Connor Sas led the way offensively for Post 124, going 3-4 with a walk from the plate, driving in the first two runs of the game in the first inning, as well as the game-tying run in the seventh inning. (Photo by Robby Veronesi)
WESTFIELD – The fans who showed up for the season’s first game under the Bullens Field lights enjoyed a thrilling, if not highly intense and frustrating, game last night.
Brent Houle’s bloop single down the right field line capped off a wild, back-and-forth dual as Westfield Post 124 survived to improve to 10-3 this summer with a 5-4 walk-off victory over West Springfield Post 207.
“I felt like I had to be protective and have a really big zone,” said Houle. “I don’t think that pitch was a strike, but I thought I had to swing at it and at least I got the bat on the ball. We decided to play and just do the things that we had control over and, in the end, that came through for us.”
Jim Jachym (center), along with Post Commander John Dowd (yellow shirt, left) and Everett Talmadge (right in t-shirt) were honored and threw out first pitches as part of a special pre-game ceremony before Post 124’s matchup vs. West Springfield Post 207 last night at Bullens Field. (Photo by Robby Veronesi)
Coming off a tough loss in Ludlow Sunday afternoon, Post 124 jumped out to a quick lead. Connor Sas’ huge day at the plate began with a two-run double into the gap to plate Chris Riga and Nate Barnes. The WNEU student finished the night 3-4 with three RBIs.
West Side Post 207 clawed back into the game and took the lead in the fourth inning with a four-run frame, with all but one hit staying within the infield. With emotions high and nerves frayed already, Nate Barnes brought the team together an inning later to settle the team down.
“We talked to the players and we said that we got to focus on baseball. We got to play baseball and they stepped it up,” said head coach Don Irzyk. “There were a couple bad breaks when we should have ended the game earlier, but it shows a lot of character in these guys to overcome everything that went on in this game and still come out with a win.”
Westfield Post 124 stands at attention as members of American Legion Post 124 present the colors as part of a special pre-game ceremony at Bullens Field last night. (Photo by Robby Veronesi)
Relaxed and newly energized, the offense responded in the fifth inning, diminishing the deficit to a single run after an errant throw from first baseman Sam Doucette allowed Cam Robitaille to score. Two innings later, Post 124 tied the game in their final at-bat. With Daniel Plasse on second base and two out, Sas smacked another double to the wall in left-centerfield, re-energizing the dugout in the process.
A couple more innings later, Barnes led off the ninth inning with a dribbler up the middle. After Tim Kelleher entered as a pinch-runner and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from Plasse, relief pitcher Zach Baker struck out Sas. Houle then stepped up and blooped a fly ball, which fell just inside the right field line, prompting a pig pile next to first base.
“He had the opportunity earlier and didn’t cash in, but he didn’t get down,” said Irzyk. “He stayed with it and said ‘this is still my game.’”
Along with the game-winning hit, Houle earned the win on the mound, relieving starter Matt Irzyk by throwing four shutout innings, while giving up just a brace of hits and striking out seven. A pitcher for Westfield High School, Houle retired nine of 11 batters during a crucial stretch in extra innings to keep Post 124 in the game.
“Anytime I pitch, I just try to pitch strikes,” said Houle. “A lot of time when I throw strikes, I just try to get groundballs and that’s what happened today. I never try to blow it by anybody because that’s when I don’t throw strikes. That’s what we needed today.”
Westfield will look to extend their winning streak at its Westfield State University home field against Longmeadow tomorrow night at 5:45 p.m.
