Wilbraham’s Cam Mariani (7) evades the outstretched hand of Westfield catcher Jack Blake at home plate for another run in Thursday’s American Legion Baseball playoff opener at Spec Pond Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WILBRAHAM – Westfield Post 124 might have been guests at Spec Pond Field for an American Legion Baseball playoff opener, but Wilbraham forgot to roll out the welcome mat.
No. 3 Wilbraham Red Post 286 struck early and often, baffling Westfield’s sixth-seeded senior division squad 8-0 Thursday night. The loss snapped Post 124’s five-game winning streak.
Wilbraham scored four runs in the bottom of the first. Post 286 came out swinging with Ben Dunklee and Joe Lucas smacking consecutive RBI singles. A misplayed handle on Robbie Clark’s hard-hit ball through the left side of the infield with two outs resulted in two more runs.
Wilbraham tacked on another run in the second inning. Cole Rigney doubled and advanced to third as Westfield erred attempting to get the ball back in to the infield. Cam Mariani lofted a sac-fly to right field for a 5-0 advantage.
The home team ultimately ended any hope of a Westfield comeback in the fourth, adding three more insurance runs.
Clark, Rigney, and Mariani singled to lead off the Wilbraham home half of the fourth, loading the bases for Dunklee, who launched a sac-fly RBI to right field. A subsequent sac-fly to right by Lucas, scored not one, but two runs, as Post 286 outhustled a sluggish Westfield squad.
Despite some first-inning struggles, Westfield starting pitcher Devin Baker finished with four strikeouts and only two earned runs through five innings before giving way to reliever Anthony Piquette.
Baker also had a pair of singles at the plate. Ryan Paro reached base three times for Westfield. Logan Krol and Andy Daniels also had base hits for Post 124, which stranded nine runners, including a bases-loaded comeback in the seventh.
Westfield will look to stave off elimination in the double-elimination tournament against the loser of No. 2 Greenfield-No. 7 Wilbraham Blue Friday at a site to be determined.
Playoff Notes: Westfield opened the game with just eight players but Wilbraham’s coaching staff and a Legion official agreed to grant an exemption for Post 124 to avoid forfeiting the game. Post 124 had a full starting lineup to begin the second inning. … Westfield Post 124’s Junior squad lost a heartbreaker in its playoff opener on the road, falling to Belchertown 5-4 in nine innings. Westfield returns to action Friday vs. Longmeadow at Jachym Field at 5:30 p.m. …The Westfield Babe Ruth 13-Year-Old All-Star team staved off elimination in the Pioneer Valley Youth Baseball League Sandy Koufax playoffs, defeating Mohawk 7-0 Thursday to advance to play Amherst Friday at Westfield State University’s Bud and Jim Hagan Field at 5:30 p.m.
