Walpole, Westfield fit to be tied — for now

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Rain suspends game in eighth

Walpole’s Grace Todd, right, celebrates scoring with Abby Riley during a state tournament softball game against Westfield. The game was tied 3-3 when play was suspended due to rain. STAFF PHOTO BY STUART CAHILL — BOSTON HERALD

Westfield pitcher Shea Hurley is congratulated after recording her 1,000th career strikeout during a state tournament game against Walpole on Saturday. STAFF PHOTO BY STUART CAHILL — BOSTON HERALD

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By Greg Dudek

Correspondent

WALPOLE >> No team had scored a run off of Walpole in seven straight postseason games dating back to last season.

But Westfield pulled off the gargantuan feat Saturday in the Nick of time in more ways than one.

The Bombers rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to force extras, where the game was suspended due to heavy rain. Fifth-seeded Westfield and No. 4 Walpole, which was a rematch of last year’s state final, will resume the contest Monday in the top of eighth inning with the Bombers having two runners on and one out in a 3-3 game.

The dramatic turn of events for Walpole will give it a chance to regroup with a trip to the Division 2 state semifinal on the line.

“We just reset (like it’s a) 0-0 game and come out like we came out today, which was with tight D and really aggressive at the plate,” Walpole coach Rachael Sprague said. “We’ll be OK.”

It’s not an ideal scenario for the Bombers, who will have to make the nearly two-hour long trek back to Walpole in 48 hours.

“No question about it,” said Westfield coach Tyson James on his team losing momentum. “It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is. Nothing we can do about it.”

Westfield displayed its perseverance in the seventh as Grace Tempe led off with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by No. 8 hitter Caitlyn Arooth.

Sharlotte Stazinski’s eighth strikeout of the game put Walpole one out away from a win, but Sydney LaPanne blooped a single to shallow right to plate two runs. LaPanne’s hit almost didn’t drop in as Timberwolves second baseman Grace Todd nearly made an incredible diving catch and had the ball in her glove, but it jarred free when she made impact with the ground.

Todd made a stellar defensive play to get Walpole out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, though, and opened the scoring in the bottom half of frame by singling to center off Westfield ace Shea Hurley, who notched her 1,000th career strikeout in the game. The Timberwolves scored two more runs in the inning thanks to an RBI triple by Stazinski and an error.

Both sides leaned heavily on their dynamite starting pitchers and despite the history between the teams, they don’t plan to change to their approach when they reconvene.

“They’re a great team. You can’t take that away from them,” Sprague said. “And Shea really is very strong. She’s not going to miss much. So, we had a plan coming in at the plate and I think the girls are doing a great job executing it. And we’ll have the same plan for Monday.”