Sweeney Post 2 stays alive with win over Bedford Post 54

NASHUA – The Sweeney Post 2 baseball team knew that if it was going to stay alive Friday in the American Legion Senior Tournament, it was going to have to hit.

After falling to Hudson 1-0 in its first game, Sweeney brought its bats against Bedford Post 54, and took advantage of some Bedford miscues, to pound out an 11-0 win in seven innings. Post 54 was eliminated from the tournament with the loss.

Connor Walsh led the way on the mound, picking up the win by pitching six innings, striking out seven and giving up three hits, three walks and four hit batters. Walsh also hit a solo home run in the third and Sweeney scored three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to break the game open.

“We hit the ball (Thursday), we just didn’t get the hits at the right time,” Sweeney assistant coach Ron Beaurivage said. “It was frustrating. We could have come back and folded (Friday), but we swung the bats right away.

“We told the kids, every game from here on out is your last game. Don’t come out and say I left something out there. It was nice to see because we had different kids pick us up. Everybody picked each other up and it was nice to see.”

For Bedford, it was another game where the big hit just wouldn’t come. Post 54 loaded the bases with no outs in the first – two on hit batters – but Walsh battled back to strike out the side. Bedford had at least a runner on in each inning, including two in the second and fifth and left the bases loaded in the sixth, for a total of 13 on base.

Post 54 had entered the tournament having scored the most runs of any of the eight teams, but managed to push just one across in two games.

“We were so hot for so long, it just kind of ran out,” Bedford coach Tim Conway said. “You never know when you’re bats are going to wake up again. I was waiting for that moment and it didn’t happen.

“I think a little bit of it was nerves because at the end of the season it was in high-pressure situations. The fact that we have so many juniors right now, I didn’t use that excuse all season, that they’re young, but I think it finally showed itself.”

It did in the field as well, as Bedford was officially charged with two errors, but a couple of other miscues, leading to five unearned runs for Sweeney. Of the 17 runs Post 54 allowed in the tournament nine were unearned.

Kyle Andersson took the loss as he went four-plus innings and gave up seven runs – three earned – on eight hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Michael Kernan was 2 for 4 for Bedford with a double.

Peter Abood was 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs for Post 2, Ryan Baldwin was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and Aaron Merseareau was 2 for 4, scored twice and drove in a run.