Westford Over-30 Slow-Pitch Softball

The Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs (21-0) clinched first place and Floral Arts (18-4) settled for second place for the fourth time in five years. Both teams will face each other twice next week as the regular season concludes. Willis Tent (13-9) won once this week and remains in third place in front of Shortcut Landscaping (12-10). Drew Farms (10-13) won twice and lost once this week and sits in sixth place, one game behind GutCheck (11-11). Drew Farms can become the fifth playoff seed only if GutCheck loses both of its final games of the regular season. If the standings remain as they are, Willis Tent will face Drew Farms in the first round of the playoffs (Willis Tent won two of the three contests against Drew Farms in the regular season), and Shortcut Landscaping will face Gutcheck (The two teams have split the two games this season, and have one more to play next week). The first round, a best-of-three series that begins Tuesday, August 25, should be very competitive.

Willis Tent 15 – Burtons Grill 14 On Sunday, Willis won a close game, 15-14, and eliminated Burtons from making the playoffs. Willis jumped to a quick 4-0 lead over Burtons in the top of the first inning when John Mangiaratti followed up three consecutive singles with a grand slam. Burtons answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, but Willis scored five more in the next two innings to make it 9-2. Burtons made it 9-6 in the bottom of the fourth, and then pulled to a 9-9 tie in the fifth. Willis produced three runs in the sixth, but Burtons answered with five in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, 14-12. Burtons needed three outs to capture the win, but Willis put up three runs to take back the lead. Burtons did not score in the bottom of the inning. Willis’ Brian Gallardo and Dave Harrington each went 3-for-3, John Mangiaratti was 2-for-2 (both homers), Rob Swinamer was 2-for-2 with a homer, Roger Neild was 2-fo-2, Jeff Briggs was 2-for-3, and John Duffy went 2-for-3 and provided the game-winning RBI in the seventh. Burtons Grill’s Brian Collamore and Jerry Breen both went 3-for-3, with Breen driving in four runs and Collamore notching a triple to go with two singles and three runs scored. Tim Scott continued to set the table from the leadoff spot with a pair of hits and two runs scored. Jeff Kott and Jerod Colley each added a pair of hits, and Colley kept Burtons in the game with another excellent game on the mound.

Drew Farms 16 – Pro Sports Therapy 3 Drew Farms won their first of two games this week on Sunday night, beating Pro Sports Therapy.  Alex Lechook pitched a gem, holding PST to 4 hits through the first five innings while the Drew's offense was able to put up 8 runs during that span. Lechook also added a triple in the 6th.  In that inning, down 12-0, PST made a run and put 3 up on the board, only to have Drew's respond and put up 4 in the 7th ending the game by run rule.  Adding to Lechook's triple, Drew's mixed only 2 more extra base hits amongst 24 hits.  Ryan Steel hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning to drive in the only runs for PST.

Drews 19 –Burtons Grill 7 Having been eliminated from the playoff hunt in their previous game, the Burtons Grill offense came up short against Drew Farms on Wednesday.  Burtons came out hot, putting a 4 spot up in the first inning. But with the help of a Rich Rago 3 run homer, Drew Farms was able to answer the bell and added 5 of their own.  After a quite second inning, the Drew's bats woke up and put 14 runs up over the next 4 innings.  During that span, Burtons, was only able to put 3 up.  Offensive highlights for Drew's belonged to Pat Pawlack and Sal Buanacore.  Each went 3 for 4 and scored 3 times.  Joe Welch also went 3-4. For Burtons, John Geary went 3-for-4, Tim Scott raced to an inside-the-park home run, Jerod Colley cleared the bases with a three-run double, and Jeff Kott went 3-for-3. Outfielder Scott debuted at shortstop and handled several tough plays, looking like a veteran at the new position.

Floral Arts 15 - GutCheck 7 It was a game that was much closer than the final score indicates. Floral Arts built a 7-1 lead over six innings, but then the GutCheck bats unlocked the conundrum that Floral pitcher Larry Mardany was tossing at them and began stroking single after single between short and third base until, at the inning’s end, the score was 7-6. Floral responded by pounding out nine hits and knocking in eight runs, highlighted by a Rob Beaudette’s three-run homer. Mark Chambers was 3-for-4 with a couple of doubles. Mardany retired the final three batters he faced to secure the win.

Floral Arts 19 – Drew Farms 6 In the only game on Friday, Simon Tripp went 4-for-4, including belting a two-run homer in the fifth inning and knocking in five runs with the game-ender amongst them), to lead Floral Arts to a 19-6 win over Drew Farms. The Floral bats produced runs in all seven innings. Roger Whittlesey (4-for-5, 5 RBI) hit his second triple this week, Rob Beaudette (4-for-4, 3 RBI), Jeff Moore (3-for-4, 2 singles and a double), Dave Janowsky (3-for-5, 3 RS, 2 RBI), and Greg Marchand (3-for-4, 2 RBI) were key contributors in the win. Drew’s Joseph Welch was 3-for-3 and made several nice catches in left field.