GREENFIELD — Greenfield Post 81 first baseman Hunter Campbell helped keep his team on a winning streak Thursday night, as his walk-off single gave the hosts a fifth consecutive win on the strength of a 4-3 victory over Wilbraham Post 239 Red in an American Legion Senior Division baseball game at Vets Field.
“It feels good. We’ve got a good group of guys and any way you can help always puts a smile on everyone’s face if you could help the team win,” said Campbell. “I talked to coach and the boys before the at-bat, and they got me pumped up for the at-bat.”
The bottom of the seventh inning started with a four-pitch walk to Bryan Baumann, putting the tying run on first base. After back-to-back singles from Colin Cloutier and Connor Waitkus, Campbell was able to put it away with a blast to right field to send everyone home.
“Early in the game, we had a lot of missed opportunities. We had 12 runners left on base in the first six innings. Our two, three and four hitters didn’t come through early in the game, but when the pressure was on, all three stepped up to the occasion,” said Post 81 manager Kyle Phelps.
Greenfield grabbed a 2-0 lead after both Ben Arnold and Garrett Deforest came home thanks to wild pitches. The squad was able to hold that lead until the fifth inning, when Wilbraham Red’s Robbie Clark drilled a 300-foot double to tie the game. He helped the visiting squad take a 3-2 lead after scoring from a Ben Dunklee single.
Greenfield totaled nine hits on the night for its four runs, while Wilbraham Red was held to only two hits on the night.
The bats were alive for Greenfield, as eight of the 10 batters for Post 81 registered a hit. Baumann was the only player to register multiple hits, as he went 2-for-2 on the night with two walks and a run scored. Waitkus and Campbell registered the only two RBIs for the team.
“Every guy up and down the lineup has been contributing,” said Phelps. “Our pitching has been great, our defense has been solid. It was a great win tonight. This is one of the better teams in the league, so it was a great measuring stick to see where we are at. For us to come back in the bottom of the seventh for that win was great.”
Although hitting won the game in the end, Post 81’s pitching played a large role. Owen Phelps and Jacob Berry held Post 239 to a pair of hits and two walks in their split duties. Phelps tossed five innings and struck out five, while Berry stuck out four in the final two innings.
“My arm felt great… I know these guys are a top team to beat every year, so it was great to execute my pitches and get outs,” offered Owen Phelps.
Since their season-opening loss to Pittsfield, Post 81 has won five straight games in the league to keep pace for first place with the Berkshire powerhouse with a record of 5-1. Belchertown has fallen to third place with a 3-3 record and Northampton rounds out the Zone 1/2 standings at 2-4.
Post 81 resumes action on Saturday against Ludlow Post 52 in Ludlow. Their next home game will be on Tuesday against East Longmeadow Post 289.