Post 81 rebounds with big win over Aldenville

[ Originally published on: Monday, June 22, 2009 ]

After committing seven errors in a 7-1 loss to Holyoke Post 325 on Saturday afternoon, Greenfield Post 81 took out its frustrations on Aldenville Post 337 Sunday night.

The verdict? And 18-0 thumping at in Hampden County American Legion baseball play at Veterans Memorial Field in Greenfield.

Greenfield didn't score a single run against Holyoke until the seventh inning in Saturday's loss, but it came out swinging a hot bat in Sunday's win. Post 81 scored four times in the first and three times in the second to take a commanding lead. Then, after a scoreless third, the home team piled up 11 more runs over the final three innings to close out the game.

Cody Underwood led Greenfield with four hits (one double), two runs and one RBI, and Tristan Ward collected three hits (two doubles) and one RBI. Joe Hudson singled and drove in three runs for the winners, Matt McKelvey picked up one hit and two RBIs, and Nick Melendez doubled and drove in a run. Chris Cole also had a hit and a run batted in to help the winners.

Ben Popowich pitched six innings to earn the win, striking out one and walking no one. Austin Finck pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close out the win.

Jason Gillette suffered the loss, lasting only one inning and finishing with one strikeout and one walk. Bobby Bowden and Mike Kielbasa each had one hit for Aldenville, which fell to 1-4.

Greenfield (3-2) travels to league-leading East Longmeadow Post 293 (7-0) today at 5:45 p.m.

Holyoke 7, Greenfield 1 -- In Post 81's Saturday loss, Holyoke Post 325 scored early and often and Greenfield was never able to overcome the big deficit thanks in part to the seven errors at Holyoke Community College.

Holyoke took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when it plated the first run of the game on a two-out error.

In the second inning, Jose Rivera smacked a two-run double and Mike Afflito hit an RBI double as Holyoke scored five times to blow the game open. Post 325 added one more run in the third inning to complete the scoring.

Greenfield starter Andy Wroblewski lasted only three innings, striking out one and walking five. Ward tossed two innings of scoreless ball and finished with two strikeouts and two walks.

Melendez broke up the shutout in the seventh inning when he clouted a solo home run for the lone Post 81 run of the game.

 

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