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LAWRENCE — For six-plus innings, Eric Lacroix simply dazzled. But midnight came early and a nightmarish top of the seventh for Lacroix and the Methuen Rangers ended in a 4-2 loss to Tewksbury in the Lawrence Invitational Tournament opener before about 60 fans here last night. Lacroix kept Tewksbury off-balance into the seventh, outdueling all-conference lefty Johnny Chotkowski and nursing a 2-0 lead. After Mark Daley laced an infield single to start the Tewksbury seventh, with one out, coach Eric Cyr replaced Lacroix with lefty Cam Cyr. “Eric was well over 100 pitches and was pretty much out of gas,” he said.  That’s where the Ranger hopes disintegrated in a flurry of miscues. Dom Rosado’s infield grounder was misplayed, and a second throwing error on the play, netted the first Redmen run. A base hit to center, with a two-base error knotted the score, before Zack DiRocco stepped to the plate. The junior cleanup man unloaded a triple to deep center, giving Tewksbury its first lead at 3-2. DiRocco then later raced home with some insurance on Brad Dehagen’s infield grounder. Tewksbury now awaits the winner of tonight’s other tourney semifinal (7 p.m.) between North Andover and the host team Lawrence. The title game is Friday night at 7 p.m.

Colin Flynn smacked a two-run double in Andover's five-run as the Warriors clinched a state tourney berth at Methuen's expense, 5-3. The win came with a price as shortstop Andrew Deloury had to leave the game, suffering an 11-stitch cut in his shin. Replacement Frank Potts chipped in with an RBI in the win. Methuen, at 7-11, is eliminated from tourney contention.

Colin Flynn smacked a two-run double in Andover's five-run as the Warriors clinched a state tourney berth at Methuen's expense, 5-3. The win came with a price as shortstop Andrew Deloury had to leave the game, suffering an 11-stitch cut in his shin. Replacement Frank Potts chipped in with an RBI in the win. Methuen, at 7-11, is eliminated from tourney contention.

Haverhill's baseball team climbed to .500 with a pivotal 7-5 victory over Methuen. The Hillies (7-7) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the first two innings and got big two-hit games from Nick Comei, who scored two runs and Brendan Bretton, who drove in a pair.

Corey Shepherd led off the ninth inning with a single, and scored on an error to spark a four-run inning that gave Methuen an 8-4 win over Central Catholic in extra innings. Shepherd also drove in two runs while Brian Reyes worked 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief for the win.

Eric Lacroix picked up starter Cam Cyr when it counted, thwarting a two-on, two-out threat in the sixth inning and retiring the final four Billerica batters to earn Methuen a 3-2 victory. Cyr set the stage with a strong four-hit effort without giving up an earned run before tiring.

Reynaldo Duran wasn't stellar but he pitched well enough to lead Lawrence to a 7-5 victory over Methuen. Duran earned his first varsity win, hurling seven innings and giving up five earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out one. Lawrence trailed 4-2 after three and a half innings, but Edison Urena's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fourth tied the game. Joshua Casado stroked a two-run double in the fifth inning to help Lawrence score three times in the fifth inning and take a 7-4 lead. 

Central Catholic held on for a wild 9-8, 8-inning win over Methuen, which Raider coach Marc Pelletier called "an instant classic. ... Both teams won it and lost it two times, we just came on top the third time."

Methuen baseball coach Eric Cyr is the early leader for sports understatament of the year when he said, "We've got some pretty decent team speed." His Rangers ripped up Dracut for 10 stolen bases without getting caught in a 9-2 triumph. Cam Cyr swiped three bases and Eric Lacroix, Matt Bauchman and Cam Conway had two apiece. Conway added a two-run single in the fourth inning and an RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Eric LaCroix and Jared McAdam each drew walks to lead off Methuen's half of the eighth inning. Lacroix then scored on a throwing error on the next play and the Rangers walked-off with a 2-1 win.