Westford Over-30 Slow-Pitch Softball

The Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs raised the league trophy again on Wednesday night after soundly beating Floral Arts in the fifth and final game of the championship series. The league trophy, a brass chalice, the provenance of which is anybody’s guess, will now have the Mustangs’ name engraved on it for the fourth time, along with three previous championship seasons in 2009, 2010, and 2013. The victory on Wednesday night was the Mustangs’ 29th win of the season against only three losses. It was a truly remarkable season in the history of a team that has been a perennial contender over the last eight years.

Game Four: Floral Arts 16- Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 14

On Tuesday night, Floral Arts staved off elimination and forced a Game Five of the championship series. Floral pitcher Larry Mardany was masterful, keeping the powerful Mustangs from scoring in four innings. Floral retired the top of the order in the first inning and then put up three runs in the bottom of the inning on Jim Peloquin's three-run homer. After six innings and a barrage of hits, Floral had built a 16-10 lead, but the Mustangs appeared poised for one of their trademark comebacks. The Mustangs scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning before finally making the third out on a fly ball to left-center field. Don Cusano hit three home runs in the contest and knocked in eight of the 10 Mustangs runs. Bill Knute, Mark Cusano, and Cormas Bordes each hit home runs for the Mustangs.

Game 5: Mustangs 14 - Floral Arts 1

The Mustangs capped off a record-setting regular season (23-1) by making their 8th finals appearance in the last 9 years. Outstanding all-around team defense and great pitching by Don Cusano held the powerful Floral Arts lineup to just five hits, four walks, and one run in the clinching win. Mustangs leadoff batter Paul Selfrige set the tone, as he did throughout the series, by going 3-for-3, hitting a home run, scoring two runs, and knocking in a pair. Don Cusano added two hits, including his seventh home run of the finals, to go along with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored. Jack Erickson continued his torrid hitting with three hits, including a home run, an RBI, and two runs scored. Mike Kennedy chipped in with a homer and outstanding defense at third base. Mark Cusano went 3-for-3, while Jay Dolan added two hits and 3 RBI. Jack McGrath contributed two big hits and two runs scored. Jim Ward made several tremendous running catches in left-centerfield, while second baseman Dan Crogan made the play of the night, a diving grab on rocket line-drive up the middle in the last inning.

After 24 Regular Season games, a bye in the first round, and two very different trips through the semi-final series, the Mustangs and Floral Arts played a game five to determine the Westford Over-30 Softball championship for the fourth year in a row. 

Floral Arts showed great resiliency to force a game five, winning two in a row after being forced to the brink of elimination with two early losses.  This one, however, turned out to be anti-climatic.  The Mustangs, much like they did during the regular season when they went 23-1, steamrolled their way to their fourth title in six years, defeating Floral Arts 14-1.  And once again, the Mustangs did it with pitching and defense, holding the prolific Floral Arts offense to one run behind the pitching of Don Cusano and stellar defense all around the diamond.

It took all five games of the semifinal round before Floral Arts defeated Shortcut Landscaping. Now, with the finals sitting at two wins to one in favor of the Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs, Floral Arts finds itself in a similar scenario to the semifinals when it went down two games to one. This is the sixth straight year in a row that the Mustangs and Floral Arts have met in the finals. The Mustangs have won three championships in that time.

SEMIFINALS

Floral Arts 17 - Shortcut Landscaping 4

On Tuesday, Floral Arts advanced to the final for the sixth year in a row with a 17-4 win over the powerful Shortcut Landscaping team. Larry Mardany pitched a gem of a game and the Floral defense was nearly perfect all night. Mardany helped his cause in the fourth when he hit a two-run homer. Roger Whittlesey hit an opposite-field three run homer in an inning when Floral scored eight runs. Ken Delaney homered twice and Jim Peloquin and Simon Tripp each homered once. Dave Janowsky continued his hot hitting, getting on base in every at-bat.

FINALS

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 20 - Floral Arts 15

On Wednesday, the Mustangs scored six runs in the first and then kept adding on incrementally all night to stay just ahead of Floral Arts. Ken Delaney hit a three-run homer in the second inning for Floral during a seven-run inning that brought the score to 11-7 Mustangs. Jack McGrath’s three-run homer in bottom of sixth provided the insurance runs necessary to hold on for the win. The following Mustangs had productive nights at the plate: Jack Erickson 3-for-3, 2 RS, 2 RBI, Jay Dolan 3-for-3, 2 RS, 1 RBI, Don Cusano 2 hits, 3RBI, Cormac Bordes 2 hits, 3 RS, 2 RBI. Bill Knute was solid defensively in left.

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustang 23 - Floral Arts 16

On Friday, the Mustangs were an offensive machine, knocking the ball to all fields and several over the fence. Their success against Floral’s starting pitcher in the first two innings prompted a rare pitching change as Floral shortstop Jim Peloquin came in to stop the bleeding. But the Mustangs did not relax; they continued to pound the ball. Mark Chamber hit a three-run homer for Floral and Jim Peloquin hit a two-run shot to the opposite field. Mustangs’ pitcher Don Cusano and left fielder Bill Knute each scored four runs, had two homers and knocked in four. Mike Kennedy and Paul Selfrige were both 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored and two RBI. Selfrige also hit a home run. Jim Ward, Mark Cusano and Craig Smith had three hits each. Dan Crogan and Paul Liguori played great infield defense.

