Saturday's local roundup: Leominster, Shrewsbury win in Legion states first round

American Legion

State Tournament 

Leominster 3, Sandwich 1: Like he has all year, Mark Garner came through in the clutch for Post 151 in the opening day of the double-elimination tournament.

The T&G Super Teamer delivered Leominster's first two runs, and Cam Cirone knocked in an insurance tally in a victory over Post 188 in the second game of the day at Adams Field in Quincy.

The eight-team field features three from District 4 — Leominster, Hudson and Shrewsbury, all playing in games following the day's opener, East Springfield's 1-0 victory over North Attleborough.

Leominster faces Shrewsbury in the final game of Day 2, slated to start at 7 p.m., after the other winners' bracket game, East Springfield vs. Fall River.

After Leominster (21-8) scored twice in the top of the seventh, Alex Coco struck out the first two Sandwich batters in the bottom half and induced a lineout to left to preserve the win.

Sandwich jumped ahead early off Danny Nelson with an RBI single with two out in the first inning, before the hurler settled in to the pitchers' duel. He didn't allow an earned run in six innings, yielded three hits and struck out five.

Garner doubled in the tying run with two out in the fifth, driving a 1-2 pitch to center field to drive in Mike Goss.

Garner also preserved possible extra bases with a long running catch in the third inning.

Leominster forged ahead in the seventh. Coco reached on an error to lead off and was sacrificed to second by A.J. Wozniak. Pinch hitter Liam Bridgham popped to first base before Reece Lora (2 for 3) reached on an infield hit to put runners on first and third.

Garner was next, and he hit a hard grounder that the Sandwich third baseman couldn't handle, enabling Coco to score and break the tie.

Lora then scored on Cirone's infield hit, and Garner, who had stolen second, scampered to third. Brendan Mariani grounded out to end the inning.

Shrewsbury 8, Quincy 2: Post 397 (23-6) rolled in the final game of the night, against tournament host Morrisette Post 294.

Former St. John's High standout Brayden Mercier threw four shutout innings to start, and Shrewsbury's bats started cranking in the bottom of that fourth.

Shrewsbury rapped three straight singles off James Gibbons, with Connor Rice's knocking in the first run. Ryan Iagallo connected to right field for a single and a 2-0 lead for Post 397.

Rice later scored on a passed ball, and Pearson Dodds' RBI single to left upped the lead to 4-0, with the bases still loaded and one out in the fourth.

Mercier, a T&G Super Teamer, capped the inning with a double, clearing the bases and giving himself a seven-run cushion.

Morrisette did get one run back in the fifth, but a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half restored the touchdown-PAT lead. The hosts managed a run in the seventh for the 8-2 final.

Fall River 4, Hudson 3: Post 100 (14-11) fell short in the third game of the day, after stranding the tying run on second base with a flyout to end the game.

Hudson takes on North Attleborough in an elimination game at 10 a.m. July 27.

After a rough first inning, Hudson's Michael Domino struck out five in a complete-game performance.

After allowing four runs to Post 464 in the first inning, Hudson got two of those back in the third on Chase Barrett's two-run double to the left field wall.

Marshall Kehlhem kept the score 4-2 in the bottom half on a fine catch in left field.

Barrett's sacrifice fly in the seventh brought Hudson to within one.

Little League

Majors State Tournament

Walpole 8, Holden 4: The summer run came to an end for Holden, as Walpole broke open a 3-3 game in the top of the seventh with a five-run rally to defeat Holden in a semifinal in Beverly.

Brennan Ford and Colin Walsh each had two hits for Holden, which pushed across a run in the fifth inning to tie the game after Walpole scored three in the second for a 3-2 lead.

Andrew Gull doubled for Holden, and Brendan Michaud, Cole Pare, Cam Ginnity and Michael Bristol drove in runs.

Andrew Surrette struck out two and allowed three runs on five hits over five innings for Holden, which left 11 runners on base. Luca Dell’ovo pitched a shutout sixth, but got into trouble to start the seventh, giving up two runs. Bryce Makela came on, but allowed three runs (none earned) on one hit to close the inning.

Futures Collegiate League

Bravehearts 6, Vermont 5: Worcester State right-hander Gavin Price struck out seven in five innings of one-hit, shutout relief, enabling host Worcester (35-15) to ease back from a 5-1 deficit to win in 10 innings, snapping a three-game losing streak.

The Bravehearts inched their FCBL lead over the Lake Monsters (32-17) to 2½ games. Josh Fischer pitched the seventh and picked up the win.

Worcester's Jamison Howland, the ghost runner at second in the 10th, scored on Wyatt Hoffman's fielder's choice and error by the pitcher.

Curt Boyd went 3 for 4 with three RBIs for the Bravehearts, who snapped Vermont's eight-game winning streak.

Saturday's results

LOCAL

Baseball

International League

St. Paul 9, WooSox 5

Futures Collegiate League

Bravehearts 6, Vermont 5 (10 innings)

American Legion

State Tournament 

At Adams Field, Quincy

Double elimination

Day 1

East Springfield 1, North Attleborough 0

Leominster 3, Sandwich 1

Fall River 4, Hudson 3

Shrewsbury 8, Quincy 2

Little League

Majors State Tournament

At Harry Ball Field, Beverly

Semifinal

Walpole 8, Holden 4

Golf

Tournaments and results

At RACEWAY

Senility League

Team quota: 1, Tom Noone-Bill Coffey-Don Corey-Ron Roy Jr., plus 4. 2, Ken McIntyre-Dave Chrisler-Gary Costello, even. 3, Bernie Millette-Don Corey-Joe Azzarone, minus 6.

Peavey and McIntyre Sweeps

1, Dave Chrisler, plus 3 (won playoff). 2, Don Corey, plus 3. 3, Tom Noone, plus 2.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Saturday's local roundup: Leominster, Shrewsbury win in American Legion states first round