Westfield catcher Joe Raco, center right, is congratulated after slamming a home run over the right field fence during last night’s game against Northampton. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
NORTHAMPTON – Some nights on a baseball diamond are so close to perfection, you could swear they really were, and last night was one such night for the Westfield North 11-12 Year Old Little League All-Stars, who laid the smack down on Northampton’s All-Stars 9-0 at Hamp’s Sheldon Field.
Bolstered by a near-perfect game from pitcher Spencer Cloutier and an unreal night at the plate with two timely home runs, most notably a monster dinger from catcher Joe Raco in the fourth inning, North was able to chase the Little Blue Devils out of their own park early, despite the presence of Hamp’s ace pitcher Andy Grygurcewicz, who was pulled in the third inning to stop the bleeding, having given up a home run from North right fielder Cam Davignon to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the second.
The game was a tale of both hitting and pitching dominance for North, as Cloutier pitched a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts and no walks on 67 pitches, one Northampton hit away from a perfect complete game.
Westfield staring pitcher Spencer Cloutier slides under the tag of Northampton catcher Justin Vanasse. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
At the plate, Raco was the straw that stirred the Westfield drink, going four for four with a single, two doubles and the aforementioned fourth inning bomb to put the Red team up 4-0, one triple away from hitting for the fabled cycle. Cloutier himself would also go four for four on the evening with two doubles.
North Coach Mike Nihill was ecstatic.
“That home run was like a firework. Everyone just stood and watched it sail out,” he said in reference to Raco’s fourth inning raking. “It had to have gone 250 feet. And Spencer was just in a zone tonight.”
Nihill was quick to point out that the victory was hardly a two-man show.
“Defensively, we were really solid,” the skipper said. “Carter Cousins must have had a half dozen putouts from third base, and Cade Bradley had a big grab to get us out of trouble in the fourth.”
After shocking Northampton last night, Nihill is excited for his team’s upcoming schedule.
“We face Longmeadow at Paper Mill Wednesday, and a win would secure the number one seed in the tournament,” said Nihill whose team, now sitting at 3-0, has already clinched a playoff berth. “We shocked them tonight. They’re not used to trailling. The hitting and defense was really contagious.”