Floral Arts 3 - Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 8

On Sunday, Floral Arts needed a win to force a fourth game in the best-of-three series finals, and they came out swinging. Mike Alonardo, Jim Peloquin, and Simon Tripp hit homers in the first inning to go up 3-0. Floral pitcher Larry Mardany shut down the Mustangs in the bottom of the inning, and then Floral tacked on more runs, including a home run by Rob Beaudette. Frank Lancelotta was 2-for-3 and hit an opposite-field songle that scored a runner from second. Floral Arts’ strong defense kept the Mustangs from scoring in four of the seven innings. Mustangs’ Mike Kennedy hit a home run and knocked in three, while playing excellent defense at third. Bill Knute collected three hits. Paul Selfrige, Dan Crogan, and Jack Erickson had two hits apiece. Jim Ward played well in the outfield.

Regular Season: Mustangs (23 Wins - 1 Loss)

Play Off Champions: After a bye in the first round as the #1 seed, the Mustangs defeated Willis Tent (3 Games to 0) and Floral Arts (3 Games to 2).

The Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs dispatched of Willis Tent in three straight games to advance to the finals for the seventh year in a row and their eighth trip in nine years. Floral Arts and Shortcut Landscaping remain tied at two games apiece. The winner of the Floral-SCL series will face the Mustangs in the finals.

Semi-Final Game One

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 19 - Willis 7

On Tuesday, Pitcher Don Cusano led the way in the win over Willis Tent with a 3-for-4 effort, two homers and seven RBI. Bill Knute had four hits in as many trips for the Mustangs and knocked in three and hit a him run. Jack Erickson also had four hits and three RBI. Paul Selfrige, Paul Ligouri, and Cormac Bordes tallied three hits apiece, and Mike Kennedy played excellent defense at third base and contributed with a home run.

Floral Arts 13 - Shortcut Landscaping 12

Floral Arts beat Shortcut Landscaping in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single to the left field fence by Jim Peloquin, who scored Dave Janowsky from third to go up 13-12. SCL scored three runs in the first inning on a tremendous three-run blast by Brent Oakleaf. Floral scored only two in the bottom of the inning, despite an intentional walk to Simon Tripp with the bases loaded and no outs. Rob Beaduette hit a sacrifice fly that scored Roger Whittlesey from third for the other run. SCL put up five runs in the second to go up 8-2, but Floral scored eight, including Frank Lancelotta’s 500th career home run, a three-run shot that started the eight-run rally. SCL’s Oakleaf hit another three-run homer in the fifth, this one a shot that cleared two fences and likely traveled 400 feet, and then the score remained tied 12-12 for two innings. In the bottom of the seventh, Janowsky, who was 4-for-4 in the game, hit a double to left. Whittlesey, who went 3-for-3 with a walk and 2 RBI, moved Janowsky to third with his second single of the night. With no outs and a man on third, SCL contemplated walking Peloquin to get to Tripp, who they had intentionally walked in all three of his at-bats, but ultimately decided to pitch Peloquin, who then won it on a single.

Semi-Final Game Two

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 13- Willis Tent 9

On Wednesday, Willis Tent put up a stronger fight in this contest, but the Mustangs won on the strength of Jack Erickson's two home run and 4 RBI effort. Mike Kennedy, Bill Knute, and Don Cusano each homered and had two hits. Jim Ward chipped in three hits. Knute played some stellar defense in left field for the winners.

Shortcut Landscaping 14 - Floral Arts 8

David Sullivan had a great night at the plate for Shortcut Landscaping, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and 6 RBI, as SCL tied the series at one, with their 13-9 win over a listless Floral Arts offense. Jason Humphries was busy all night at shortstop, making play after routine play, and showing off his range by ranging left and right to make several stellar plays.

Semi-Final Game Three

Nashoba Valley Veterinarian Mustangs 11 - Willis Tent 2

On Friday, the Mustangs clinched the series and won their 26th games of the year (in 27 tries) against Willis Tent. Bill Knute belted three hits, including two homers (one was a grand slam), and tallied 6 RBI. Paul Selfrige, Don Cusano, Jack Erickson, Mark Cusano, and Paul Ligouri each had two hits apiece. Erickson continued his great outfield defense by throwing out another runner at first base from his short fielder spot.

Shortcut Landscaping 8 - Floral Arts 6

Shortcut Landscaping took a 2-1 lead in the series with a gutsy 8-6 win over Floral Arts. Floral Arts held the lead until the top of the seventh when SCL plated three runs to go up by two, but Floral, a team that scored the most runs in the league during the regular season, could not plate anyone else and saw three straight batters make outs in the bottom of the seventh. Jim Peloquin and Ken Delaney hit home runs for Floral, accounting for two of the team’s seven hits in the game.

Semi-Finals Game Four

Floral Arts 34 - Shortcut Landscaping 8

Floral Arts’ bats rose from the dead just in time to stave off an early exit and force a fifth and final game of the series. Floral banged out 39 hits and knocked nine out of the park, two of which were counted as singles under the league mandate. Jim Peloquin was 6-for-6 and hit two over the fence. Floral got homers from Rob Beaudette (2), Larry Mardany, Ken Delaney, and Mike Alonardo. Dave Janowsky was 4-for-6 and scored four times, Roger Whittlesey was 4-for-5 with a walk and four runs scored, and Greg Marchand, Mark Chambers, and Mardany collected three hits apiece. SCL continued to make nice defensive plays in the outfield, including several running catches.