Westfield pitcher Colin Scanlon delivers a pitch for the city’s 11-Year-Old Little League All-Stars. (File photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – It had to end this way.
Two dominant clubs, both wiping out just about every team they encountered along the way, squaring off for a district championship and, perhaps even more importantly, city bragging rights.
With the Westfield North and South 10-11 Year Old All-Stars having lost only one game apiece this All-Star season, to each other no less, it was only fitting for these two Little League powerhouses to meet for the rubber match and for the right to advance to the State Sectionals.
After six innings, a champion was crowned, as the South All-Stars emerged with their second district championship in three years, defeating North 9-7 in arguably the most exciting contest of the entire week.
South opened up the contest with a big lead, pinning six runs on North starter Kevin Palluck, who was unable to find the strike zone for much of the first.
After hitting Tanner Koziol in the first at-bat of the afternoon, Palluck proceeded to give up hits to Colin Scanlon, David Tirrell, Matt Pelletier, and David Roundy in the frame.
Westfield North Little League 10-11-Year-Old pitcher Kevin Paluk delivers a pitch against Agawam earlier this season at Carl Beane Field. (File photo by Chris Putz)
During their own at-bats in the first, North sputtered, unable to generate any support for their young starter.
The second would prove to be less disastrous, as Palluck rediscovered some of his control and held South to only one run in the frame.
The bottom of the second saw North attempt to climb back into the game, notching three runs on South starter Tanner Koziol, behind RBIs from Mason Collingwood and a big single from Matt Bernatchez that drove in Collingwood and Will Cameron to make it 7-3.
After giving up another run to South in the top of the third, North continued to mount a comeback for the home crowd in the bottom of the frame, notching two runs on new South pitcher Tirrell to make the score 8-5.
After Will Cameron relieved Palluck in the top of the fourth and held South scoreless, North scored two more to come within one run of South, off of RBIs from Walter Figueroa and Ryan Moorhouse making it 8-7.
By the top of the sixth, South was able to gain more breathing space with an RBI double from David Tirrell, to go ahead 9-7, where the game would stay thanks to a dominant closeout on the mound from South pitcher Colin Scanlon, striking out Moorhouse to end the game and preserve another district chip for South.
“A good team won today,” said North Manager Billy Lamirande. “You just can’t give up six runs in the first to a team that good. But we did a great job coming back. Will Cameron was huge with those three scoreless innings. We fell one hit short today.”
After addressing his own troops in the dugout, Lamirande then crossed the field to congratulate the champions and to wish them luck in sectionals.
South Manager Mike Raposo was excited with his team’s afternoon.
“We pulled it out,” the coach said. “I thought it would be a high scoring game and it was. This was the rubber match, and I was really impressed with how North fought back.”
Addressing his team’s top guns, Raposo was especially pleased with the effort of Scanlon in relief.
“He’s our ace, and he shut the door today,” Raposo said.
Now with the district championship in tow, South looks to the future. Their first opponent looks to be Holden, a small town outside Worcester.
“It seems like our district’s champ always runs into Holden in sectionals,” said Raposo. ” I’m just happy we get to keep playing.”
