WESTFIELD – Westfield Post 124 needed one bottom-of-the-seventh comeback just to tie their game against Longmeadow on Tuesday night and another comeback in the eighth to win, 7-6.
Brian Campbell (Pope Francis) opened the extra inning with a first-pitch double to the gap in left-center. Andy Daniels (Westfield Technical Academy) next tried to sacrifice Campbell to third, but instead beat out the bunt for a base hit. Steve McKenna (Westfield High) followed with a bloop single to left, scoring Campbell with the tying run and moving Daniels to third. Jacob Butler (St. Mary’s) was walked intentionally to load the bases. Mitchell Longley’s (Westfield High) sacrifice fly to short left scored Daniels from third with the winning run. Daniels slid head-first, beating a close tag, giving Post 124 another come-from-behind win.
Dillon Bazegian rounds third base after scoring a run in Tuesday’s game against Longmeadow. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
The game didn’t get interesting until the bottom of the fourth when Westfield broke open a scoreless tie with a pair of runs. McKenna singled to score Campbell and Daniels for a 2-0 lead. In the fifth, Dillon Bazegian (Keene State) walked and scored on Matt Masciadrelli’s (St. Mary’s) single to left, making it 3-0.
Longmeadow quickly tied the game 3-3 in the sixth, scoring three unearned runs. Daniels scored again for Westfield in the sixth after reaching base on a walk and promptly stealing second. He moved to third on a ground ball and scored on John Daley’s (Springfield College) sacrifice fly.
Needing three outs for the win, Westfield instead gave up two unearned runs in the top of the seventh to fall behind, 5-4.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jack Blake (Westfield High) one-hopped a double off the right field fence. Pinch runner Nick Garde (Pope Francis) moved to third on a two-strike sacrifice bunt from Bazegian before scoring on a wild pitch, setting up the dramatic eighth.
Aidan Dunn (Westfield High) started for Westfield, lasting through to the sixth. Butler relieved Dunn, finished off the sixth, but got in trouble with back-to-back walks in the seventh. Daniels relieved Butler, allowed a single unearned run in the eighth, and made himself the winner with his dive into home plate in the bottom of the inning.
Westfield next plays at Jachym Field on Friday at 5:45 p.m. against Monson.
Story is courtesy of John Blake.
