Westwood in swing of things to the end
LOWELL - It happens every time. One mistake gets hammered, and then Westwood starts tacking runs on the board.
Take yesterday's third inning, for example, when the Wolverines produced eight runs - and a state championship.
Westwood, the 14th seed, capped a dominant postseason by blasting Frontier, 12-6, to capture the Division 3 title at LeLacheur Park.
"We didn't want anything standing between us and the championship," said senior catcher Brian Morante. "One person sparks it, and it fires right through the whole team."
Westwood (19-8) laid off outside offerings from Redhawks starter Gary Grandonico and smacked those over the plate. Sean Grandfield led off the third with a single to right, then he stole second without a throw. Morante, who came in hitting .588, worked a 12-pitch walk before Jason Sementelli (3 for 4) drove in Grandfield. John Sheehan walked to load the bases, and Grandonico hit sophomore David Milano with a pitch, scoring Morante to make it 3-0.
Grandonico was replaced by righthander Robbie Sjodahl, but he fared no better.
Sjodahl hit a batter, walked in a run, gave up a suicide squeeze and a two-run single, and was victim of an two-run error.
"This whole year, we've been ripping the ball all over the place," said Sheehan, the beneficiary of all the fireworks.
Throwing on a seven days' rest, the righthander dazzled for six innings, fanning 10 while allowing three runs on six hits and an error.
He mixed in curves while spotting 89-mile-per-hour fastballs, but his change was nastier, keeping the Redhawks off balance.
"That was the one I had working," said Sheehan.
"When he's on, he's got a fastball that he can blow by people, a curve that makes them look ridiculous, and then there's his change," said Morante, wearing a bag of ice on his left hand he said was needed after catching Sheehan's fastball. "It's been an honor to catch him this year."
"He was tremendous today," said Frontier coach Aaron Campbell. "He's probably the best pitcher we've seen."
Frontier (17-9) put together a three-run fifth to get back into it, as Ashton Lutenegger and David White and Tim Capuano each singled in runs to make it 9-4. But Westwood soon put out the fire. Doubles by Sementelli, Sheehan, and David Milano plated two in the bottom of the inning, and Sheehan followed that with a 1-2-3 inning.
"That was beautiful," said Sheehan. "Get right out there and get it done."
The Redhawks scored twice in the seventh to cut the score to 12-6, but the Wolverines piled on each other after it was over.
"They hit the ball hard," said Campbell. "Our kids, I don't want to say they were intimidated, but I think they got caught up in the moment.
"We met our match today. They deserve all the accolades they get."
