WESTFIELD – Belchertown Post 239 needed every inch of Nolan Sullivan’s 6-foot frame to finally secure a win over Westfield Post 124.
Post 239 held a one-run lead with one out in the bottom of the seventh Friday at Jachym Field. Post 124 runners waited on first and third after an error in the outfield allowed the previous run to score.
Ty Gladu took over on the mound to face Westfield’s No. 3 hitter, Jimmy Cloutier, who had a hit and two RBIs in the game. Cloutier laced a line drive toward the right side of the infield but right into Belchertown second baseman Ryan Schneider’s glove. The Westfield runners moved on the sound thinking they could at least tie the game if not win it on the hit. Instead, Schneider ripped a throw to third base that Sullivan stretched all the way out for up the third base line toward home plate to haul in and end the game 7-6 Belchertown.
“Right spot, right time. We had the infield in,” Schneider said. “I knew he would catch it. Not the greatest throw, but I knew he had my back.”
The victory cemented Belchertown’s place atop the senior division standings and kept Post 239 undefeated. It was also something of a revenge game after Westfield claimed the district championship game on the same field in extra innings last season.
Initially Belchertown’s offense looked like it would run away with the game. Post 239 scored two runs in the first inning on back to back RBI singles by Gladu and Austin Endelos.
Westfield got one back with a bases-loaded walk in the second, but Post 239 scored four unanswered runs. Sullivan delivered an RBI single in the third, then Jack Feltovic crushed an RBI double in the fourth to make it 4-1. He helped himself out with another run scoring on a passed ball. Ryan Zawistowski poked another RBI single to make it 6-1.
“As long as we’re on base, putting runs across is what matters,” said Post 239’s Patrick Fitzgibbons, who had two hits and scored twice.
Post 124 retaliated in the bottom half. A single and an error allowed Cloutier to rope a two-run single then reach third on the throw back into the infield. He scored on a passed ball to make it a two-run game after four.
Nick Lenfest added a sacrifice fly in the fifth after a walk and an error put runners on second and third.
“Just a couple defensive mistakes, it happens, a couple tough hops,” Fitzgibbons said. “It’s just unfortunate.”
Belchertown added an ultimately necessary insurance run in the top of the seventh. Sullivan reached first base on a dropped third strike that scooted past the catcher and out of play. After a fielder’s choice and a pop out, Andrew Fijal worked his way home on a passed ball that made it 7-5.
Post 124 opened the bottom half with a single and a sacrifice bunt, than an error made it 7-6. Gladu came in to close the game out, and Schneider and Sullivan did the rest.
“I’m more than confident in this team,” Fitzgibbons said. “I don’t have any doubt walking into any game with these guys.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.