Pittsfield, Westfield Babe Ruth 16s tied in first game of title series / iBerkshires.com

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – The Babe Ruth All-Stars of Pittsfield and Westfield’s 16-and-under team were tied 1-1 after eight innings on Wednesday when their Western Mass State Tournament game was suspended due to darkness.

Pittsfield and Westfield will play their final game at 5 p.m. Thursday at Deming Park, before playing the regularly scheduled second game of their best-of-three series.

On Wednesday, Connor Paronto hit a two-out single, stole second base, advanced on a passed ball and scored on Eddie Ferris’ single to give Pittsfield a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

Westfield came back and scored a run in the bottom half of the inning, and the teams remained tied until nightfall.

Cam Hillard played six and two-thirds innings on the mound for Pittsfield, recording seven strikeouts and not allowing a single earned run.

Ferris ended the seventh inning, throwing a 1-2-3 eighth to keep the game tied.

13U Baby Ruth

PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts – Ryan Aldrich hit 3 for 5 with two RBIs to lead the Westfield Babe Ruth All-Stars to an 11-5 victory over Pittsfield in the Western Massachusetts State Tournament at Deming Park on Wednesday.

Westfield broke a 1-1 tie with five runs in the fifth inning and added five more in the sixth to take an 11-5 lead and win the tournament 11-1.

Westfield won the teams’ first meeting 5-4 on Monday at Bullens Field.

Despite the loss, Pittsfield will compete in the New England Regional Tournament next week. Westfield is the host of the regional tournament; Pittsfield will enter the event, which begins July 19, as the Western Mass Seed.