Westfield American Legion Post 124 catcher Evan Moorhouse makes the tag on East Springfield Post 420 runner Zachary Bombard during a game earlier this month at Bullens Field. Post 124 forfeited last night’s game and now must win this evening at home to stay alive. (File photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
SPRINGFIELD – It’s not too often that a baseball team will wish for a rainout. Well, that’s just what Westfield Post 124 had hoped for after discovering that it was one player short of the starting nine.
After awaiting the allotted time, Westfield forfeited Game 1 of its best-of-3 playoff series against East Springfield Post 420 yesterday at Forest Park. Post 124 had just eight players and return to Bullens Field tonight in a must-win game to dodge elimination. First pitch is 5:45 p.m.
“In all my years,” Westfield coach Rob Atkocaitis said, “I have never seen anything like this.”
It is not at all uncommon to see teams forfeit American Legion baseball games during the summer months with some players on vacation and others at work. But rarely does it occur in the postseason, and never in Westfield – IN GAME ONE!
When the Whip City players finally do lace up their shoes and don the gloves tonight, they will need to break out the rally monkeys already.
NOTES: The tournament seeds for the American Legion Baseball playoffs is as follows: No. 1 Wilbraham, No. 2 Greenfield, No. 3 Ludlow, No. 4 South Hadley, No. 5 Westfield, No. 6 South Hadley, No. 7 Northampton, and No. 8 Springfield. …Game 3 of the Westfield-East Springfield series will be played at Forest Park Wednesday at 5:45 p.m., if necessary.
