10 Year Olds Advance to State Tournament
FRAMINGHAM, MA -- With a thrilling extra-inning win over Burlington and a doubleheader sweep of Bedford in a span of 24 hours, the Sachem Youth Baseball 10-year old team won the District 1 championship and earned a trip to the Cal Ripken Baseball State Tournament, which will be played in Norton from July 14 to July 21.
In District 1 play, the Sachems won four of five games in a double-elimination tourney that was played in Framingham. The 10s opened with a hard-fought 6-2 win against Burlington. After Burlington jumped to a 2-0 in the first inning, Winchester’s Eric Rolfs made an outstanding, sliding catch in centerfield to cut off the rally. In the top of the fourth, the Sachems generated a rally of their own when Michael Grassey singled and Jordan Darby was hit by a pitch. Rolfs then cleaned the bases with a two-run triple down the right field line. Robert Nadel’s single scored Rolfs and the Sachems suddenly had a 3-2 lead.
In the fifth, the Sachems struck again as Brendan Greene singled and Jack Wilhoite was hit by a pitch. After the runners advanced on a wild pitch, Grassey’s hard smash could not be played at shortstop and two insurance runs crossed the plate. The Sachems closed out the scoring in the sixth when leadoff batter Davis Clarke was hit by the first pitch and later came around to score on a passed ball. Greene and Grassey shared duties on the mound, with each pitching three solid innings for Winchester. Stephen Michienzi (3B), JoJo Sacco (SS), Bobby Reardon (2B), and Jordan Darby (2B) anchored the Sachem’s infield defense.
Next up for the Sachems was Bedford. In 2006, Bedford advanced to the state tournament by taking a doubleheader from the Sachems in the District 1 finals at West Side Field. After two innings, Bedford looked every bit as strong as their 2006 team and took a commanding 5-0 lead on a hot and humid evening. The Sachems began to chip away in the third as Sacco singled home Michienzi, who had reached base on his second single of the night. In the fourth, the 10s edged closed when Grassey singled and came around to score on an error at short by Bedford. But Winchester left two runners stranded.
The Sachems rallied in the fifth, as singles by Sacco, Grassey, and Rolfs delivered a run to close the gap to 5-3. But two runners were left on base as Bedford pitched out of the jam. Finally, in the visitors’ 6th, the Sachems once again pushed runners to second and third as Jack Cassidy singled, Warren Asdornvuttikrai walked, and Bedford yielded a passed ball. But the game ended as Bedford’s diminutive centerfielder raced in to catch a line drive for his fourth putout of the night and completed the play with a perfect throw to double off a Sachem runner.
Facing elimination in the third game, the Sachems took on Burlington in a rematch that soon developed into a classic game between two strong teams. In the home first, an early rally by Burlington was halted when Davis Clarke made a terrific running catch in right center. In the top of the second, Grassey’s double to right center led to the Sachems first run as he came around to score on a passed ball. After Burlington tied the score in the bottom of the second, the Sachems rallied on singles by Greene and Sacco to lead off the visitors’ third. Grassey followed with a single off the wall in left to score Greene. Cassidy then reached on a force that scored Sacco and Wilhoite singled home Cassidy to push Winchester’s lead to 4-1.
But Burlington scored four runs in the bottom of the third to grab the momentum and the lead at 5-4. At that point, Winchester’s Brendan Greene came on in relief and began to quiet Burlington’s bats with 5 2/3 innings of relief, including seven strikeouts. The Sachems responded in the fifth on a single by Cassidy. Speedy pinch runner Michael Fries replaced Cassidy and eventually came around to score on a passed ball to tie the score at 5-5.
As the game moved into extra innings, the drama increased with every pitch. The Sachems grabbed for the win with a run in the seventh. Wilhoite and Nadel began the rally with one-out singles. Catcher Phillip Woolston then laid down a perfect bunt to load the bases. With the Burlington infield drawn in, Rolfs’ RBI grounder gave Winchester a 6-5 lead. With the infield in again, however, Burlington’s defense forced a runner at home and closed the frame with a pop out to second. But in the home seventh, Burlington refused to go quietly and tied the game at 6-6 with a pair of clean hits. In the bottom of the eighth, Burlington threatened to end the game by loading the bases with one out. But Winchester turned a 6-2-5 double play (Sacco to Woolston to Michienzi) that kept the Sachems’ tourney hopes alive.
Leading off the ninth, Jack Wilhoite turned on a fastball and launched his first home run to deep centerfield to put the Sachems ahead by 7-6. Michael Grassey took the mound in the bottom of the ninth, faced the meat of Burlington’s order, and saved the win for Greene and Winchester. Among the many highlights, Woolston’s nine innings behind the plate and solid defense by Sacco at shortstop and Michienzi at third combined to lead the Sachems.
One night later, the Sachems faced elimination as they met Bedford in the District 1 finals needing to win two games. However, unlike the 2006 tournament, this night belonged to the Sachems. In the opener, the Sachems prevailed by a score of 4-1 as Nolan Redler’s bat keyed two rallies for the visitors. Redler singled in the second to start the scoring. After a walk to Davis Clarke and two passed balls, Redler scored to give the Sachems a 1-0 lead. In the third, Wilhoite singled home Sacco to stretch the advantage to 2-0. Winchester increased its margin to 4-0 in the fifth as Wilhoite drove Sacco home with a fielder’s choice and Redler singled home Cassidy. Bedford pushed home one run in the home fifth. On the mound for the Sachems, Grassey started and pitched four shutout innings (4 Ks, 2 hits), while Clarke earned the save with two strong innings (3 Ks) in his first appearance.
Thirty minutes later, the Sachems lost the coin flip to determine home field advantage in the championship game. But that was the only battle they lost as Winchester rode the momentum from Game One and stormed to a 9-2 win over Bedford. After closing the first game, Davis Clarke rebounded to start and pitch four innings of four-hit, one-run ball to earn the victory. Brendan Greene closed with two innings of two-hit relief. At the plate, Wilhoite (2 hits, 2 RBI), Grassey (3 hits, 2 RBI), Rolfs (2 hits, RBI), Nadel (2 hits), Clarke (2 hits, 2 runs), Greene (2 hits, 2 runs), and Cassidy (double, RBI) each contributed to the win.
The Sachem 10s are coached by Bob Reardon. The assistant coaches are Randy Wilhoite and Rich Michienzi.
The Sachem 10s will open state tournament play in the Lee Burchill Sports Complex at Norton, MA (3:45 p.m.).
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