Anthony Moura scattered four hits to pitch Hudson Post 100 to the Region 6 championships in the American Legion State Regional playoffs.
HUDSON — Defense carried the day for Hudson Post 100 in the Region 6 final of the American Legion State Regional playoffs against Northborough Post 234 on Tuesday, July 22 at Guidotti Field.
Hudson's Anthony Moura tossed a complete game four-hitter, stuck out four and got a huge lift from his defense as Post 100 topped Northborough, 5-2.
“Our guys did a great job," Hudson coach Brain Bowen said. "I said this after the second game we played, we've probably played the three most complete baseball games of the season, just at the right time. Defense made the play behind our pitcher. Our pitcher went out and threw strikes, didn’t give up any base runners that weren’t necessary, like walks and hit by pitchers or anything like that. We played a clean game and that’s how you win.”
The win gives Hudson a spot in Department Senior Championship tournament, which begins on Saturday, July 26 in Quincy. It is the second straight year Hudson has qualified, and they will be joined by local squads Leominster and Shrewsbury, which also won regional titles this week. The winner of that championship advances to the Northeast Region One Tournament, which will be held at Fitton Field beginning on Aug. 6.
Last year Hudson won the Northeast Region One Tournament after falling to Shrewsbury in the Department Senior Championship game.
After surrendering two hits in the second inning, Moura settled in and retired the next eight batters he faced - two coming via strikeout and the rest on fly balls or line drives - with teammates Chase Barrett, Michael Benway and speedy centerfielder Marshall Kehlhem keeping the Northborough hitters off the bases in that span.
“My defense is amazing," Moura said. "Just like the high school season, I pitched to contact. I don’t get many strikeouts, so out defense played amazing today. Jackson Libby had a great game. His defense was amazing and he’s usually not at short, he’s at third a lot of the time when I’m not pitching and for him to make those plays at short was huge.”
The 6-foot-3 Libby also inducted six comebackers to him during the game - including a pair to close out the game. Libby also used his height to snag a hard liner by Northborough's Emilio Manz.
“I thought we had good at bats today," Northborough coach Ken MacDonald said. "We had some good barrels, unfortunately, we hit balls right at guys, but they also made some great plays too. Hudson’s a great team and credit to them.”
Hudson took a 3-0 lead in the third, as Kehlhem led off by getting hit by a pitch and then stole second. Kehlhem advanced to third on a double by Benway and scored on a grounder from Garrett Mahoney. Moura then singled in Moura and Libby brought home Mahoney on a sacrifice fly.
“We executed," Bowen said, "Obviously we made a couple outs on the bases that I didn’t love, but that’s what happens when you’re aggressive. Sometimes you score on those and sometimes you don’t.”
Libby tacked on a pair on insurance runs in the fifth with a two-run double to the left field fence, plating Mahoney and Barrett.
"The first time through Jackson popped one up," Bowen said. "I knew he was on the ball. He said he was on it. He just missed it. He just came through for us."
Northborough scored twice in the fifth, as Manz and Cam Citro each singled to lead off the inning and later scored on grounders by Sawyer Kittredge and Jameson Logan. Northborough's Nolan Whelan allowed one hit in 4⅓ innings and struck out three, while walking two, but hitting four Hudson batters. Northborough's Ben Klein relieved Whelan and after giving up the two-run double to Libby, he retired four of the final five hitters he faced.
—Contact Michael Shattuck at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Moura, Hudson top Northborough to win American Legion Region 6 championship
Category: General Sports
