Westfield Blue Scrimmages Clark

Westfield Blue got a chance to play as team for the first time Sunday night in a pre-season scrimmage against a tough Clark team. Despite the blistering heat, we played for about 7 innings. After 6 full innings of play, Clark led 12-9.

Westfield scored in the first inning when Tyler Roth singled and then advanced to score on a fielder’s choice. Clark came back and scored 2 runs to go up 2-1. George Murray, hot off his game winning hit in Warren, started the second off with a double and was driven home along with Justin Lin by a single from Daniel Criscuolo, giving Westfield a 3-2 lead. Clark scored 2 more runs in the bottom of the second but had their rally cut short when Rowan Oberman made a heads up defensive play. With a runner caught in a run down between 2nd and 3rd, no one was backing up 2nd base so Oberman came in from right field and was able to get the runner out.

In the 3rd and 4th innings Clark scored 4 more runs including a home run over the left field wall hit by Santos, Clark’s leadoff batter. Westfield responded by adding 2 more runs to make the score Clark 8, Westfield 5 after 4 innings of play.

In the top of the 5th, Roth, Oberman and Colwell all singled to load the bases. Owen Murray then came up to bat and hit a towering grand slam that cleared the center field wall, putting Westfield up 9-8.


Clark came back and tied the game in the bottom of the 5th. After Westfield was unable to score in the top of the 6th, Clark slugger Santos jacked his 2nd home run of the game to give Clark the lead for good.

Pitching duties were shared by Parker Hess, Owen Murray, Owen Colwell and Justin Lankler. Newest team member, Liam Loughlin got an opportunity to play a variety of defensive positions including left field and catcher. Returning veterans Will Stern and Owen “OB” Brancatella rounded out the defense.

Although we didn’t win, the results were much better than last year when we scrimmaged essentially the same team and were down 14-2.

Next up is the season opener against Dunellen on Saturday at 10am.