Photo by Austin Engle
By Austin Engle
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
They weren’t supposed to make it this far. But somewhere between a dugout full of seniors playing their final games and a handful of gutsy performances on the mound, Needham Post 14 found their edge and rode it to a playoff run no one saw coming. After an early loss, the team rattled off three straight elimination wins to earn a shot at a championship and cement their place as one of the summer’s best stories.
“Nothing to save my arm for,” said senior standout Will Saratella. “Just going out here, playing the game we grew up with. One last time.”
That mindset defined Post 14’s postseason. Behind four gutsy pitching performances, Nicholas Buckley, Jason Waarich, Liam Fitzmaurice, and Saratella himself, Needham clawed their way through the bracket. Jason tossed a seven-inning gem. Fitzmaurice held the line in another elimination game. And Saratella delivered one of the most electric moments of the postseason: a late-game home run that gave Needham the lead and helped punch their ticket to the title game.
But Saratella’s biggest play may have come the day before, with his team trailing late and struggling offensively.
“It was a 2-1 game. Offense hadn’t been going all game. I just decided to try something, get a bunt for a hit, get everyone going,” he said. “And it worked.” That push bunt sparked a seven-run rally in the final inning: one that flipped the momentum and rewrote the team’s playoff trajectory.
Despite being a senior with no plans to play ball beyond Legion, Saratella’s leadership, on the field and in the dugout, was evident. He credited the team's chemistry and resilience through adversity.
“All season, we barely had enough guys: nine or ten showing up most games,” he said. “A lot of the younger kids play club, and that takes priority. But we played with who we had. Come playoffs, we got our guys and now we’re playing good.”
For Head Coach Ben Maki, that growth is what it’s all about. In his years with Post 14, Maki has developed a leadership style rooted in trust and empowerment.
“I learned quickly this is their team, not mine,” he said. “I try not to be the one who wants it the most. When I do, I step back.”
Maki’s belief in his players shows up in subtle but powerful ways.
“The kids know I always have their back. I’ll argue any call for them. But sometimes silence sends the strongest message. They know I trust them.”
He says what stands out most is not the wins, but the way the players show up for each other.
“They like each other. They play for each other. Somebody makes a mistake; they have each other’s back.”
That camaraderie carried Post 14 through its playoff run and will likely stick with them far beyond the final pitch.
As for Saratella? His first career home run might also have been his last. But he doesn’t mind.
“That’s the one I’ll remember,” he said, smiling. “Could’ve been my last at-bat ever. Not a bad way to go out.”
