The Needham Rockets are on their way to the Suburban Youth Baseball League playoffs. The only question to be answered tonight was whether they would be the fourth or fifth seed in the Western Division. With a win tonight, the Rockets would still need a little help from their neighbors, the Needham Blue Sox, who were due to make up a rainout against Walpole National. Walpole National entered the final week of the regular season in fourth place. A Rockets win plus a Walpole loss would mean a fourth place finish for the Rockets and a chance to take on Eastern Division leading Quincy in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday.
But Rockets leadoff man Timmy was not thinking about any of this when he stepped in. His focus was on the ball, particularly a 2-1 fastball that he smacked to center field for a single. With Timmy aboard and nobody out, Tom singled hard to left. Alex drove them both in with a bases-clearing double, and the Rockets jumped ahead 2-0 with nobody out in the first. Calvin would keep the line moving with a walk, and Matt G drove in another to make it 3-0. Matt M would work a bases-loaded walk, and Harry would drive in another to make it 5-0, Rockets, after their half of the first.
Calvin took the hill for the Rockets in the bottom of the first and got Westwood's leadoff man to tap one back to the mound. He knocked it down and fired to Tom at first for the out. He struck out two more to make quick work of the first.
Steven led off the top of the second with a walk and then stole second. Timmy sent another shot up the middle and scored Steven to make it 6-0, Rockets. Tom brought Timmy in with a double to left, the second of four consecutive base hits for the Rockets. Alex singled in Tom, stole second, and came around to score on Calvin's shot to right. Another crooked number for the Rockets, and they would go up 9-0 after one and a half.
Calvin was back for the bottom of the second. The flame-throwing righty sent the first batter away with three pitches, but Westwood battled, put one on and drove him in with a triple. 9-1, Rockets. Calvin did not sweat it, though. Cool as always, he just went back to work and struck out the next two to retire the side. Another quality start for Calvin: 2 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 Ks, and an 8-run lead going into the third inning.
Roman worked a walk and then stole second to spark another rally in the third. Patrick B launched one to center field for a single and there were two on with nobody out. Matt M sent one up the middle to score Roman and make it double-digit runs for the Rockets, 10-1. Harry brought Patrick in to make it a double-digit lead. Two RBI on the night for Harry. Steven kept the inning alive with a walk and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Two in scoring position with two outs for Noah. Noah unloaded on the first two pitches and hit them hard but just foul. He fought back to fill the count but went down on a tough pitch over the outside corner. An epic battle at the plate for Noah finished another productive inning for the Rockets. 11-1 after two and a half.
Matt M and Patrick B combined to record a shut-out bottom of the third for the Rockets. Matt struck out one and got another to ground to short, where Alex made a nice back-handed grab and fired to first for the out. Patrick nailed the door shut with a three-pitch K. Still 11-1, Rockets.
With time marching on, a healthy lead for the Rockets, and another game scheduled at Morrison Field right on the heels of this one, the umpire requested that we end it after four. So, the next inning would be the last.
Five consecutive singles would produce five runs for the Rockets in the final frame. Tom led off with a shot to center field and advanced to third on a pair of passed balls. Alex brought him in with a rip up the middle. Calvin and Matt G continued the hit parade, both launching theirs to left, and Roman burned it up the line for an infield single to cap it all off. When the dust cleared, the Rockets found themselves on top 16-1 going into the last half inning.
Westwood mounted an impressive 6-run offensive in the bottom of the fourth. Alex did his best to slow them down, though, with some gold glove work at short stop. Ranging left, he put leather on a hard ground ball and got the lead runner at second. Out number two was a great effort at the plate by Rockets catcher Ryan. On a tapper back to the mound, Ryan was up quickly to receive and get the force. Good awareness on his part to prevent the run. Tom came in get the final out, and got the job done with a three-pitch K to end the game. Only a third of an inning for Tom, but he looked sharp and ready for the playoffs.
Final score: Rockets 16, Westwood 7.
A prolific night at the plate for the Rockets: 16 runs on 15 hits in only 4 innings. Alex set the tone in the first with a 2-run double on a deep shot to left field. He was 3-3 on the night with 4 RBI and earned the game ball for his efforts. The Hustle Award went to Patrick B for his consistent focus the field, always where he needed to be to make the play or back it up. He also helped his team on the mound, getting the final out in a scoreless third inning.
The Rockets now turn their attention to their first round playoff match-up with either Wellesley or Quincy this Saturday morning in Braintree. See you there!
