WESTFIELD – After Westfield’s Senior All-Stars clinched a critical road victory Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series with Agawam, the team from the Whip City carried their momentum back home Saturday morning.
It took an extra rally, but Westfield took a commanding 2-0 lead in games by walking-off in the bottom of the seventh inning on Tanner Haley’s long single to left field and won by a 6-5 score at Hampton Ponds.
“It was a close, well-fought battle all around,” said Head Coach Mark Ditzner. “I think our hitting was a little off today, but the guys stayed positive and pulled it out when it counted. Their starting pitcher was on his game today. They caught up to him at the end of his outing and then they capitalized on their relief pitching.”
Bailey O’Shea pitched 2 2-3 for the Westfield Senior All-Stars, striking out five Agawam batters during their 6-5 win Saturday morning.
Agawam’s bats came alive during their final at-bats in the seventh inning, tying the game at five with a pair of runs off closer Ray Flagg, but the heart of the Westfield lineup conjured up one final rally to earn the walk-off win.
With one out, Jaden Gillespie recorded his team-high third hit of the game and then advanced to third base on a stolen base and a wild pitch. Two batters later and two outs, Haley crushed a single to the left field fence. After going 0-for-3 during the rest of the game, Haley’s shot allowed Gillespie to score his only run of the game and give the hosts the win.
Agawam starting pitcher Anan Daniels shut down the Whip City offense the first time through the batting order, but Westfield’s bats heated up in the middle innings, scoring two runs in the third and fourth innings and an insurance run in the fifth inning to come from behind and take a 5-3 lead.
Tanner Haley’s walk-off single to left field clinched game two of the best-of-five series between Westfield Senior All-Stars and Agawam Senior All-Stars. Up 2-0, the Whip City can clinch the series with a win at Agawam, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, barring any potential rain.
Cam Sporbert and Cody Zawacki led off the third inning with consecutive walks, then advanced to second and third base on stolen bases. With no outs, Joey Ditzner lined a shot to right field, which was subsequently dropped by Rickie Jagadowski and allowed both runs to score.
After Agawam scored a pair of runs to regain a 3-2 lead, Sporbert lined a two-out double to score both Bailey O’Shea and Kyle Cullen. Sporbert finished with two hits on the day, only behind Gillespie for the team lead.
Flagg earned the win on the mound for Westfield, but starting pitcher Joey Dintzner and O’Shea kept Westfield in the game throughout the seven innings. Dintzner struck out three Agawam batters in 3 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs and three hits, while O’Shea struck out a team-high five batters over 2 2/3 relief innings.
“I have a positive head on our team with the pitching staff that we have,” said Dintzner. “We have six, seven, eight guys that can really throw the ball and I’m really proud of them. Joey started out a little slow, but once he pitched to contact, he did a really good job and then Bailey’s curveball was really going. I’m really proud of the pitching staff.”
Aside of potential weather delays, Westfield will look to clinch a spot In the 2015 Senior Sectionals Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second game of the series in Agawam.
