MANCHESTER – With 26 runs scored through its first two Senior Legion Tournament games, the story that Concord Post 21 is a team built on pitching and defense may have to be adjusted slightly. But as long as Concord keeps posting crooked numbers on the scoreboard at Gill Stadium, Coach Matt Skoby doesn’t seem to care what the narrative is.
“We’re kind of a streaky hitting team and (Friday) we were able to capitalize on some of Merrimack’s mistakes, but today I felt like we hit the ball much better,” Skoby said after Concord Post 21’s 15-9 victory over Nashua Post 124 on Saturday. “That’s crucial for us to build that momentum and put runs on the board because I don’t think we’re going to see a 3-1 game this tournament.”
Skoby’s not wrong. Through the first seven games of the tournament there have been 92 runs scored at the long-standing concrete and steel stadium in Manchester, including six runs by Concord in the home half of the first inning on Saturday against Nashua.
“It’s crazy – you’ve got an inside-the-park home run, you’ve got an overthrow that ends up as a triple and passed balls can kick anywhere,” Skoby said. “Runs can get on the board really quick here so you almost feel like you have to score 10-plus runs to win a game, and that puts a lot of pressure on us.”
Concord, though, appeared unfazed by anything from the first pitch on. Post 21 sent 10 batters to the plate in the opening frame and turned an early 1-0 deficit on its head by piling six runs on four hits, three walks and a pair of wild pitches for a 6-1 advantage.
Nashua Post 124 starter Zach Finkelstein didn’t do himself any favors by walking the first two batters of the inning and base knocks by Chapin Bassi, Noah Wachter, Jake Kelly and Conner Lorenz all produced runs.
With Wachter done on the mound for the tournament following his start on Friday, Concord turned to Bow High School’s Brendan Winch to carry it past Nashua. And for the most part, Winch provided Post 21 with the start it needed.
Concord put a 10-spot on the board for Winch through the first four innings, thanks in part to an impressive showing from the shortstop Bassi, who finished the evening with five hits and three RBI, including a two-run triple in the fourth.
While the left-handed Winch ran into trouble in the fifth, he supplied Concord with 4⅔ innings, didn’t walk a single batter and induced two critical double-play balls to prevent Nashua from making any legitimate run at the lead. Most importantly, Winch gave Post 21 quality innings while staying under 75 pitches, leaving him available to throw again on Tuesday in a tournament that taxes pitching staffs.
“It’s a learning curve,” Skoby said. “We’re trying to do our best with planning ahead while still trying to win the game that’s right in front of us. … I hate to take Winch out when he’s pounding the zone and throwing strikes, but to keep him under 75 so he could come back in two days was crucial.”
By the time Nashua chased Winch, it had cut Concord’s deficit in half from 10-2, to 10-6, but that’s as close as Post 124 would get before Concord High’s Jacob Knowles deflated any ideas of a rally.
Tossing 2⅔ innings of scoreless relief, Knowles served as the stopper in a game where runs were far from a premium.
He recorded the final out of the fifth, worked his way around a double in the sixth and set down the side in order in the seventh before inducing a pop out to begin the eighth.
“It felt great to throw strikes,” Knowles said. “I mean my last few outings haven’t been the best but today it was good. Throwing strikes and getting people out.”
Knowles also said the momentum behind Concord after winning both games to open the tournament couldn’t be stronger. Post 21 is scheduled to take on the Rochester-Lebanon winner on Sunday at 6 p.m. and will send Merrimack Valley’s Brian Nylen to the mound with a full bullpen behind him.
“It’s huge heading into the game tomorrow,” Knowles said. “We’re facing a tough team with either of one those teams and I think we’re in the right spot to go out and give these guys a run for their money.”
(Jay McAree can be reached at 369-3371, jmcaree@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JayMcAree.)