A catcher leaps for the ball as a base runner scores during a practice at Westfield State University last night. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – While fall is synonymous with the changing of the weather, and of falling leaves, summer has become a permanent home of the Whip City’s top baseball teams.
This season is no different as a pair of Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball teams prepares to represent the Whip City from its back yard at Bullens Field all the way to Manchester, N.H.
The Westfield 14-Year-Old All-Stars, who despite losing in the state tournament, will seek redemption as the host team for the eastern regionals. Westfield will take on Rhode Island Friday night at Bullens Field at 7.
Games involving Western Massachusetts’ other representative vs. New Hampshire, Eastern Mass-Maine, and Connecticut-Vermont will precede the nightcap at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m., respectively.
“This is the same team that went to the World Series last year, and they’re hoping to bounce back from a loss in the state tournament,” Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball president Dan Welch said. “They need to start strong and start fast here.”
Westfield learned last year as 13-year-olds how rebound from a devastating loss, shaking off a loss to Pittsfield in the state championship, to make a run in the regionals en route to representing New England in the World Series out near Seattle, Washington.
“They went undefeated through the regionals up until their last game,” said Welch, “so they know how to do it.”
Last season, Westfield fell to New Milford 13-3 in 5 innings in the winner’s bracket final of the regionals, but, in the double-elimination tournament, the Whip City’s 13-year-old All-Stars recovered to defeat the opposition the second time around in 8 innings, 6-5.
“Myself and the other coaches believe that if this team plays up its full potential, we can compete with anyone,” Westfield 14-Year-Old All-Stars manager Troy St. Pierre said. “We’re optimistic playing in Westfield. We’re excited because we’re playing as good as anyone, and we’re excited to get going on Friday night.”
While last year’s tournament followed a double-elimination format, this year’s tournament (for the 14s) will feature pool play. The top two teams in Pool A and Pool B will move on to the semifinals, and then advance to a one-game championship.
13-YEAR-OLD REGIONALS: This year’s 13-Year-Old All-Stars team from Westfield will travel to Manchester, N.H., where it will begin play against Maine Saturday at 10 a.m.
The local 13s are fortunate to still be alive after rallying from a seven-run, fifth inning deficit and capping a two-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning in a thrilling 14-13 win over Pittsfield in the state championship.
“I think if you told me before the game that if we were going to commit five or six errors and give up one run in every inning that we were going to win the game, I don’t know that I would have believed that,” Westfield Babe Ruth 13-Year-Old All-Stars manager John Bonini said. “Would I call it luck that we won? Yes, and no. We had 14-15 hits – we hit the ball – and we battled the whole game. We kept fighting.”
Bonini said he attributed Westfield’s shaky start to the state championship game to “jitters” and “nerves.” “Hopefully we got that out of the way to make it to the next level,” he said.
Westfield committed more errors in the state title game than they had the entire round. To make sure his team is a bit more protective of the ball defensively, the focus at practice has been centered around fly balls, “gappers,” and such, Bonini said.
“No doubt our sole goal is win the New England regionals,” he said. “We’ve got the offense – we can hit with anybody. We have the defense – if we don’t make uncharacteristic plays. And we’ve got pitching – we have good pitching depth.”
