Rochester, Sweeney stay alive at American Legion tournament

NASHUA – Sometimes a baseball game can change in a matter of seconds.

Sometimes it takes one really long inning, loaded with runs.

That was the sixth inning of Saturday’s contest, when Lebanon Post 22 scored six runs in the top half of the inning to take a 10-3 lead only to walk six straight batters in the bottom of the inning as Rochester Post 7 scored nine runs to go up 12-10.

Post 22 tied the game in the seventh, but Post 7 got single runs in the seventh and the eighth and held on for a 14-12 win in the loser’s bracket of the New Hampshire American Legion tournament at Holman Stadium. The win means Rochester will face Concord, which lost to Nashua Coffey Post 3, at 11 a.m. Sunday, while Lebanon was eliminated from the tournament.

Kory Ferullo had three hits, scored three runs and drove in three more for Rochester (15-3), and also recorded a save by pitching a scoreless final two innings. Nick Fontaine got the win after starter Chris Tilton gave up 10 runs on 11 hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Dalton Campbell turned in a stellar performance at the plate for Lebanon, going 5 for 6 with two doubles, five RBIs and three runs scored. Cam Blewitt added four hits and scored three runs, but was one of three pitchers to struggle through the sixth.

Ben Bates opened the inning in relief for Lebanon by allowing a single and then walking three straight to bring in a run. Blewitt came on and walked all three batters he faced to bring in three more runs to make it 10-7 before giving way to Clint Goodwin.

Goodwin got the first two batters out, but Ferullo, Tilton and Bobby Dow got three straight hits to give Rochester its first lead, 12-10.

But that lead was short lived, as Lebanon quickly got two runs back on Campbell’s two-run double, tying the game at 12 in the top of the seventh. Rochester answered again in its half of the inning, scoring an unearned run, and added another run in the eighth.

Lebanon played in two of the highest scoring games of the first two days of the tournament, and despite scoring a combined 22 runs, was bounced from the tournament.

Sweeney 8, Goffstown 6

Sweeney Post 2 broke open a close game with seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and then held off a Goffstown rally in the ninth to stay alive in the first game Saturday.

Zach Beckwith got the win for Sweeney, going eight innings and allowing two earned runs on eight hits and a walk. He was also 2 for 4 with a RBI, while Michael Beaudet had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs out of the ninth spot in the lineup.

Resse Easton had a triple among his two hits and drove in two runs for Goffstown and Ryan Smith also had two RBIs. Steven Beal took the loss, giving up eight runs, four earned, on 12 hits and three walks in seven innings.

After Goffstown took a 3-1 lead in the top of the seventh, Sweeney came back with seven runs in the eighth to go ahead 8-3. But Goffstown put three runs on the board against Sweeney’s Dylan Haynes to make it 8-6 before Dan Quinn came in to get the final three outs.

Sweeney will now face Dover, which lost to Bedford, at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Holman, while Goffstown was eliminated from the tournament.