WESTFIELD – Facing a win-or-go-home situation for the second consecutive game, the 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars from Westfield American pulled off another road victory to place themselves in the district championship against city-rivals Westfield National.
After claiming their playoff spot on the final pool play day, American’s top-ranked offense erupted in the middle innings, scoring five runs in the third inning and 12 runs in the fourth inning to upset Belchertown, the top seed from pool A, and end the game via a mercy rule in four innings, 17-7, at Mini Fenway Park.
“The kids came through (and) they didn’t give up,” said Head Coach Tom Flaherty. “We definitely took advantage of their mistakes and the kids that came through were the non-starters. We went with our best defensive team in the field and the bottom of the order was getting on like crazy. It was surreal because (their efforts) took a real negative situation and turned it around.”
Belchertown cranked a three-run home run in the top of the first inning and added another run in the second inning to jump out to a 4-0 lead early–a situation American faced the last time they faced National. Unlike that meeting at Papermill, American responded in a big way, plating five runs on Belchertown’s relief pitching and sending 10 boys to the plate.
The hosts would re-take the lead in the top of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on a bevy of walks and passed balls, but the designated home team would respond once again, as they nearly doubled their third inning effort in the bottom of the fourth inning, sending 15 batters to the plate and rallying from a 7-5 deficit to score 12 runs. American, who led the district with 69 runs scored during pool play, cranked out 13 hits in the four innings–11 of those coming after the second time through the lineup in the third inning.
The Scherpa brothers started the initial rally in the third inning in consecutive at-bats. Jay plated the first two runs on a double and Kyle drove in his brother to cut the initial Belchertown margin to a single run. The twins provided a crucial spark in the 12-run fourth inning as well, with Jay smoking a triple and Kyle driving a single to plate more runs and extend the Westfield lead.
The bottom of the order had an impact for American during the rally, as all four batters that came to the plate scored at least one run or drove in at least one run. Sean Roselli had a pair of run-scoring hits in the fourth inning alone, including an outfield flare which sealed the 10-run margin and a championship berth.
Winners of two straight road matchups, American will head 3.5 miles north from their Cross Street base to the site of their only blemish of the summer for a Saturday showdown with crosstown rivals Westfield National. The lone matchup during pool play went the way of the Nats, who used a four-run first inning–and five total American errors–to seize control of pool B on their way to clinching the top seed.
“I think it’s going to be similar to the Easthampton game, where it’ll be a grind-it-out, possibly low-scoring game,” said Flaherty. “We’re definitely looking forward to it. They’re going to be playing their friends, but we’re definitely going to be shooting for the win, as they’ll be as well.”
