WESTFIELD – When your team scores, especially when that run (or runs) gives you the lead, your job as a pitcher once you get back on the mound is to have a “shutdown” inning. Don’t let your opponent back in the game. Don’t let them score. No walks. No hits. No baserunners. Nothing.
Westfield Post 124 starter Cam Niemiec had two of the better shutdown innings one is likely to see this summer – and it came against Aldenville Post 337 Monday night at Jachym Field.
Matt Hastings scores a run for Westfield Post 124 while Nick Clegg gets ready for his at bat during Monday’s American Legion Baseball game at Jachym Field. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
After Westfield (10-2) scored three times to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third, Niemiec got a pair of groundballs and a strikeout for a quick top of the fourth. And after Westfield scored three more times in the fifth, Niemiec needed only six pitches for another 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the top of the sixth en route to a 6-1 victory.
Aldenville (7-6) managed only three hits against Niemiec. A double, error and sacrifice fly gave Post 337 a 1-0 lead in the third. In the bottom of the inning, Westfield used four consecutive hits to score three times. Matt Hastings got the first of his two hits, a double down the right field line, to put runners at second and third. J.D. Huntley singled to left to drive in the first two Westfield runs, although he was thrown out trying to take an extra base. Stefan Krol followed with a line single and quickly moved to second after an errant pickoff attempt. Krol scored on Jack Blake’s double to right-center.
In the fifth, Hastings singled, moved to second on Krol’s single, and scored on Blake’s ground ball single through the right side. Krol next scored on Anthony Riga’s line single to center. Blake scored on Steve McKenna’s long sacrifice fly to left.
Westfield Post 124 next plays Wilbraham Post 286 Blue on Thursday at Minnechaug Regional High School. On Friday, Post 124 will play a night game (7 p.m.) at Bullens against Greenfield Post 81.
