WESTFIELD – The hopes and dreams of several high school spring sports teams ended in the blink of an eye over the course of the last few days (save for the west sectional boys’ volleyball Division 1 champion Westfield Bombers).
Police pitcher Nate Boulay looks for the signs from his catcher during the first inning of the City Cup tournament opener Friday night against Westfield Bank at Bullens Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)
The tournament hopes for the next generation are about to begin.
On Friday night, the city’s Babe Ruth Baseball City Cup tournament began at Bullens Field with No. 4 Police taking on fifth-seeded Westfield Bank.
Police rallied from a 3-1 deficit, scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull off a 6-4 victory. Nate Boulay was the winning pitcher. Ari Schwartz earned the save.
Westfield Bank charged back from a 1-0 deficit, tying the game 1-all in the top of the second inning before taking a two-run lead. After falling behind by three runs, they cashed in on another in the top of the sixth but fell just short.
Westfield Bank’s Adam Kearing takes a lead. Kearing scored the team’s first run in the top of the second inning Friday night. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Brett Turban pitched well in defeat for Westfield Bank, tossing five-plus innings. John Daley finished up on the mound for the team.
Friday’s game is just a taste of things to come.
The action is expected to heat up on Saturday with a quadruple header slated to take place at Bullens. The first round of Amanti Cup games (13/14 Division) will be played at noon (No. 3 Kiwanis vs. No. 6 Batter’s Box) and 2:30 p.m. (No. 4 Camfour vs. No. 5 Cortina Tile), followed by City Cup contests at 5 (No. 2 Advance Manufacturing vs. No. 3 McDonald’s) and 7:30 (No. 1 Sons of Erin vs. TBD).
The Westfield Little League Baseball Majors (11/12) Division Tournament got under way Thursday night with a pair of thrillers. No. 8 Sons of Erin edged ninth-seeded Advance Manufacturing 9-7 at Cross Street Field and seventh-seeded Hastie escaped Paper Mill Field with a 12-11 win over No. 10 Camfour.
Several teams will take the local Little League diamonds Saturday.
Second-seeded Moose will host No. 7 Hastie Saturday at Cross Street Field at 10 a.m., followed by No. 8 Sons of Erin-No. 1 Commercial at Cross Street Field at 12:30 p.m. No. 3 Kiwanis and No. 6 Police will battle at Paper Mill Field at 12:30, followed by No. 4 Air Compressor-No. 5 Slovak at 3.
Police attempts to get a lead on Westfield Bank Friday night at Bullens Field as the City Cup tournament got under way. (Photo by Chris Putz)
“Baseball has always been big in Westfield,” Westfield Little League President Ken Diegel said. “(This is the time) for our younger players to prepare for Babe Ruth Baseball, high school, and any league after that.”
Semifinals will take place Sunday either at Cross Street or Paper Mill Field at 12:30 and 3 p.m. The championship will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m.
More details will be released as they become available.
For the first time, a Wheeler Division (9/10) tournament will be held with championship games slated for late next week.
The Westfield Little League Softball All-Star tournaments will kick off July 8, and feature three teams from the Whip City (Seniors, Majors, 9/10’s).
