WESTFIELD – On the second night of the Adult Softball
playoffs, the first teams were eliminated and one team qualified for the championship round Wednesday night at Whitney Park.
Maple Leaf won its second straight game in comeback fashion, scoring 17 unanswered runs after falling behind early to Savage Arms, to qualify for the B bracket final. Three teams, meanwhile, were eliminated after dropping their second games of the tournament.
Maple Leaf v. Savage Arms (18-8, 6 innings)
The hottest team in the B bracket jumped out to an early 8-1 lead after three and a half innings, and the No. 5 seed looked like it would win its third straight postseason game. The No. 2 seed, however, stormed back for the second time in as many games, scoring 17 straight runs–including 11 in the fifth inning–to earn an 18-8 win over Savage Arms in the nightcap of the tripleheader.
Nine batters recorded at least one RBI for Maple Leaf, who chipped at the seven-run deficit with a five-run fifth inning before batting around the lineup in the sixth inning. Brian Cummings led the way with five RBIs from the No. 11 spot in the lineup, the final hit driving in Trevor Thompkins to seal the mercy-rule victory. The No. 2 seed will await the winner of the Savage Arms-Elm Pizza rematch for the championship in the B bracket.
Elm Pizza v. The Tavern (11-7)
The No. 1 seed in the B bracket bounced back from their one-run loss to Savage Monday night by chipping away at an early deficit to eliminate league rival Tavern. The No. 3 seed fought off elimination in the first game of the night by defeating No. 4 Short Stop Bar & Grill, 13-0, in four innings, and jumped out to an early 7-1 lead after their first two at-bats.
The home team slowly chipped away for the rest of the game, scoring two runs in the second and third innings and three runs in the fourth and sixth innings to pull away and take the lead. DJ Regan, Dylan Theodorakis, Adam Carmel, Norman Torres and Andrew Carmel each recorded two RBIs, with An. Carmel’s RBI single capping the three-run fourth inning, which gave Elm Pizza the lead for good. The Elm defense starred after the second inning, with the duo of Hayden Theodorakis and An. Carmel combining for 10 outs on the left side of the diamond.
Berkshire Industries/Firtion Adams v. Dog Pound (8-7)
Over in the A bracket, the two co-champions met in an elimination after both teams fell in mercy-rule losses to lower seeds Monday night. Wednesday night’s game proved to be just as tight, with BI/FA needing a walk-off sacrifice fly from Kevin Charland to defeat Dog Pound and advance out of the loser’s bracket.
BI/FA’s top of the order was responsible for the first seven runs, scoring four in the first inning and three in the third inning. Luke Cimmino drove in three runs during the first three innings and three other BI/FA batters drove in at least one run each to give the home teams an early lead.
Dog Pound clawed back into the game late, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at seven. Billy Lafrenniere drove in four runs, two of which coming on a two-run homer to complete the rally. After being held throughout the game, Dog Pound busted out for six hits, including two run-scoring extra base hits.
Rampage v. The Hangar (16-6, 5 innings)
BI/FA will face the winner of Balls Deep and The Hangar in the loser’s bracket after the No. 5 seed fell in five innings against the top seed of the division. Rampage proved why they were the top team overall scoring 10 runs in the first two innings, fueled by a seven-run second inning. Tim Satkowski drove in four runs, including a two-run triple in the second, to lead the offensive attack that saw nine batters record at least one RBI. Rampage will face Micro Abrasives Monday night in the winner’s bracket semifinal for a chance to reach the A bracket championship.
