Westfield’s Brady Kerr (10) makes it safely to second base against Barre (Vermont) in the final game of pool play in the eastern regionals Tuesday night at Bullens Field. Westfield survived 8-6 to advance to the playoff portion of the tournament, beginning Wednesday against Milford (Conn.) at 4:30 p.m. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – For the Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball 13-Year-Old All-Stars, a win was better late than never.
Westfield’s offense arrived just in time to avoid elimination in the eastern regionals as the host team slipped past Barre (Vermont) 8-6 Tuesday night at Bullens Field.
Westfield improved to 1-2 in the tourney and qualified for pool play. They will advance to the playoff portion of the regional tournament and next take on Milford (Conn.) Wednesday at Bullens Field at 4:30 p.m. Milton-Barre follows at 7.
Offense was on display early for both teams.
Barre got started with a walk from Cole McAllister and a run-scoring single from Trevor Arsenault. Arsenault stole second and third bases and scored on a passed ball.
Westfield responded with three runs in the bottom half of the opening inning. Cam Lisowski walked, Anthony Shabowski doubled, and Liam Poole was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jacob Wagner put the ball in play and Barre made a miscue in the infield, resulting in the team’s first run. Josh Sturmer grounded out, but the tying run scored. Josh Mayo also grounded out, and the go-ahead run crossed the plate.
Barre tied the game in the top of the third inning. Arsenault led off the inning with a double to right center field. He advanced to third base on a ground out and scored on Dylan Bachand’s line drive up the middle.
Westfield went ahead in the third. Shabowski singled, Wagner reached on a one-out error, and Sturmer beat out an infield single to make it 4-3.
Westfield took advantage of some shaky Barre pitching in the fourth to forge a three-run lead, 6-3. Walks from Scott Hepburn and Grady Flaherty, three wild pitches (one of which scored a run), and a run-scoring ground out accounted for the three runs.
Westfield pitcher Josh Mayo was fairly effective, scattering five hits and three runs over 4 2/3 innings. He got into a bit of trouble in the fifth, yielding an Arsenault hit, a Kieran McNamara RBI double, and a walk to Bachand but he was bailed out by reliever Lisowski, who forced a ground out and fly out to end the threat and the inning.
Westfield padded its lead in the fifth as Barre’s battery continued to unravel. An error, four walks, and two run-scoring wild pitches put the Whip City out front 8-4.
Those runs proved to be of major importance as Arsenault launched his fourth straight hit, his second double (this time of the two-run variety) to pull Barre to within 8-6.
After allowing an Alex Keane single in the seventh, Lisowski had a ground out, fly out, and strikeout to end the game.
In other games Tuesday, Milton eliminated Pittsfield 9-5, Portland (Maine) edged Milford (Conn.) 7-5, and Nashua (NH) downed North Providence-Smithfield (RI) 12-3. Rhode Island was also eliminated.
