The Hudson, Mass., American Legion baseball team scored two runs in the seventh inning to force extra innings and scored once in the bottom of the ninth inning to eliminate West Hartford, 3-2, at the Northeast Regional championship tournament at Gill Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire.
West Hartford (25-6) had prevailed in six consecutive elimination games. A week ago, they had won four in a row to win the Connecticut state championship for the second year in a row and had two consecutive wins here in the Northeast Regional.
But Hudson Post 100 found a way to send Post 96 home for the summer.
West Hartford had a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning but Hudson’s Marshall Kehlhem amd Bobby Long drew two-out walks from Post 96 reliever Calvin Borio. Hudson’s Chase Barrett hit a soft ground ball that was hit slow enough that West Hartford second baseman Declan McCann couldn’t get the runner out at second base to load the bases for Hudson.
Hudson’s Chase Donahue singled to left field to drive in two runs and tie the game at 2-2.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Long was hit by a pitch and moved to third base when Barrett reached on an error. Donahue followed with a RBI single to right field to win the game for Hudson, 3-2.
Pitcher Michael Domino threw eight strong innings for Hudson, allowing just four hits and striking out six.
West Hartford took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Jack Kane and Brendan Grady each singled to reach base. A double steal allowed Kane to move to third and Grady to take second. Kane scored on a successful sacrifice bunt from Damien Witkor.
Post 96 extended their lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning. With one out, Matt Santoro walked and he scored on Chase Hanawalt’s double to center field.
Brendan Grady got the start on the mound for West Hartford and pitched 6.1 innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight.
Donahue was 3-for-5 with three RBI and a double for Hudson, who finished second in the Massachusetts state tournament behind Shrewsbury. The top two teams from Massachusetts qualified for the Northeast Regional tournament. Barrett was 2-for-5 with a double.
Hudson plays Cumberland, Rhode Island on Sunday for the Northeast Regional championship. Hudson has to win one game to bring home the title while Cumberland needs to win twice to claim the double-elimination tournament.
Hudson is looking for their first Northeast Regional title while Cumberland is looking for their first regional title since 2016. West Hartford was looking to become the first Connecticut team to play for a Northeast Regional crown since RCP (Rocky Hill/Cromwell/Portland) in 2016. Berlin is the most recent Connecticut team to win the Northeast Regional in 2009.
Hudson, Mass. 3, West Hartford 2 (9)
At Manchester, N.H.
West Hartford (25-6) 010 001 000 — 2-4-2
Hudson, MA 000 000 201 — 3-7-0
Brendan Grady, Calvin Borio (7), Calvin Cianflone (9) and Trevor Tanis; Michael Domino, Ryan Graft (9) and Ryan Dillon; WP: Graft; LP: Borio; 2B: Chase Hanawalt (WH), Chase Barrett (H), Chase Donahue (H)
2024 Northeast Regional baseball tournament
At Gill Stadium, Manchester, N.H.
Wednesday, August 7
Hudson, Mass. 6, Hampden, ME 5
Cumberland, RI 5, West Hartford, CT 4
Portsmouth, NH 4. South Burlington VT 0
Shrewsbury, MA 10, Sweeney, NH (host) 5
Thursday, August 8
South Burlington VT 5, Hamden ME 4, Hampden eliminated
West Hartford 11, Sweeney NH (host) 4, Sweeney eliminated
Hudson, MA 3, Portsmouth NH 2
Cumberland RI 9, Shrewsbury MA 2
Friday, August 9
West Hartford 6, Portsmouth NH 5, Portsmouth eliminated
South Burlington VT 2, Shrewsbury, MA, 1, Shrewsbury eliminated
Saturday, August 10
Hudson MA 4, Cumberland RI 3
Cumberland 7, South Burlington VT 1, South Burlington eliminated
Hudson MA 3, West Hartford 2, West Hartford eliminated
Sunday, August 11
Hudson, MA vs. Cumberland RI, 1 p.m.
Game 15: If necessary, 4 p.m.
