Westfield American Legion Post 124 outfielder Ryan Tettemer, right, is congratulated by his team during Friday night’s game against visiting East Springfield Post 420. Tettemer scored the first run of the night. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
AMHERST – The Whip City does not miss a beat when it comes to baseball.
While the Westfield High School baseball team’s run came to an end in the state semifinals in Worcester this past week, its big brother, Westfield Post 124 – boosted by hot prospects like Ryan Tettemer (Suffield Academy) and Nate Summers (Berkshire School), and a pair of local Saints (Matt Plasse, JeffHockenberry) – has aspirations to duplicate or even surpass similar expectations in American Legion ball this summer.
The results thus far are impressive.
Westfield capped off an unbeaten 3-day weekend, rallying from a 3-0 deficit on the road to defeat Amherst 11-4 Sunday. Post 124’s Kenny McLean (4 Ks) pitched three hitless innings to earn the victory.
Nate Summers (2 innings) started the game for Westfield, and Rob Sullivan (3 Ks) closed out the final two.
Tettemer (1-for-2, 2 walks, hit by pitch, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs), Nate Barnes (3-5, double, 3 RBIs), Chris Riga (3-3, double, 2 runs, RBI), McLean (2-3, 2 RBIs), Hockenberry (2-2, 2 walks, 2 runs), and Connor Sas (hit, 2 runs) led Westfield, which rallied for seven runs in the fourth and three in the fifth. Post 124 scored one in the sixth.
Sat., June 15, 2013
Westfield 8, Belchertown 2
Westfield’s offense exploded for five runs in the first inning and Sas shut down Belchertown with a complete-game effort on the mound.
Sas scattered five hits over seven innings, struck out nine batters, and allowed one earned run.
Tettemer (2-3, 2 runs, stolen base), Summers (2-3, double, triple, 2 RBIs), Matt Irzyk (2-2, 2 runs, RBI), and Evan Moorhouse (2 RBIs) provided the bulk of the Westfield offense.
Fri., June 14, 2013
Westfield 5, East Springfield 4
Westfield celebrated a walk-off victory in its season opener when Tim Donahue was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs, and the score tied in the bottom of the seventh inning at Bullens Field.
In the seventh, Westfield loaded the bases with a Sam Blake base hit, Kyle Murphy’s bunt single, and a Tettemer walk before the dramatic beaning.
Donahue finished with 3 RBIs, thanks to a 2-run homer in the first inning which set the tone for the team’s 2013 summer season.
East Springfield proved to be a pesky opponent though, scoring three runs in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. Westfield tied it at 4-all in the fifth.
Plasse pitched 4 1-3 innings, allowing four runs (2 earned) and striking out five. McLean came on in relief, as did Sas, who got out of bases-loaded jam in the seventh with a ground out and force out.
Barnes and Irzyk had doubles for Westfield. Post 124’s Jake Toomey and Tettemer each had a hit.
The schedule does not get much easier as Westfield plays three more games in the next three days, completing a 6-game, 6-stretch. First pitch for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night’s game is 5:45 at Westfield State University.
