WESTFIELD – The Westfield Little League Baseball National All-Stars did not hit a grand slam or a monstrous home run, or even pitch a no-hitter, but the home town team could not have opened the tournament season in a more impressive fashion.
Westfield played a smart brand of baseball in Thursday’s 9-2 win over Amherst at Papermill Field. The Nationals dominated on the mound, in the field, at the dish, on the basepaths, and on the scoreboard.
Westfield National pitcher Matt Bernatchez delivers off the mound. (Photo by Chris Putz)
“I am very pleased with our team,” said Westfield National manager Bruce Bradley, whose team, which is comprised of players from five regular season squads, practiced just nine times prior to the All-Star tourney opener. “Every one of these boys came focused and ready to play.”
Westfield National wasted no time in taking control of the game, jumping out to a 3-0, first-inning lead.
Owen Jurczyk drew a walk off Amherst pitcher Even Perry. Perry then plunked No. 2 batter Clay Bradley in the head. Bradley shook it off before lifting for a courtesy runner. No. 3 hitter, Matt Bernatchez belted a two-run double. Bernatchez advanced to third base on an infield error, and stole home.
The Westfield National’s displayed speed on the base paths Thursday night. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Bernatchez succeeded on the mound as well. The Nationals pitcher retired the side with three straight ground outs in the bottom of the first inning.
In the second inning, Bernatchez got into a bit of trouble when C.J. Woodfine-Holmes singled and Evan Dooley reached on a one-out error – a borderline ruling on a ball that took a hard hop on the pitcher. Bernatchez struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Amherst threatened again in the third, managing to get the leadoff batter on as Will Allan walked. Bernatchez forced three straight batters to end that threat.
Bernatchez cruised through a perfect fourth, failing to yield a single hit. He retired three straight batters – the final two by way of the strikeout – before being lifted to begin the fifth.
Westfield threatened to blow the game open early. The Nationals loaded the bases in the third and fourth innings, but failed to push a runner across home plate.
Westfield National’s Nate Podmore, right, scores against Amherst in a Little League Baseball All-Star tournament game Thursday night at Papermill Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Finally, in the fifth inning, Westfield broke through with some insurance.
Luke Bonini and Nathan Goodwin both walked to lead off the top of the fifth for Westfield. The Nationals ran into a bit of bad fortune, temporarily, when Amherst’s shortstop robbed Jackson Lambert of a base hit when the infielder snagged a quick-sinking ball in the infield and doubled up the runner at second.
With two outs, J.T. Oleksak blasted a one-run double. Clay Bradley beat out an infield single to keep the inning going. With some smart baserunning on the play, Westfield took a 5-0 lead. The Nationals made it 6-0 on Mason Barnachez’s RBI single.
Amherst rallied for two runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Perry roped an RBI triple to the right field corner, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
Westfield ended Amherst’s comeback hopes in the sixth. The Nationals scored three runs, courtesy of Mason Hynes’s RBI single, a run-scoring error, and a run-scoring wild pitch.
Westfield closer Adam Blair (1 K) retired the final three hitters. Nationals reliever Cousineau finished with two strikeouts.
