Norwood 2, Franklin 1: Foley goes all the way

When Chris Foley asked Norwood American Legion Post 70 manager Paul Samardgelis if he was pitching against Franklin last night, the skipper looked him in the eye and said, "Yeah, and you're going all seven."

Kicking off a brutal stretch in which Post 70 will play eight games in eight days, Foley made his manager's prophesy come to fruition. Foley tossed a three-hit, bullpen-saving complete game with seven strikeouts.

Pat Hickey supplied all the offense Foley needed with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning and first-place Norwood held on for a 2-1 victory over Franklin Post 75 at Peter Wall Field.

"That was a huge job by Chris tonight," Samardgelis said. "Not just because of how well he pitched, but because he spared the bullpen. He gave us exactly what we needed."

After watching Foley struggle through the first inning, it appeared as though the Norwood (11-4) bullpen might be getting an early call. He threw 27 pitches, hitting Franklin's leadoff man Mike Householder (who was later erased by catcher Kevin O'Sullivan while trying to steal), and walking the bases loaded with two outs.

Foley escaped without giving up a run, however, as third baseman Brandon Davis snared a Mark Rebello line drive for the third out. After a conversation with Norwood ace Chris Pinette between innings, Foley assumed control of the game by striking out the side in the second on just 14 pitches.

All three Franklin (5-8) hitters went down looking, as Foley froze Steven Hole with a nasty curveball, and blew fastballs by Jared Kuzio and Paul Dassau.

"It was Pinette who told me I wasn't staying over the top with my delivery," Foley said. "Once I was able to correct that, I got into a nice groove."

Perhaps inspired by Foley's pitching in the second, Post 70 came alive at the plate. O'Sullivan reached on a one-out single, and Pat Hickey belted a line drive into the netting in left for a two-run homer off of Franklin starter Mike McGowan.

Hole delivered Post 75's first hit in the fourth, but second baseman Nico Rodriguez made a nice defensive play on a grounder off the bat of Kuzio. Rodriguez patiently looked the ball into his glove, quickly tagged Hole as he sped past and fired to first to complete an inning-ending double play.

Franklin finally got on the board in the fifth. Dassau led off the inning by legging out a bunt single, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch. Colin Gay came through with a two-out single to score Dassau, making it a 2-1 game.

That would be all the offense Franklin would muster, however, as Foley retired the last six batters in a brilliant 105-pitch performance.

"He was a little shaky in the first and wasn't spotting his curve all that well," said Norwood catcher O'Sullivan. "He normally doesn't put guys on base like that. As soon as he got into a groove, he was getting ahead of the hitters and was able to dictate the counts and throw what he felt comfortable with."

Hickey and O'Sullivan were the offensive stars for Norwood in the seven and eight spots in the lineup. Hickey went 2-for-3 with the home run, while O'Sullivan had three singles.

O'Sullivan is making the most of an opportunity to play that came about when Cory Sennott injured his shoulder earlier in the season. Sennott was forced into the designated hitter spot, and regular catcher Jesse Shaughnessey moved to first base, opening the door for O'Sullivan.

"He's finally getting some at bats and is showing us what he can do," said Samardgelis of O'Sullivan. "He's really proving that he deserves to be in there."