WEST SPRINGFIELD — Greenfield Post 81 won its sixth straight, dispatching West Springfield Post 207, 7-2, on Wednesday at Quigley Field on the campus of West Springfield Middle School.
It was only the second game of the season where Greenfield faced a deficit. Four runs in the top of the third gave Greenfield the lead for good in the victory. Greenfield expects closer games as it moves into the second half of the season.
“I know we are going to score runs, so, when we are down early, I am not really worried,” Greenfield coach Alex Siano said. “Once the playoffs come, we are going to see everyone’s best pitcher. That’s the way it is. You just hope you are ready for that. We just hope that we play some closer games down the stretch. We start our second round of games against each team, so I think we start seeing more of the number ones.”
Everybody is getting into games this season for Greenfield.
“When you have leads it’s nice to get guys into the game,” Siano said. “Everyone can contribute. It’s not like we drop off. The player on the bench is not going to do worse than the guys who starts. It’s really nice to get everyone in.”
Aidan Shea pitched six innings in his first start of the season, giving up five hits with three strikeouts. Shea pitched in relief in his previous appearances.
“Since I am starting, I am setting the tone for the game,” Shea said. “As opposed to being a reliever. Just throwing strikes and letting my defense make the plays.”
In the first inning, Shea gave up a walk and plunked a batter. A throwing error allowed a run to score. After an inning West Springfield had a 1-0 lead.
“I was throwing it high every time,” Shea said. “I had to adjust physically to that. As a mental thing I just had to warm up to the game. Get used to the feel of the game.”
Shea got a little help from three elite defensive plays in the second inning.
Sam Connors barehanded a ball that ricocheted off Shea and made a running laser throw from third base to cut down a runner for the first out. The second out came when a line shot went to left center and Hunter Donahue went full Superman to make the catch running to his right from centerfield. Bodie Burke got Shea out of the inning with a running catch in left field.
“It’s just so much easier to pitch when you have a defense behind you,” Shea said. “You don’t have to strike them out every time. You trust that they make those catches. I made sure to say thank you when I came in.”
Ethan Mauthe didn’t start the game and still went 2-for-2 with three RBI. Greenfield had seven hits as a team.
“I am just trying to keep it simple,” Mauthe said. “Really simple approach. Just go up there and I think, ‘see ball, hit ball’. If I can hit, I am swinging.”
Burke singled in the top of the third before moving to second on a stolen base. After a ground out advanced Burke to third, Nick Prasol singled Burke home for Greenfield’s first run. Donahue followed with an RBI double for Greenfield. Two more runs would score on an error, giving Greenfield a 4-1 lead.
Mauthe had a two-run single in the top of the fifth for Greenfield. Mauthe hit a double that knocked in another run in the top of the seventh. Arthur Fitzpatrick pitched the seventh inning for Greenfield. Fitzpatrick pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to seal the win.
