Bedford, n.h.
Heckling between the sides rose to such a level that, during the sixth inning, the home plate umpire instructed all players to cease addressing their opponents directly and to stop targeting them with not-so-subtle taunts.
“We’ve got to be into the game and to cheer for your team, but you can’t start a battle with those guys over there with nonsense being said,” