On a hot and muggy weekend in July, Medfield Youth Baseball and Softball and Boy Scout Troop 89 came together to host the 2022 Little League Baseball state championships for 10- and 11-year-old age groups. In late June and early July, Massachusetts teams played in mini-playoffs culminating in the chance to play the best at the tournament.
On Saturday, July 23, the state semifinals took place. In the first game, Metrowest champion Newton took on South Shore champion Braintree American. It turned out to be one of the most exciting games of the weekend, with the game going back and forth the entire six innings. Newton hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the top of the 6th inning to tie the game at 9. However, in the bottom of the 6th, a walk combined with a couple of hits by Braintree gave them an exciting walk-off win. In the second 10-year-old game between Western Mass champion Westfield and North Shore Champion Billerica, Westfield jumped on top early and rolled to a 13-2 victory.
The afternoon game featured two 11-year-old teams as Western Mass champion Longmeadow took on North Shore champion Reading. Reading had dominant pitching throughout, taking the semifinal game by a score of 14-1. The final game on Saturday featured South Shore champion Cohassett and local powerhouse Hopkinton. Another combination of dominant pitching and a timely offense led to Hopkinton's 14 – 4 victory.
The four winners from Saturday returned to Metacomet on Sunday for their respective state championships. The 10-year-old teams from Braintree and Westfield were given a real treat prior to their game. Members of the Medfield 11-year-old team from 2015 that won the state championship returned to the field where they recorded so many victories during their Little League years. Sam Kornet, Brett Nickerson, Sam Palmer, and Charlie Walsh were all on hand to throw out the first pitches. While all four men continue to play college baseball, Palmer and Walsh, coincidentally, play for Westfield State University.
When the game got under way, Braintree continued with their flare for the dramatic. After clinging to a 2 – 1 lead all game, Westfield was three outs away from a state championship. After the first two batters of the inning were put out, a base hit, followed by a wild pitch put the tying run on second for Braintree while Westfield just needed one more out. The next Braintree batter hit a short fly ball to left field. The left fielder made an apparent diving catch, and Westfield players, coaches, and fans began celebrating their state championship. However, victory was not yet secure. The Westfield fielder did not control the ball while he hit the ground, and the tying run scored. On the next pitch, Braintree's next batter hit a line drive between the center and right fielders. The runner on second scampered home for Braintree's state championship. The day's second game featured the 11-year-olds from Hopkinton and Reading. Hopkinton continues their summer domination en route to a 10-0 state championship win.
With the number of spectators for these games at an all-time high, parking for the event was never an issue, thanks to Boy Scout Troop 89. The scouts did a great job restricting Metacomet's parking lot to coaches, game officials, and handicapped/elderly, while directing the rest of the fans to park at the high school and walk to the field. Several scouts earned service hours for scout ranks. A couple used the hours worked to complete their Citizenship in the Community merit badge, with the final requirement being 8 hours of service to the same organization (MYBS). As a result, traffic flowed nicely all weekend, keeping the neighbors happy. Jim Hatch, Concession Stand Coordinator at Metacomet and Scoutmaster of Troop 89 did much of the organization of the weekend. "Finding eight hours of service with one organization in a timely manner is often a challenge so it was great to be able to provide this opportunity for the boys," said Hatch. "It was a tremendous help as parking and traffic was our biggest concern going into the weekend.”
It was a great weekend in which two of Medfield's youth programs came together to provide a memorable experience for youth and their families across the state.
