Brookline Kicks Off Four-Game Stretch With Easy Win

In what head coach Jim Wulfson called the best all-around game his team has played all year, Brookline cruised to a 7-2 win over Melrose last night at Warren Field.

Jonas Webler led off the contest with a home run to right field, and a Leon Yang two-run double helped stake the Brookline under-12 Bay State team to a 4-0 lead before an out was recorded. The homer, coming in the second game of the third round of trophy play, made it the fourth consecutive game in which a Warrior batter has hit a leadoff home run.

Webler, the starting pitcher, hit a second home run to center field in the bottom of the second inning to give Brookline a 5-0 advantage.

"With Alex [Kibrick] not here, someone had to step up," Wulfson said. "Jonas did a great job of helping himself out."

After Melrose cut the lead to 5-2 in the top of the fourth inning, Alex Chin ripped a deep home run to left in the bottom half of the inning and an RBI single in the fifth to put Brookline on top 7-2.

Down by five runs, Melrose refused to quit in the top of the sixth inning. They were in position to have runners at second and third with one out, but a Theo Nygren outfield assist left Melrose with two out and a runner on second. Deven Yee's catch at the center field fence ended a bases-loaded, two-out threat and close out the victory.

"Our defense not only made the routine plays, but made a few highlight-reel grabs as well," Wulfson said.

Bolstered by strong offensive support, the Brookline pitching was equally as impressive. Starting off a tough four-day stretch in which they play each day, the Warriors put themselves in good position for the weekend. Webler gave up just one unearned run over three innings while drawing ground ball after ground ball. Matt Weinstein relieved him and produced three innings of one-run ball in his first pitching performance of the season.

"The pitching was outstanding tonight," Wulfson said. "Having to use just Jonas and Matt tonight is huge for our pitching over the next three days."