For the first three innings, both the Westwood and Stoughton American Legion baseball teams were trying to jump start their offenses. Then, they spent the rest of the game trying to cool each other down.
While the offenses ended up stealing the show, it was a defensive play that got Westwood going on their way to a 10-8 win at Stoughton.
Stoughton had the bases loaded with two outs and a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. In an effort to get his team going offensively, Stoughton manager Bill Condon decided to roll the dice and send shortstop Jimmy Barber home on a steal attempt. Westwood pitcher Brian McDonald, though, realized what was happening, throwing the ball to catcher Greg Homer just in time for the third out. Homer managed to hold on to the ball as Barber crashed into him.
"I saw him coming and I was able to block the plate," said Homer. "It gave us momentum."
The play ended up being just what Westwood offense needed. They scored nine runs in the next two innings and then held on for a 10-8 win at Stoughton.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Stoughton scored four times before reliever John Sheehan got out of a jam to earn the save.
"It ended up jump starting them instead of us," said Condon of the caught stealing at home play.
McDonald might have gotten the big boost of all out of the play. He settled into a groove on the mound, giving up just three runs before tiring in the seventh. McDonald ended up giving up nine hits while striking out seven.
"It got him going," said Homer. "We had a couple of long innings and that was tough on him (with the wait). It got a little too close at the end."
With McDonald holding on to a 10-4 lead going into the bottom of the seventh, Westwood manager Dick Paster was hoping to be able to avoid going to his bullpen and using Sheehan, who is scheduled to start tonight's game against Medfield.
"He (McDonald) settled down," said Paster. "(McDonald) was going up over 100 pitches. I wanted to save Shanahan, but he should be all right to start."
Stoughton's Dan Pozner led off of the seventh with a double to center field and then Zach Apotheker reached on an infield error. Pinch-hitter Dan Quintero followed with a blooper to right to load the bases with nobody out.
Connor Sullivan, Stoughton's third pitcher of the night, helped himself by driving Sheehan's first pitch into left field for a two-run single, scoring Pozner and Apotheker to make the score 10-6. Catcher Justin Dennis followed with an infield single to load the bases.
Stoughton's Bryan Baker drove in the seventh run with an infield out before Sullivan scored on a wild pitch, putting his team to within two runs of tying the game.
Sheehan, though, kept the score right there with a strikeout and a liner to center to give Westwood their third win of the season.
"A win's a win," said a relieved Paster. "It wasn't pretty. They (Stoughton) seemed be down. All sudden, you look up and we're in a long inning."
After giving up a combined nine runs in the fourth and fifth innings, Stoughton was finally able to put together something in their last at bat.
"We attacked the baseball and we were aggressive in the seventh," said Condon. "We had guys on bases earlier, but we couldn't get anything going."
In the top of the fourth inning, Westwood got to Stoughton starter Jeff Twerago, who was making his first start of the season. Cory Braunstein walked and then Greg D'Agnicourt and Chris Nethercote were hit-by-pitches to load the bases. Homer, who had a big day the plate from the No. 9 spot with three hits, doubled in two runs with a shot to deep right center, giving Westwood a 3-2 lead.
"I've been in a slump for a long time," said the catcher. "It was good to get a some hits."
With two batters on and two runs in, Condon replaced Twerago with Apotheker, who got a strikeout before giving up RBI singles to Shanahan and DH Matt Morin as Westwood took a 5-2 lead.
Stoughton came back with a run as Baker doubled and scored on a ground out by shortstop Sean Jackman, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Fortunately for Westwood, the bats remained alive in the top of the fifth inning as they batted around again for a five more runs.
After D'Agincourt singled and Nethercote walked, Homer laid down a bunt in an attempt to move the runners into scoring position, but he ended up reaching first base as no one was covering for Stoughton, loading up the bases. Tom Hart followed by reaching on an error as his infield grounder was misplayed, allowing two runners to score.
With out out, Morin drew his second walk of the game to lead the bases for Jason Sementelli, who drew a walk to force in Homer with the eighth run. Braunstein finished the damage with a two-run single to center for a 10-4 lead, setting the stage for the wild bottom of the seventh.
