Jack Rufo (pictured) and fires home a pitch in the bottom of the second inning. Photos by Mike Flanagan.
My Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Westwood MIBL (2-7-1) traveled to Natick on Sunday evening looking to get back on track with playoffs about a week away.
Will DiBattista led off the game by reaching on an error, followed by a single from Jimmy Bean. Dylan Perkins drove both of them in with a two-RBI double to the center field fence, putting Westwood ahead, 2-0.
Felix Ferruchi cut the deficit in half for Natick in the bottom half, singling home Aidan Hawley to make it 2-1. Ferruchi came around to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at two.
Kenny Phillips Jr. retired Westwood in order in the top half of the second. Natick took its first lead thanks to an RBI single by Aidan Hawley in the home half. The game remained 3-2 until the top of the fourth, when DiBattista smacked a two-out single to right field to score Jake Pfaff and tie the game at three. A wild pitch to the backstop brought home the go-ahead run to give Westwood back the lead at 4-3.
Natick tied the game once again in the bottom half of the fourth, thanks to an RBI single by Ferruchi. Natick retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a passed ball to the backstop, and extended their lead to 8-4 following a series of infield errors.
Kenny Phillips Jr. held Westwood's bats in check in the final two innings, sending Westwood down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth and closing the door in the top of the seventh as Natick came away with the 8-4 victory.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as game highlights, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram @flano0.
