Post 158 Closes Regular Season in Style

The Concord Post 158 American Legion baseball team closed out its regular season with a 7-1 victory over Ashland Post 77 at a soggy Emerson Playground on Wednesday evening.

With the win, Concord (10-9) finished the regular season with a winning record, after going winless in its first four games. 

American Legion's postseason begins next Tuesday with Zone 5's top four teams going on to the state tournament, and the remaining 16 competing in a double-elimination tournament for the Chairman's Cup.

"I think there's something to be said for having a winning season," Concord Post 158 coach John Morrissey said.  "The games we lost really have been ones where guys couldn't make it.

"I tell you what, when we have a full roster we haven't lost in probably two weeks, so we're really ending the season playing well."

Concord led Ashland 3-0 before its first hit came in the bottom of the third inning – a double to center by Brian Dizio.

Ashland starter Mike Maresca walked seven batters over the first 1 1/3 innings. He was relieved by Vinny Doyle after beginning the second inning with three straight walks, a strikeout and two more walks to make it 2-0. 

The pitching change did not quell Ashland's mistakes.  Concord began the bottom of the fourth with a single to left by Dizio, who then stole second base.  A base hit by Brendan Canavan two batters later put runners on the corners with one out.

That's when the wheels began to unwind. 

An attempt to check the runner at first was overthrown by Doyle as the ball scooted past first base, scoring the runner at third and increasing Concord's lead to four runs.  With a man still on third after a groundout by Ben Price, Doyle threw a wild pitch with Dizio at the place, resulting in yet another Concord run. 

Ashland finally showed its teeth in the top of the sixth inning when, with two outs and a man on first, Cato Lacroix hit a soft grounder to first base that was fumbled for an error. Shane Haney then roped a hard line drive to left field, scoring Post 77's only run of the game. 

Concord answered right away in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to right by Dizio and a sacrifice hit up the middle by Pete Castrichini for Post 158's seventh and final run.  

Concord starter Jake Anzer pitched six innings of one-run ball, despite working the seventh in Post 158's 4-1 victory over Weston the previous night.  He was relieved by left-hander Brian Ruhlman, who gave up one hit in an otherwise flawless seventh inning.