Danvers girls’ softball left the field with another win Friday, 14-4, over Peabody. The Lady Falcons belted out six runs in the fourth inning and didn’t look back in an otherwise close game to that point. Danvers, 6-3, takes on Salem this afternoon (4 p.m.) at home, then Saugus on Wednesday and St. Mary’s of Lynn on Friday.

It was a beautiful night for baseball Friday, just not Peabody’s night despite the home field advantage. The Danvers Falcons came to town and notched another win, 2-0, scoring both runs in the third inning. Danvers improved to 11-1, but was then handed its second loss of the season Sunday night against Beverly. The Falcons and Panthers kept it tied up at three midway through the game until Beverly gained five runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Falcons clawed back, scoring four, to finish the game, 8-7. The Danvers boys now face Salem in Witch City Monday at 4 p.m.

The St. John’s Prep rugby team is still undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record after putting the moves on visiting Bishop Hendricken on Tuesday. The Eagles claimed the game 44-0 and will host Xaverian Brothers on Friday (5 p.m.).

Danvers’ Will Jennings netted four goals in the first half, putting the Falcons up 9-4, although Peabody came back strongly to finish just behind at 13-12 in overtime. The well-schooled Danvers offense peppered Peabody’s goalkeeper throughout the game on Saturday. The Falcons’ lacrosse team picks up the pace from a rough start to the season, losing five of its first seven games. Danvers is now 4-5 for the season.

The Danvers American and Danvers Nationals Little League teams opened their season Saturday. The annual parade, which was joined by Danvers Girls Softball, marched through Danvers Square and on to the respective leagues’ home playing fields. The Red Sox did defeat the Dodgers, 12-1, Saturday, while the Angels defeated the Phillies, 11-4, and the Tigers shut out the Braves, 9-0, in the Majors age division. On the softball field for the Senior age division, the Bandits put away the Thunder, 8-7, while Force trounced the Brakettes, 17-4, the Catamounts beat the Huskies, 10-3, and the Riptide …

Connor Kelleher and Nick Gikas kept the Lynn Classical batters at bay Friday and shortstop Evan Eldridge ended the game with a double play, as the Falcons won 6-4. Danvers improves to 9-1 for the season and faces Revere, Beverly and Peabody this week.

First and fourth grade students at Smith Elementary stood outside in the sunshine on Friday morning to celebrate Arbor Day by helping the Public Works Department plant a tree in the school playground. The Eastern Red Bud tree was donated by the Danvers Garden Club.

The rain held off Wednesday night for a perfect evening to finally kick off the 22nd annual Cruisin’ the Tree show at the Liberty Tree Mall. Young and old turned out to check out the hundreds of automobiles from hotrods, muscle cars and antiques to custom and special-interest vehicles on display while enjoying some tasty food, ice cream and some rockin’ tunes. There are also multiple vendors who set up shop each year. The car show, which is held 4:30-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday (weather permitting) until October, benefits the Danvers Police Department’s D.A.R.E. program. and is held in the …

The St. John’s Prep volleyball team took three straight sets by scores of 25-13, 25-18 and 25-13 to shut out opposing St. John’s of Shrewsbury on Tuesday night in Danvers. The Eagles are now 8-2 with a 2-1 league record, losing to Xaverian Brothers on March 31 and Medfield Senior High School on April 14. The Prep travels to Andover today (3:45 p.m.) to play Phillips Academy, has a re-match with Xaverian Brothers on Thursday and heads to Chelmsford Friday.

Danvers dads and their daughters came out for a swingin’ time at the Spring Fling on Thursday night. The Danversport Yacht Club hosted the annual father and daughter dance put on by Danvers Recreation.

Spring is in full bloom all around in Danvers, as evidenced by the forsythia, periwinkle and colorful hyacinth and daffodils. Contributor Michelle Gilliss has captured some of Mother Nature’s work in progress.

The Danvers Art Association held its 10th annual auction Friday night at the art association headquarters off Elliott Street. The silent auction featured pieces from local businesses and artists, followed by a live auction, all of which benefits the organization's operations.

