Pittsfield Nationals Rally for Win Over Westfield
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After winning their district tournament from the losers bracket, the Pittsfield National League Little League All-Stars know something about second chances.
On Wednesday, they put that knowledge to good use.
One inning after squandering a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity late in a tied game, the Nats rallied for six runs in the top of the sixth inning at Clapp Park to defeat the Westfield American League in the first game of the sectional playoffs.
Adam Lazits hit a three-run home run, and Nate Murphy went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, and the Nationals got strong pitching from four different arms to move within one win of the Section 1 final.
After Westfield's Jay Scherpa struck out three straight Nats to strand three runners in the fifth, the mood in the Pittsfield dugout was "somber," National League coach Darren Lee said.
"I had the right guys coming up, that's for sure," Lee said of the fifth. "I just needed something in play. But I have to give credit to their pitching. Those guys were throwing very, very well. That kid threw by three really good hitters and struck them out.
"We gathered our heads. I keep telling these guys every year, ‘We've got to play like winners, not losers,' and they did. … I reminded them of the score, which was 2-2, we weren't losing, and told them to keep their heads up and continue to play like winners.
"That's been my mantra all year long."
Lazits and Nick Guachione did their part by getting the Nationals back in the dugout quickly in the bottom of the fifth.
Lazits got the first man to ground out to the right side and struck out the next man. Guachione then registered a K to end the inning.
Murphy started the winning rally when he led off with an infield single. Johnny Crawford then drew a walk, and Cal Lewis singled to right to drive in Ethan Breitmaier, who pinch ran for Murphy, to make it 3-2.
After a couple of errors and a wild pitch made it 5-2 with Nate Bentz and Guachione on base, Lazits launched a moon shot to straightaway center field to cap the rally.
"He's been due," Lee said. "We've got a lot of home run hitters here, and it seems like game-to-game, someone comes through. … They're all capable of hitting home runs. It's just a matter of who comes through for us."
Starting pitcher Matt Lee came through with 3-⅓ strong innings to get the Nationals going.
He struck out eight before departing with a 2-0 lead, a man on base and one out in the bottom of the fourth. Reliever Lazits was greeted with a two-run shot by Kyle Scherpa to tie the game, but Lazits struck out two to end the inning.
That 2-0 Pittsfield lead came courtesy of Murphy in the top of the second. After Lee reached on an infield single and Tyler Gaudette walked, Murphy singled to right to score both runners and give his team the early edge.
The Pittsfield NL is on the road on Thursday at the winner of Wednesday's opener between Leominster and Holden.
Tags: little league, playoffs, youth sports,
