It looked like Grassfield was going to take this game but once again Western Branch pulled it off in the late innings.
In the bottom of the first, with the score 0-0, WB loaded the bases with three straight hits. Smith, the GF pitcher, induced a comebacker and GF turned a 1-2-3 double play, followed by a groundout to end the inning.
In the top of the 2nd, Austin Obenhauer (sp?) singled with 1 out, reached third on an errant pickoff attempt by Colin Selby, the WB pitcher, and scored courtesy of a sac fly to put GF up 1-0.
In the top of the 4th, GF batter Andrew Bullock hit a solo homer to right field to put GF up 2-0.
WB finally scored in the bottom of the 5th. Rufus Hurdle reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced to 2nd when Jordan Mason walked and scored on a Grant Miaorana single. With one out and two runners on, Alex Abbey’s hard liner was caught by the first baseman who turned an unassisted double play to end the inning.
Going into the bottom of the 7th, WB was down 2-1. With one out, Mason singled up the middle, advanced to second on a ground out and scored when the defense mishandled a ball Abbey batted to the first base area.
Selby, pitching in his 8th inning of work, walked the first GF batter in the top of the 8th but retired the next three. Jeff Butler led off the bottom of the 8th with a double. GF issued an intentional walk to Garrett Marchand, Conor Rhem sac bunted Butler and Marchand to 3rd and 2nd. GF issued another intentional walk, this time to Selby, to load the bases. With two outs and bases loaded, Mason hit a slow chopper towards first which the GF pitcher could not handle, allowing Mason to reach first and Butler to score the winning run.