Post 68 Juniors Win Western Mass
Matthews gave up three hits in pitching his team to a 3-0 win over Greenfield as Post 68 completed an undefeated run through the double-elimination tournament and earned a berth in American Legion state tournament in Franklin.
Matthews’ curveball kept the Post 81 hitters off stride all night and led to 12 groundball outs in the seven-inning complete game.
“I have a lot of trust in my defense,” said Matthews, a rising junior at Pittsfield High. “We’ve all played together. We have a lot of chemistry. I trust them. It feels good to have a defense to trust, so if I do make a mistake, they can back me up. And I’m not a big strikeout pitcher, so having that defense is a key to my success.
“I just like to keep the hitters off balance with my changeup and curveball because the fastball isn’t overpowering. Having those is key to getting groundballs and keeping hitters off balance.”
It was the second shutout for Post 68 in as many nights. On Monday, Joe Traversa threw a no-hitter to get his team a chance to clinch the title on Tuesday.
Post 68 coach Eric Stone was proud of the way his team finished strong in the sectional.
“That was a great complete team effort,” Stone said. “We didn’t score a lot of runs, but Greenfield is the second best team in this league.
“Carter gave 110 percent. He was a lot sharper than his first outing four days ago. After the first inning, he settled right in, and he was mowing them down. … The balls he misses the strike zone with barely missed. He looked a lot better than his first outing. That’s the Carter Matthews we know.”
The hardest hit ball of the day for Greenfield came in that first inning a two-out double down the line in left for Colin Cloutier. But Matthews got the next man to ground back to the pitcher to end the threat.
Post 68 got the only run it needed in the bottom of the first.
Matthews helped his cause by leading off with a double. After Travera reached on an error, a double play ball allowed Matthews to get to third, and he came home on Ian Benoit’s RBI single.
In the third, back-to-back singles by Benoit and Hunter Potash with two out set the table. Ryan Gaudette was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Joe Woronick drove Benoit home to make it 2-0. A Greenfield error let the third run come home, providing Matthews with more than enough cushion.
Woronick, Benoit and Joe Cracolici each went 2-for-3 in a nine-hit Post 68 attack.
Defensively, Traversa provided a double play in the second, fielding a grounder at short and touching second before firing to Zach Hall to complete the twin kill.
