Westford Over-30 Slow-Pitch Softball

Regular Season: Floral Arts (19 Wins - 5 Loses)

Play Off Champions:  After a bye in the first round as the regular season champion, Floral Arts defeated 3E Moving (3 Games to 1) and the Mustangs (3 Games to 1).

With a 32-24 win over 3E Moving, Floral Arts advances to the Finals.  Floral wins this semi-final series 3 games to 1.

This is the 10th year in a row that Floral has advanced to the Finals.  Amazingly, all 10 of these appearances have been against the Mustangs.  The Mustangs have won the last 5 with Floral last winning in 2012.  Only one of these series has ended in 3 games, so the expectation is for yet another competitive series that goes the distance.

The series is set to kick-off on Tuesday at 7 PM. 

The Nashoba Valley Veterinary Mustangs swept Burton's Grill in the best of five series.  Burton's held it close in two of the games but the Mustangs continue to be a very strong squad both at the plate and on defense.  In the other semi-final match, last year's champion, Floral Arts has a 2 Games to 1 lead on 3E Moving.

Nashoba Valley Veterinary Mustangs 15 - Burton’s Grill 14
Burton’s tied up the hard fought game in top of 7th but Mustangs played small ball without any homers left to get the victory in the bottom half of the inning.  Paul Selfrige Jr used his speed to beat out an infield grounder for his fourth hit while the winning run scored from second base on an errant throw.  Earlier Mustang home runs were hit by Mike Kennedy (2HR, 5 RBI), Bill Knute, Paul Selfrige, Keith Reynolds, Cormac Bordes, and Mark Cusano.  Good middle infield defense by Dan Crogan and Paul Selfrige Sr (2 doubleplays) helped the winners.  Burton's contributors were Jerry Breen (2-for-4, 3 RBI), Murph McKeon (3-for-4, 2RS, 2 RBI), Tim Scott (2-for-4, 2 RS, 2 RBI), and Dave Batchelder (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI). 

 
Nashoba Valley Veterinary Mustangs 21 - Burton’s Grill 6
Mustang newcomer Nate Frazee led the charge with three home run blasts and nine RBI.    Other Mustang homers were hit by Bill Knute (2), and winning pitcher Don Cusano.  Outfielder Jim Ward made an outstanding sliding catch while short fielder Jack Erickson threw out two runners on the bases in the win. Home runs by Justin Randall and Mike Santiano were the lone Burton's offensive highlights in this one.


Mustangs Valley Veterinary Mustangs 22 - Burton’s Grill 17
The Mustangs won their 10th straight game to close out Burton’s.  Southpaw slugger Bill Knute launched three homeruns with five RBI to lead the Mustangs. Other home run hitters were Jack Erickson, and Paul Selfrige Sr.  Paul Selfrige Jr. added 4 doubles, while Keith Reynolds, Cormac Bordes, Nate Frazee, Craig Smith, and winning pitcher Paul Liguori all chipped in with two hits apiece.  First baseman Smith and Liguori teamed up for a great play and Keith Reynolds also made an outstanding catch and throw to get a runner at first.

Mustangs 26 - Healy 16

Bill Knute went 5-for-5 with two home runs, five runs scored and eight RBI to lead the offensive charge for the Mustangs.  Mike Kennedy added five hits (3 RBI, 3 RS) and Don Cusano chipped in with four hits and a homer of his own.  Paul Selfrige Junior had three hits and a walk and Dad ripped three hits as well, with a home run blast himself.  Jack Erickson (4-for-5, HR, 4 RBI) and Keith Reynolds crushed home runs of their own and Selfrige Junior made two outstanding running catches in foul territory in the last inning to help shut down Healy's late rally.

Mustangs 19 - Healy 12

Mustangs won their seventh straight game and knocked out a talented young Healy squad in the first round with a balanced offensive attack and good pitching and fielding by Don Cusano (4-for-4, HR, 3 RBI).  Cormac Bordes also added four hits and a home run of his own.  Other home run hitters were Keith Reynolds, Jack Erickson, and Paul Selfrige Jr and Senior.  Jim Ward had an outstanding leaping catch at the fence to snuff out a Healy rally and chipped in with three hits.  Scott Lawrence contributed two timely hits.  Paul Selfrige Sr played well in the field and combined with Don Cusano to turn two big infield double plays to help the Mustang cause.

Burtons Grill beat Drews 15-11 and 14-3  to win their best of three first round series as well.  Mike Santiano led the winners going 6-for-7 with three home runs five runs scored and eight RBI. Dave Batchelder (3-for-6, 2 HR), Erik Pasters (4-for-7, two HR, 5 RS) as well Tim Scott, Jerry Breen and Brian Collamore all contributed in the series victory

Burtons will take on the Nashoba Valley Mustangs in the next round while Floral Arts faces 3E Moving.

So with Burton’s 17-10 win over PST tonight, the standings are final…

• Floral Arts has the #1 seed and the first round bye with a 19-5 record
• The Mustangs finish one game back at 18-6
• SCL takes the #3 seed with a 14-10 record
• Burton’s Grill and Drew Farms finished tied with 12-12 record, with Burton’s getting the #4 seed by virtue of a 2-1 record head-to-head record
• We also had a tie for the sixth position, with both 3E Moving and Healy Oil finishing at 11-13.  3E gets the #6 seed by virtue of their 2-1 head to head record
• PST finishes in 8^th, again
• And CSA is on the clock.  Will they win the lottery with a draft pick the likes of this year’s #1 (and only) draft pick?

Play-offs start Friday night, the schedule is as follows:

Friday (8/24)  6:30 - #7-Healy Oil @ #2-Mustangs;  7:45 - #6-3E Moving @ #3-SCL

Sunday (8/26)  6:30 - #5-Drew Farms @ #4-Burton’s Grill;  7:45 - #2-Mustangs @ #7-Healy Oil

Tuesday (8/28)  6:30 - #3-SCL @ #6-3E Moving;  7:45 - #4-Burton’s Grill @ #5-Drew Farms

Wednesday (8/29)  6:30 - #7-Healy Oil @ #2-Mustangs;  7:45 - #6-3E Moving @ #3-SCL

Tuesday (9/4)  7:00 - #5-Drew Farms @ #4-Burton’s Grill  (NOTE that all single games in the play-offs are played at 7 PM)

Note about the Game 3 scenarios- If the #2-#7 and/or the #3-#6 series end in 2 games and the #4-#5 series goes to a 3^rd game, it will move to Wednesday, 8/29.  If there is only 1 game that night, it will be played at 7 PM.

As for the second round, Floral Arts and the 3 teams that advance should be prepared to start round 2 on Wednesday, 9/5.  However, it is possible that Round 2 will start on Tuesday (9/4) if one or two of the first round series goes the distance.  And if all three series end in two games, then Round 2 will start on Wednesday, 8/29.