The 14-Year-Old 2014 New England Regional Tournament continued Saturday evening with Westfield and Windham, Maine competing at Bullens Field. (Copyright 2014 Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – Construct a lineup full of offensive prowess. Add in a number of pitchers who are capable of throwing quality start each night. Then, pack the stands of Bullens Field with screaming fans and you have the Saturday night primetime game of the 2014 Babe Ruth 14-year-old Regional Tournament.
For the second game in as many nights, the western Massachusetts champion and host team from Westfield used a first-inning offensive outburst to rally against Windham, ME, and advance to the final of the winner’s bracket with a 7-4 victory.
Westfield’s Mitchell Longley, right, beats the tag at second base during Saturday night’s 14-Year-Old 2014 Babe Ruth New England Regional Tournament against Windham, Maine. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
“For those guys to put up a three-spot in the first, which obviously gave them a lot of momentum, and for us to come back and answer was huge,” said manager John Bonini. “They came out and were swinging the bats well and it was definitely big for us to change the momentum.”
After the visitors jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after half an inning, the hot bats of Westfield came alive early, matching Maine’s total to tie the score 3-3 after one inning. Matt Masciadrelli quickly led off the frame by singling and then advancing into scoring position before scoring on a Mitchell Longley single.
Westfield’s Tyler Delgado, center, leaps for joy as Jack Yvon, left, slaps a high five after Delgado scored in the first inning during the 14-Year-Old 2014 Babe Ruth New England Regional Tournament against visiting Windham, Maine at Bullens Field, Saturday evening. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
After Tyler Delgado smoked a ground-rule double, Dillon Bazegian lined a perfectly-placed single up the middle, scoring Jack Yvon and Delgado to tie the game early.
Westfield continued its threat in the second inning, thanks to three consecutive doubles by Masciadrelli, Aidan Dunn and Longley. Five different Westfield batters—Longley (2), Bazegian (2), Dunn, Delgado and Kyle Roberts—each recorded a run batted in, while nine different players recorded a hit.
“If they gave us a pitch, just hit the first pitch you see,” said Longley of the team’s mindset prior to the game. “Do what we do: that’s our motto. We know we can hit anyone that they throw and we have the confidence when we get up there to hit.”
Westfield starting pitcher Sam St. Jean delivers during Saturday night’s 14-Year-Old 2014 New England Regional Tournament at Bullens Field. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Sam St. Jean recorded the victory on the mound for Westfield, the second straight quality outing for the host’s pitching staff. After getting off to a slow start in the first inning, St. Jean settled down and shut down Windham’s bats, allowing just two more hits while striking out six over 5 1/3 innings. John Daley once again pitched brilliantly in relief, earning the save by throwing 1 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball.
“I think I was just too anxious in the beginning and I was thinking on that too much and just settled in,” said St. Jean. “Everyone on the squad can pitch and we’ve all been contributing from the start in filling that role of ace. We’ve all had to step up and we have the confidence that we have when we hit.”
Westfield advances to Monday’s final of the winner’s bracket at 7 p.m., when they will face Cranston, the champions of Rhode Island. The Ocean State’s representative has had to fight for its pair of wins, coming from behind in both games to defeat Plymouth, Mass., 7-6 Friday and Trumbull, Conn., 6-1 Saturday.
“There’s eight teams that started the tournament and there are only two undefeated teams with two wins, us and Cranston,” said Bonini. “We’re playing in the winner’s bracket final and you expect to play good teams.
“To be the best, you have to beat the best. It’s cliché, but so be it. We’ve checked the second box and now we move on to the third one.”
