
The Chieftains threatened again in the seventh with two quick hits off reliever Chris Cannuscio. They had runners in scoring position, but Cannuscio got out of the jam with two clutch strikeouts to earn the save that secured this memorable win for his teammates, which could catapult them into the postseason with a higher seed.
Ian Maude started the Masco game on the mound, going six innings and giving up six hits, four walks and seven runs, but only three of them were earned. He whiffed four along the way.
The Marblehead offense banged out nine hits. Cannuscio (two singles, two RBI) and Chris Dewitt (single, two RBI) led the way with added support from designated hitter Stefan Shepard with a single and a double, and Brooks Keefe, who doubled home a run.
Third baseman Riley Schmitt singled in a run and scored twice. Second baseman Bodie Bartram singled in a run. Shane Keough chipped in with a base hit.
The Magicians then went on to beat host Swampscott the next night, 6-5.
The game against Swampscott was almost the complete opposite from the comeback against Masco. This time as the visitors, Marblehead had a 6-0 lead, but Swampscott kept chipping away, only to come up one run short.
The Big Blue had the tying run on in the seventh, when it was Cannuscio to the rescue again for the second straight day to pick up another save. He got the final five outs, yielding just two hits while fanning one.
Drew Whitman pitched the first four innings, allowing three hits, two walks and three runs with just one earned. Cody Selvais got the next four outs, giving up two walks and two earned runs. He struck out one.
The Magicians collected 10 hits, led by Whitman, who doubled in two runs. Schmitt and Cannuscio also doubled, knocking in one run apiece. They each walked once as well.
Keefe and Shepard were credited with run-producing singles. Keough contributed two singles to the winning cause while scoring one run.
The rematch between these two ancient rivals is set to take place on Monday, May 15 at Seaside. Beverly was then set to head to Marblehead May 17 to take on the Magicians at 4 p.m., before Peabody takes on the home team May 18 at the same time.
