Pittsfield Babe Ruth 16s Open Tourney with Run-Rule Win
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Three Pittsfield Babe Ruth 16-year-old All-Stars combined for 12 strikeouts in a 13-0, five-inning win over Southern Berkshire to open the Western Massachusetts Tournament on Wednesday night.
Pittsfield collected five extra-base hits, highlighted by Cooper Reed’s two-run home run in the middle of a six-run second inning as it opened the three-team tournament with a win.
Southern Berkshire (0-1) will host Westfield on Thursday night. Pittsfield travels to Bullens Field to face Westfield on Friday. The top two teams after the round-robin will meet at the top seed on Sunday to decide who goes to the New England Championship in Stamford, Conn.
Pittsfield’s Kevin Smith set the tone on Wednesday night when he struck out the side in order in the top of the first inning.
“He’s my ace,” Pittsfield coach Phil Bock said of Smith. “That’s pretty much what I always get from him. He’s just a hardworking kid who throws a lot of strikes and throws extremely well.”
And Smith’s offense rewarded him with a four-run first inning.
Bryce Hoff led off with a double to left field, and he came home when Smith reached on an infield throwing error.
After Aiden Arseneau worked a walk and Southern Berkshire pitcher Mason Bailey (3 and two-thirds innings, five strikeouts) got his first K, an outfield error put Kydd Kearns at second and plated Smith to make it 2-0.
Jack Wendling then ripped a single to right center to drive in a pair of runs.
Pittsfield loaded the bases again, but Bailey got out of it with a strikeout to end the inning.
Smith gave up a single down the first base line to Bailey to start the second, but the Pittsfield ace struck out the side around an infield single from there to avoid any damage.
He later gave up the ball to Hoff, who struck out three in two innings on the hill, and Reed, who struck out the side in the fifth.
Pittsfield’s offense put the game away with a six-run second inning.
Smith got things started with a one-out single and later scored when Arseneau reached on an error. Reed then hammered the ball over the left-field fence to make it 7-0.
Two more errors led to another Pittsfield run, and Jacob Herzberg walked and Noah Masselli singled to put ducks on the pond for Noah Malone, who doubled to right-center to make it 10-0.
In the third, Hoff doubled, and Arseneau hit an RBI double as Pittsfield collected three more runs.
“I love our group,” Bock said. “It’s a bunch of hard-working young men. This will probably be our last run together. They’re aging out. They’re a very talented group, and I’m very proud of them. I’m happy to be a part of it once again.”
Photos from this game here.
