Hunter Anderson (pictured) turns on a ball and drives a base hit into right field. Photo by Mike Flanagan.
By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
There’s a reason why baseball does not have a time limit. Things can change from inning to inning, and every pitch has the potential to be a game's turning point. This was the case for Needham MIBL on Friday night against Canton.
Needham served as the away team despite playing on their home field, due to Canton’s facility issues. Hunter Anderson led off the game with an infield single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came around to score, thanks to an RBI single by his brother, Bryce Anderson.
George Currier led off the bottom of the first for Canton with a double off the left field fence. Needham starter Nico Schwartz responded by striking out a pair, followed by an inning-ending groundout back to the mound to get out of the jam with the lead still intact.
Paul Guiney reached first on an infield single with one out in the bottom of the second. Kyle Lambert drove Guiney in with an RBI triple to left-center to double Needham’s lead to 2-0. Schwartz sent Canton down, 1-2-3, in the home half to keep the game 2-0 after two innings.
The game remained 2-0 until the top of the fourth, when Hunter Anderson smacked a two-RBI double to right-center to make it a 4-0 game. Unfortunately, that would be the last source of offense Needham would see. Canton rallied in the home half to tie the game at four, following a pair of RBI doubles by Cam Kast and Brandon Mantilla. An RBI groundout by Currier in the bottom of the fifth gave Canton its first lead of the night at 5-4.
Jacob Kaplan gave Canton some breathing room in the bottom of the sixth, belting a two-RBI double to the left field fence before coming around to score himself on an error, making it an 8-4 game. Canton starter Joe Fischer came back out for the top of the seventh and closed the door for the complete game victory as Canton prevailed by an 8-4 final.
For funny and incisive sports analysis as well as game highlights, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter and Instagram @flano0.
