Behind the arm of TJ Thibeault, Greenfield Post 81 will play for a spot in the state tournament.
Thibeault struck out six in 6 1/3 innings, allowing just four hits, and Post 81 scored four times in the home half of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 and earn a 6-2 victory over Westfield Post 124 in an American Legion District 3 semifinal contest on Sunday night at Vets Field in Greenfield.
Post 81 will play at top-seeded Belchertown Post 239 on Tuesday night at 5:45 p.m. for a spot in the American Legion state tournament, set to begin July 23 in Milford.
“TJ’s been a competitor all year. He has the lowest ERA on the team so we had confidence in him and so did our team,” Post 81 skipper Kevin Luippold said.
Tyler Baranowski got the final two outs on the mound for Post 81, which now has ace David Carey available to pitch against Belchertown. Greenfield beat Belchertown when the two teams met last week.
“With Dave on the mound, I know the guys feel good, especially if we can get a lead,” Luippold said.
Tied 2-2 in the sixth, Post 81 took control. Jason Quinn delivered an RBI single, while Kyle Barnes and Mike Bassett also had run-scoring hits in the four-run frame.
Bassett, Barnes, Carey and MJ Paulin all had two hits in the victory, as Greenfield struck out just three times on the night at the plate.
“Good stuff happens when you put the ball in play,” offered Luippold.
The loser of Tuesday’s final will drop into the double-elimination District 3 tourney for a spot in the Chairman’s Cup Championships. Greenfield won the district’s spot in that event last summer, but is hoping to go one step higher with a berth in the state tourney.