Abington goes distance in win
LOWELL - It took an extra inning, but finally, after 3 1/2 hours of back-and-forth baseball, Abington outlasted West Boylston, 10-5, to win the Division 3 state championship at LeLacheur Park yesterday.
"We scratched and clawed today," said Abington coach Steve Perakslis Sr.
"I am so proud of the way these kids did whatever they had to do to score runs."
His son, Steve Perakslis Jr., started for the Green Wave (22-2) and his line was indicative of the kind of scrappy game Abington had to play. He went the distance, striking out 10, but he struggled at times as well, surrendering nine hits and allowing six walks and three earned runs.
"I was running totally on adrenaline today," said the younger Perakslis. "It was tough out there, especially toward the end, but I knew I just had to settle down and take care of business."
Abington jumped out early, opening the game with a solid double from Ian Campbell and a walk to Perakslis to give the meat of the order a shot with runners on first and second. It did not disappoint, as Chris Dion and Tyler Hitchcock singled to put the Green Wave on top, 2-0, after a half-inning.
West Boylston (23-1) got a run back in the bottom half on Mike Cleary's RBI single.
Abington tacked on two in the second but the game sped through hitless third and fourth innings. In the fifth, the Lions woke up, with some help from Abington's defense.
The Lions got back-to-back singles with one out when disaster struck. Kristan LaPointe misplayed a routine grounder at second to prevent a chance at a double play, but recovered in time to throw to first. The throw, though, sailed high for a second error, allowing one run to score and leaving runners at second and third.
By the time the Green Wave recovered they were down, 5-4, in the middle of the fifth.
Abington finally got untracked in the seventh inning against Ryan Milewski, who hadn't allowed a hit since the second. Perakslis started it off by ripping the second pitch he saw down the right-field line for a double.
Perakslis took third on a passed ball and Hitchcock drove him in with a sacrifice fly to right to tie it.
A renewed and fired-up Perakslis struck out the side on nothing but fastballs in the bottom half as the Green Wave headed for extra innings having regained the momentum.
LaPointe made up for his pivotal error, putting Abington ahead with a run-scoring bloop single over second base.
The hit chased Milewski and Abington jumped all over Shane Sampson, his replacement, touching him up for four runs before he could get out of the inning.
Perakslis made it interesting in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases before he closed the door on a moment both he and his father will never forget.
"This is my last game with him as my coach," Perakslis said. "I am just at a loss for words, it has been amazing." 