WORCESTER – It rained, and rained, and rained, and the Westfield Little League Softball Junior All-Stars’ victory parade never got a chance to happen.
Worcester exploded for six runs in the second inning, and scored the game’s first nine runs en route to a 13-7 win over Westfield in a wet sectional championship Thursday in Worcester.
Both teams played through a steady rain.
Abby Prendergast plate the first Worcester run in the second, beating out a chopper out in front of home plate. Abby Erickson scored on a wild pitch. A dropped fly ball in the outfield brought in the team’s third run of the inning. An infield error allowed another run to score. After a bases-loaded walk, Westfield made a pitching change. A fielder’s choice then made it 6-0.
Worcester slides in safely just ahead of the tag at home plate during Thursday’s sectional championship in Worcester. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Worcester took a commanding 9-0 lead in the third inning, an inning highlighted by Janyia Hampton Hutchins towering two-run double to deep center field.
Westfield persevered.
Emma Lapoint hit a booming double to left field past the outstretched glove of the left fielder in the fourth. Katherine Joiner smacked an RBI single, and Olivia Lawry plated a run.
Worcester reclaimed a nine-run advantage in the bottom of the inning thanks to a lead-off triple from Erin MacKay and RBIs from Josmari Reyes and Lana Fitton.
Westfield battled back in the fifth. Allysen Burke walked. Carly James singled. Both base runners advanced on a poor throw. An RBI single from Erin Gour made it 11-3. A double steal resulted in an out at second base, and a run at home.
Worcester scored an unearned run in the fifth to make it 12-4.
Audrey Burke got on for Westfield in the sixth with a walk, but a double play ended the threat. Arianna Levere also walked, but a ground out ended the inning.
An unearned run for Worcester in the sixth brought the score to 13-4.
Westfield made one more attempt at a late rally in the seventh. It may have been damp and cool at game’s end but Gour sent a scorcher screaming into the left field corner for an RBI double. A bases-loaded walk to Queenin, and an RBI from Joiner brought Westfield within six. A ground out ended the game.
