Westfield Blue played 5 outstanding innings Thursday night in a league game against Union, but a bizarre 6th inning forced the game into extra innings. Fortunately WB prevailed 12-8 after 8 innings.
Union struck first, scoring 3 runs in the first inning on a series of hits and walks. WB came back with 1 run in the top of the 2nd after Justin Lin worked a walk , stole 2nd and 3rd and scored on a grounder by Justin Lankler. Union was held scoreless in the bottom of the 2nd making the score 3-1 after 2 innings of play.
WB rallied in the top of the 3rd. After Daniel Criscuolo and Rowan Oberman drew walks, Owen Murray hit a blast that bounced just before the 200 ft center field fence. Unfortunately, the ball bounced over the fence limiting Murray to a ground rule double and Oberman to 3rd base. Not wanting to leave his teammates stranded, Parker Hess next ripped a double to send both runners home and take a 4-3 lead.
WB added to its lead in the top of the 4th. Lin drew a lead off walk, followed by a single from Will Stern. Dan Criscuolo and Owen Brancatella followed with singles of their own allowing WB to add 2 more runs. Union added one run themselves in the bottom of the 4th. Both teams went quietly in the 5th leaving WB with a 6-4 lead after 5.
In the top of the 6th, WB got a rally started with walks by Lin, Stern and Justin Lankler. Liam Loughlin then worked another walk to score Lin and take the lead. Criscuolo added to the lead with an RBI single to put WB ahead 8-4 going into the bottom of the 6th.
In the bottom of the 6th, things started to get ugly. The WB defense momentarily forgot how to catch the ball. When they did finally remember, the umpire wasn’t looking. Union took full advantage of this lapse and tied the game at 8-8, sending it into extra innings.
Neither team score in the 7th but in the top of the 8th WB said “enough is enough –let’s end this”. Lin started it off with a single but Union retired the next 2 batters. Loughlin drew a walk and Criscuolo singled to pick up another RBI. OB followed this with an RBI single of his own and then Oberman crushed Union’s hopes with 2 RBI double putting WB up 12-8. The WB defense regained their composure in the bottom of the 8th and shut Union down to win the game 12-8.
Pitching duties were shared by Owen Colwell, Owen Murray and Rowan Oberman. 
O. Murray smashes ground rule double to center
O. Murray tags runner on the butt at 2nd
Oberman knocks in 2 with 2B
Colwell was so dominant he pitched from his knees
OB picks up an RBI
Lin singles
Hess rips a 2 bagger
Stern singles
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