The Danvers girls’ lacrosse team hosted North Andover Tuesday morning, fresh off a solid win on neighboring Peabody, but the Lady Falcons weren’t flying as high against the Scarlet Knights. The Knights came away with a strong 15-5 win on a rain-soaked field. The Knights were in control from the start, leading 8-2 after the first half and holding on in the second half, outscoring Danvers, 7-3. With the loss, the Danvers girls fall to 2-2 for the season and travel to Swampscott Thursday (10 a.m.) to play the Big Blue.

St. John’s Colin Blackwell netted five goals and three assists against the Beverly High defense on Monday during a shellacking of the Panthers in Danvers, 18-8. The Prep improved to 2-3 with the win, bouncing back after a tough loss to B.C. High last Thursday, and will face-off with Walpole High School this Thursday (11 a.m.) on the Rebels’ home turf.

Papier-mâché sculptures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rex, Jessie the Cowgirl, Bo Peep and 11 other favorite characters from Disney Pixar’s hit Toy Story series greet shoppers in the Kohl’s Wing of the Liberty Tree Mall. The life-size sculptures, created by seventh- and eighth-graders at Holten-Richmond Middle School, were publicly unveiled last Tuesday and will be on display through April 30. Underneath the papier-mâché and acrylic paint on each finely detailed model is PVC pipe, cardboard and chicken wire. “We are thrilled to host the ‘Characters from Toy Story’ art …

Lady Falcons lacrosse improved to 2-1 Friday, swooping into Peabody and knocking the Tanners around for four periods, 18-6. The high-scorers for Danvers were Sara Perry (6 goals), Katie McKenna (4 goals, 3 assists) and Rachel Trocchi (3 goals, 3 assists). Rebecca Cann also contributed two goals and an assist with two more goals from Katie Szela and one from Katharine Jennings. Janelle Parker had 13 saves. Danvers hosts North Andover Tuesday (10 a.m.) and travels to Swampscott on Thursday (10 a.m.).

The Public Works Department is chronicling the progress of construction at Danvers High in pictures. Have you driven by the high school recently? Bacon Construction and job subcontractors are buzzing about in a hive of activity, working at a brisk pace to stay on top of the construction schedule. Progress was initially delayed throughout the month of January by snow and ice. Steel girders arrived earlier this week and will be erected soon, lending an unmistakable sign to the landscape that the project is well on its way. Stay tuned to Danvers Patch for more on the renovation project.

The Danvers High boys’ lacrosse squad came up two points shy against the Big Blue from Swampscott Monday afternoon. Swampscott prevailed 10-8 to hand Danvers its second straight loss of the season (the Falcons were soundly defeated by a powerful Andover team last week). Despite having more opportunities with the ball than their opponents at game’s end, the Falcons’ attack failed to fire off enough good shots at the goal against tough Swampscott defense. Danvers plays Marblehead next this Thursday at home (4 p.m.).

Last Friday’s April Fool’s storm left Danvers with another four inches of snow, topping off the winter total at 88 inches — not a record, either in terms of overall snowfall or expense, but January was certainly a tough month for town plow crews and private contractors. The first storm event only required sanding and salting on Dec. 12 and the first snowfall left a mere dusting and some slick roads on Dec. 20, but then two blizzards between Dec. 26 and Jan. 13, relentlessly followed by storm after storm with ice upon ice throughout January, left Danvers battered and the town over budget on …

Baseball warms up against Charlestown on April 6 at home (4 p.m.), while girls’ tennis swings away at Salem on April 8, also at home. Boys’ and girls’ lacrosse get started April 5 visiting Andover and Triton, respectively, while the co-ed track team heads to Lynn for a meet with Lynn English. Boys’ tennis has three matches next week: Ipswich (April 4), Bishop Fenwick (April 5) and Malden Catholic (April 7). The Lady Falcons’ softball team warms up against Saugus April 13 at home (4 p.m.) Pictured here is the baseball team, track and girls’ lacrosse and tennis. Stay tuned this week for images …