GRANBY — Junior Jack Hession’s clutch two-run, two-out double in the top of the seventh inning propelled the No. 8 Smith Academy baseball team past No. 1 Granby, 4-2, in the Western Massachusetts Division 4 Tournament quarterfinals, Monday.
“I’ve been struggling a little bit this year at the plate,” Hession said. “Coming up to the plate and getting a hit felt amazing, knowing that that could put us ahead and all we had to do was get three more outs.”
The win was the seventh straight for the Falcons (11-10), who will face No. 5 McCann Tech (17-4) in the semifinals Thursday at 4 p.m. at Western New England University.
Granby, which got off to a strong start with two runs in the second inning, finished 17-4.
A successful second half of their regular season gave the Falcons confidence coming into the postseason, according to Smith coach Jeff Pluta.
“We started 0-9 and then we won eight out of nine coming into the postseason so I was pretty confident,” Pluta said. “We have plenty of pitching and our defense came around the second half of the season, so I would say, even though we kind of didn’t act like it (at the beginning), I think we expected a win today.”
Despite the early deficit, Hession said the team was confident.
“I think we came in looking to win, knowing that we were going to win, and it happened,” he said.
The Falcons capitalized on a couple of errors and a well-timed sacrifice bunt from eighth-grader Colin Ferrara to tie the game in the fourth.
Hession scored on a single from John Ferrara, and Matt Bouley tied the game on an error from shortstop Joe Desormier that put Kevin Banas on base.
Riding momentum from the fourth inning, Smith Academy had a strong defensive showing for the rest of the game. Banas struck out six over the last three innings of the game, and strong play from the Falcons infield, including a play where catcher Jack Hession caught Granby junior Joe Bessette stealing in the sixth, made it difficult for the Rams to score.
Banas struck out six, walked one and allowed four hits over five innings in relief.
Pitching and defense is the Falcons’ focus as they move forward in the tournament.
“This is my fifth year at Smith,” Pluta said, “and that’s what it’s been the whole time, pitching and defense.”
Hession was confident in his team as they head to the semifinal round.
“I think we’ve got the two best pitchers in Western Mass.,” he said. “As long as we play defense, I think the hits will come, the runs will come.”
It was the final game for Granby seniors Matt Bleakley (walk) and Joe Laporte (single).