Latin Academy pulls away, drops Eastie

Latin Academy coach Anthony Bernazzani knew past history would keep his team from looking ahead to today’s Boston City League South battle with Brighton.

Conor Walsh scattered five hits over 61⁄ innings, while Aidan Rivera-Castro, Mike Ward and Ryan Lonergan each drove in two runs as the Dragons handed East Boston (9-1) its first loss, 10-0, yesterday afternoon at Memorial Park in East Boston. While both teams are in the BCL, they are in separate divisions, thus yesterday’s tilt was considered nonleague.

“We knew we were facing a good team, we’ve had battles with them every year,” Bernazzini said. “The kids were ready for the challenge.”

Latin Academy (7-2) took an early 1-0 lead in the second when Shane Lake led off with a single and eventually scored on a double by Lonergan. The Dragons extended the lead to 3-0 in the third when Rivera-Castro and Cam Kelly singled, then John Teehan blasted a ground-rule double to make it 2-0.

Eastie intentionally walked Lake to load the bases. Jake Scanlan got a strikeout for the second out, but Ward drew a walk to plate Kelly.

The Jets scored their only run in the last of the fourth when Josh Rivera slapped a single to leftcenter that brought in Israel Vega.

That’s as close as the hosts got as Latin Academy gradually took control. Lake and RiveraCastro delivered sacrifice flies in the fifth and sixth, respectively, to make it a 5-1 game entering the seventh, before the roof caved in on East Boston.

The Dragons sent 10 batters to the plate and five of them scored. Lonergan’s RBI double and a run-producing single by Rivera-Castro were the key hits in the frame, one in which Jets’ relievers walked three batters and committed an outfield error. In other baseball action: In the Bay State Conference, Brian Gaughan struck out 19 in nine innings of work as Walpole (9-3) outlasted Milton, 1-0, in 15 innings.

Softball

In a Tri-Valley League contest, junior Kelly Nelson struck out 20 as Norton (11-1) shut out Medfield, 3-0.

Girls lacrosse

Senior Caroline Walsh scored the game-winner in overtime to lift host Needham (10-3) to a 7-6 win over Norwell. Murphy McDonough and Anne Hilsinger each scored three goals for the Clippers in defeat (8-3).