Westfield Baseball Wins Group 4 North Title

Westfield's bats had been quiet for five innings of Tuesday's NJ Group 4 North State Tourney title against Randolph. So quiet that they were hitless against crafty Randolph junior right hander Dave Sacco. But thanks to senior righty Kevin Galasso's third straight sensational effort on the mound and senior Eric Demers' one out, seventh inning RBI double, the Blue Devils' magical post season run continued with an improbable 3-2 win against the stunned Rams.

Westfield's rally began in the sixth with one out when senior Quinn Dursee served a single into right that broke up Sacco's no hitter. After junior Anthony Perconte was narrowly erased at first on a bunt attempt, junior Matt Storcks delivered the Blue Devils' first run with a base hit to center, cutting the Randolph lead to 2-1. A solid single to right by junior catcher Mike Ionta put runners on first and third with two out and when Westfield senior Liam Devin's liner down the right field line fell in, it appeared Westfield had tied the game. But Devin's poke was just foul and his high pop behind first on the next pitch would have ended the inning save for confusion between the Rams' first and second baseman allowing the ball to fall to tie the score at 2.

With one out in the seventh, the Rams threatened with a double down the left field line, but a strike to third by Ionta erased the Ram baserunner's steal attempt to preserve the tie going into the bottom of the seventh.

After one out in the bottom half, junior Chris Arena singled sharply to center to put the winning run on base. Demers then provided the heroics, drilling Sacco's second pitch down the left field line as the fleet Arena easily beat the throw home.

Galasso improved to 9-2 on the season, including 19 1/3 innings over his last three playoff starts where he's yielded a total of three earned runs.

Westfield now advances to the Group 4 State Championship game on Saturday, June 8th as Head Coach Bob Brewster looks for the first Group 4 state title of his storied career.