Westfield’s Alex Lacourse (27) slides into a triple during Friday evening’s American Legion Baseball Junior Division game at Agawam. (Photo by Kellie Adam)
AGAWAM – There’s a familiar saying in sports that goes something like – that’s why they play the games. One such contest was played Friday night between the Westfield and Agawam American Legion Junior Baseball teams.
Agawam earned its first win of the season, staving off Westfield 6-4 at Shea Field in Agawam to run its record to 1-5. Post 124 suffered just their second loss of the season, falling to 4-2.
Agawam took advantage of some costly mistakes in the field from Westfield.
“We came up with some big hits … but you’ve got to play defense,” Westfield Post 124 Juniors manager Tony Paroline said. “Pitching has been carrying us and we’ve had timely hitting. We need to tighten up our defense.”
Agawam jumped out to the early lead.
In the bottom of the first inning, Michael Winer launched a ball to center field off Westfield starting pitcher Brody Zabielski that fell in behind the center fielder, who got a late jump on the ball. The ball continued to carry and the play resulted in a double.
Justin Davis moved Winer over to third with a single. Davis stole second base. Both base runners scored on a two-run single from Vinny Martin that landed in right field. Agawam led 2-0.
Westfield finally responded with a three-run fourth inning to surge ahead.
Trent Adam reached with a one-out line drive single off Agawam’s starter, Davis, up the middle. Alex Lacourse drove him home with a booming triple to right-center field. Jager Paroline knotted the game up 2-all with a single to left-center field. Paroline caught the defense napping on the throw back in from the outfield, taking second.
In the next at-bat, Adam Tremblay struck out but his hustle paid off, reaching first base after the ball squirted past the catcher. Aiden King then hit into a fielder’s choice, but that was a productive out as it scored the go-ahead run.
Griffin Levesque manufactured the game-tying run for Agawam in the bottom of the fifth inning, reaching on a one-out single off reliever Matthew Bernatchez, stealing second and third bases, and scoring on a Davis two-out base hit through the left side of the infield.
Agawam went on to load the bases in the inning, but Bernatchez ended the threat with a strikeout.
Westfield quickly reclaimed the lead.
Lacourse launched his second extra base hit of the game, doubling to deep left-center field with one out in the top of the sixth inning. A ground out from Paroline moved Lacourse to third. Tremblay beat out an infield single, scoring Lacourse to take a 4-3 advantage.
Agawam would not back down.
Cam Chrisathupolis walked with one out in Agawam’s half of the sixth. Jack Patterson singled. An infield error allowed the tying run to score. A run-scoring fielder’s choice and a wild pitch gave the home team a 6-4 lead.
Davis returned to the mound in the seventh for Agawam, retiring the first two Westfield batters via fly out and ground out. After a booming triple from Jake LaBombard to deep right center field with two outs, Davis came back to strike out the next batter to end the game.
Said Post 124 manager Paroline: “Our pitchers are getting the ball in play. …We need to make the plays.”
Westfield Post 124 returns to action Sunday against Sheffield at Jachym Field at 1 p.m.
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Ben McNeill went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs; and, Riley Livingston finished 4-for-4 with a solo homer for Worcester (11-12).
Bravehearts starting pitcher Angelo struck out 10 batters, while scattering four hits, two walks and two runs over five innings.
Thomas Joyce (3-for-4, 2 runs, RBI) and Devin Kellogg (2-for-4, run, RBI) each homered for Westfield (6-18).
