By JEFF LAJOIE
Another close game, another thrilling victory.
Connor Waitkus singled home Jaden Whiting with the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting Greenfield to a 4-3 walk-off victory over West Springfield in the opening round of the Western Mass. Summer Baseball League Senior Division playoffs, Thursday night at Vets Field.
Whiting walked with one out, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice, and scampered home when Waitkus roped a base hit to left field.
“The guys who have been here for awhile, they’ve shown in the tight games that they can stay calm and focused and do what they’re supposed to do,” Greenfield skipper Kyle Phelps lauded. “This game was back and forth but even when (West Springfield) tied it up late, you could see in our kids’ faces that they still expected to win. It was almost like they were waiting to see who would get the walk-off hit.”
Greenfield advanced to play East Longmeadow in a winner’s bracket game, scheduled for tonight at 7 p.m. back at Vets Field. West Springfield will play Wilbraham Black in an elimination game of the eight-team double-elimination bracket.
Greenfield took a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, as heads up base running by David Carey led to the game’s first run. Dylan Apanell made it 2-0 with an RBI double, plating Whiting.
West Springfield tied it with two in the fifth inning, but Greenfield retook the lead with a run in the sixth when Apanell singled and managed to stay in a rundown long enough to allow Whiting to score the go-ahead run with two outs.
Starting pitcher Matt Gardner reached his pitch count with two outs in the seventh inning, exiting the game after 6⅔ strong innings that featured nine strikeouts. Owen Phelps came on, and West Side managed to force extra innings after scoring a run due to an error.
Phelps struck out the side in the top of the eighth however, setting the tone of the walk-off win in the home half.
Apanell’s two hits paced the offensive effort. Bryan Baumann, Carey, Waitkus and Jacob Quinn also had a hit in the win.
Brattleboro 11, West County 10
The Hilltown Hardwood Flooring West County Warriors left the tying run on third base and the potential winning run at second in the bottom of the seventh inning in an 11-10 loss to Brattleboro in a PVYBL Mickey Mantle game on Thursday in Buckland.
The Warriors stranded 11 base runners in scoring position over the course of the game.
Cole Johnson, Tyler Dubreuil and Rosco Palmer had two hits each for the Warriors, while Shawn Davenport, Reuben Bassett (triple), Cullen Brown (double), Matt Pollen and Casey Christie all contributed hits.
PV Juniors clinics
The Pioneer Valley Juniors Volleyball Club will be holding clinics outside at Frontier Regional School on Monday, Aug. 10 and Monday, Aug. 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The cost of each clinic is only $10 and girls from any school or town are welcome to attend. Multiple nets will be in use to accompany every skill level and age. This is a perfect opportunity for new middle school players, or more experienced varsity players to get some guidance from successful coaches before the upcoming high school season. COVID-19 protocols will be in place and participants should register in advance at pvjuniors.com.
CFC Men’s League
Michael Mertes and Craig Berry each posted plus-8 point quotas to nab top honors from the Blue Tees during Crumpin-Fox Club’s Men’s League on Thursday in Bernardston.
Charlie Congleton was next at plus-6, followed by Carl Hoynoski, Michael O’Connell, Ethan Stafford, Nick Stoddard and Jay Anctil – all at plus-5.
Mertes was closest to the pin at No. 3 (14 feet, 5 inches), and Brett Barnes recorded the longest drive. Mertes won five skins.
From the Gold Tees, Doug DeGray’s plus-5 quota was good enough for the top spot. Chet Kugler and Dave Puchalski were second at plus-2.
Roger Rulewich was closest to the pin at No. 3 (45-0) and DeGray was closest at No. 9 (26-8). Gene Kugler won three skins while Doug Taylor claimed eight.
Thomas Women’s League
The Thomas Memorial Golf & Country Club Women’s League held its first Solheim Cup Challenge this week, dividing the field into two teams – International vs. USA.
The International side took the day by winning six of the nine matches, some by just one point.
Birdie honors went to Robin Hartnett (No. 3), Karren Sacco (No. 5), Sally Malloy (No. 9) and Dorothy Adams (No. 4).