Westfield Post 124 Ryan Tettemer, right, collides with South Hadley catcher Michael Croke causing a controversial call at home plate. Tettemer was declared out. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTH HADLEY – Westfield Post 124 proved to be the “heartbreak kids” for the second straight night, bouncing South Hadley from the opening round of the American Legion Baseball playoffs. Post 124 scraped together a 3-2 win over Post 260 Tuesday night.
Westfield’s Chris Riga provided the latest heroics, delivering a one-out, pinch hit single just inside the right field line in the top of the seventh that served as the game-winner. Rob Sullivan scored the go-ahead run after leading off the inning with a single, advancing to second base on a wild pitch, and moving to third on Connor Sas’s sacrifice bunt.
Ryan Tettemer (1-for-2, 2 walks), who reached base on a walk, also appeared to score on Riga’s hit when his foot caught the edge of the plate just ahead of the catcher blocking his path. The slide was well ahead of the tag, but the umpire called him “out.” Still, one run was enough.
“We knew we had this thing,” said a jubilant Riga, following the victory. “I knew I was going to get a hit – I was feeling it.”
“We knew we were one of the better teams going into the tournament,” said Riga, who is playing alongside current and former players from the two-time champion Westfield Bombers, as well as other key players from St. Mary and area prep schools.
“We have the pitching; we have the hitting,” he said, giving a nod to starting pitcher Kenny McClean and reliever Matt Plasse. “We’re a good team all around. Hopefully, we will make it to the next round.”
Lights-out closer Plasse shut down South Hadley in the latter innings for the second straight day. Plasse retired four straight batters for Westfield over the last 1 1-3. On Monday he retired 10 consecutive batters – which included a stretch of five straight strikeouts – in a relief appearance as Post 124 rallied from a 6-3 deficit for a 7-6 win.
Westfield opened the game with a 2-0 lead, thanks to an RBI single from Tim Donahue in the first inning, and Kyle Murphy’s run-scoring, sac-fly in the second off solid South Hadley starter Endy Sanchez (6 Ks). Post 260 scored its only runs in the fifth with the help of a Post 124 miscue and RBI single from Mike Croke. Joe Ciolek led off the inning with his second double of the game off starter Kenny McClean.
McClean was also untouchable for much of the game, limiting South Hadley to just six hits before giving way to Plasse.
Westfield’s defense was stout throughout with second baseman Jeff Hockenberry and third baseman Matt Irzyk robbing South Hadley of base hits with sensational diving stops for ground outs.
“These guys have a lot of heart, a lot of character,” Westfield Post 124 manager Don Irzyk said. “Like last night, they never quit. …It was a complete team effort.”
