Pittsfield Americans Blast Rutland to Stay Alive in Sectional
The Pittsfield American Division Little Leaguers did their version on Thursday.
Mason Daley, Sebastian Herrera and Eli Kristenson each homered, and the Americans pounded out five extra base hits in a 12-1, four-inning win over Rutland in a Section 1 tournament elimination game.
Pittsfield American earns a return trip Friday to Leominster to play in the sectional’s championship round. The Americans have to win on Friday to face a winner-take-all championship game on Saturday afternoon back at Deming Park.
The Pittsfield All-Stars made the most of their first game on their home field, scoring five runs in the top of the first to take control of the game.
The big blow in that rally was a three-run bomb to straightaway center from Daley.
“We wanted to jump out with a couple,” Pittsfield American manager Ty Perrault said. “A crooked number was alright with us.”
Herrera and Brendan Merwin started the decisive rally with back-to-back one-out singles. Mario Zerbato drew a walk to load the bases, and Herrara scored the game’s first run on Aiden Arsenau’s RBI groundout.
After Merwin came home on a pitch that got to the backstop and Kristenson drew a walk, Daley took an 0-1 pitch out of the yard to make it 5-0.
In the second inning, Herrera launched one deep to center to drive in Ben Sykes. In the third, Kristenson’s round-tripper brought home Arseneau to make it 9-0.
With all that offense behind him, Daley cruised through the first three innings, not allowing a runner past first base in his first start of the All-Star season.
“He did a great job,” Perrault said. “We’ve been working with him in the bullpen since we picked this team, knowing it was gonna come to this moment. He had all three pitches working and was just real confident.
“The home run didn’t hurt.”
Perrault said Daley throws fastball, curveball and slider.
“Three just totally different speeds, and they were off balance,” he said.
Daley threw one inning in relief at the District 1 tournament in Adams earlier this month, but Perrault knew he would have to rely on Daley as the team moved forward in the double-elimination format sectional.
Daley struck out six in a four-inning complete game win, allowing Pittsfield American to keep ace Herrera and Merwin lined up to pitch on Friday and the “if necessary” game on Saturday.
Pittsfield had a chance to end the game in four innings thanks to a three-run fourth to take a 12-0 lead.
Sykes got things started with a walk and went to third on Herrera’s rocket off the fence in right-center for a double.
Both came home on Mario Zerbato’s two-run double to center to make it an 11-run game, and he eventually came home on an RBI single from Daley (2-for-3, home run, four RBIs).
Ben Bujnowski hit a leadoff home run for Rutland to start the bottom of the fourth. But a diving catch by Jack Wendling in left, a called third strike from Daley and a fly ball to the infield ended the game.
