WILBRAHAM — All the plays that sunk the Northampton baseball team started out as highlights.
A sure pickoff turned into a two-base overthrow. An apparent double play turned into two unearned runs and an early lead turned into a 5-2 loss to No. 2 Minnechaug in the quarterfinals of the Western Massachusetts Division 1 Tournament, Monday.
“The errors we made came from trying to do too much,” Hamp coach Mark Baldwin said “We’d make a good initial play, but sometimes if it doesn’t work you have to throw it back to the pitcher. Some of the guys who made mistakes didn’t have a lot of tournament experience. They probably won’t make those same mistakes again next year.”
Northampton completed its season at 14-7, while Minnechaug (15-6) advanced to face No. 3 West Springfield (15-6) in the semifinals.
Things looked good for Hamp right away. Nick Heafey belted the game’s first pitch to deep left for a double. He moved to third on Zach Brittain’s grounder to first and scored on Devin Kellogg’s RBI single to make it 1-0.
Another Kellogg RBI, this one on a deep single to right, scored Aidan Chapdelaine in the third. But Hamp stranded two runners that inning and didn’t score again as Falcon pitcher Brian Tessicini got sharper as the game progressed.
After Nick Scibelli had a one-out single in the bottom of the third for the Falcons, R.J. Safron appeared to have him picked off. However, in the ensuing run down, Kellogg’s throw caromed off the runner out of play, moving him to third.
Following a Jack Dunklee walk, Heafey made a nice play to stop Steven Pickering’s infield single from getting through, but his throw from his knees sailed by the first baseman. The run scored and the runners moved up to second and third.
Tyler Galenski’s walk loaded the bases with one out, but Hamp looked like it might escape when Joey Lucas bounced a potential double play to short. After forcing the runner at second, the relay to first was wide and two runs scored to give Minnechaug a 3-2 lead.
Minnechaug loaded the bases with no outs on two hit batters and a walk in the fifth. Lucas’ bouncer back to the mound looked like an escape valve for Safron, who threw home for the force.
Catcher Joe Pion tagged the plate, but his throw to first hit Lucas in the back and two more runs scored.
Hamp didn’t have a baserunner in the sixth or seventh as Chris Goossens retired all seven batters he face to earn the save.
“I think some of the kids were a little tight at the plate the whole game,” Baldwin said. “We should have had more the first few innings. We’re usually disciplined about taking good swings at good pitches, but some guys swung at some high stuff that they don’t usually swing at and got outside their game.”
It marked the final high school game for Hamp seniors Brittain, Pion, Will O’Connor, Beau Garbarani, Ian McNamara, Nickolas Skowronek, and Robert Kirvin.
“They were a good senior class. Four started and the three of the bench contributed all year,” Baldwin said. “We’re definitely going to miss them.”
Safron hoped the game would be valuable for his returning teammates.
“Playoff experience is really helpful for all the underclassmen coming back,” Safron said.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com.