Westfield’s Kyle Roberts, right, scores during Friday night’s 14-Year-Old Babe Ruth 2014 New England Regional Tournament game against Exeter, New Hampshire at Bullens Field. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – It may be three weeks since the country celebrated Independence Day, but there was one lingering offensive explosion.
The Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball 14-Year-Old All-Stars exploded for 10 runs and pitchers Aidan Dunn, John Daley, and Nate Bonini combined for a one-hitter as the home team blasted Exeter (N.H.) 10-2 in an eastern regionals tournament opener Friday night at Bullens Field.
Westfield raced out of the gates for seven runs over the first two innings, chasing Exeter starting pitcher Chris Hannah in the second. The Whip City All-Stars scored four runs in the first inning.
Dunn got things started by dropping a ball into shallow left field for a one-out double. Mitchell Longley (3-for-4) followed with a single, and stole second base. A wild pitch scored the first run. Jack Yvon walked and stole second. Then, Tyler Delgado bashed a two-run triple to deep right center field for a 3-0 lead. Dillon Bazegion chopped a run-scoring single through the left side of the field for the team’s fourth run.
In the second, Bonini walked, Kyle Roberts and Mass Masciadrelli hit consecutive base knocks, and Dunn followed with a line-drive, two-run single up the middle for a 6-0 lead. Longley’s high hopper over the third baseman made it 7-0.
Westfield tacked on another run in the third when Connor Koziol singled, stole second, and scored on an error.
The home team’s pitching kept Exeter at bay.
Dunn (2 Ks) pitched 3 1-3 innings of no-hit ball before giving way to reliever Daley. Daley (3 Ks) allowed just one hit through 2 2-3, a pinch hit single from Will Stinson.
Both teams caught the error bug in the fifth. Each team benefitted from two unearned runs.
Bonini shut down Exeter in the seventh inning, in fact, striking out four batters. The visitor’s second batter of the inning, Mike Davey, reached on a dropped third strike. Another batter reached on a walk, and both base runners advanced on a wild pitch. Bonini dug down to strike out the next batter and send Westfield into the next round of play with a 1-0 mark.
Westfield returns to action Saturday night at 7 p.m.
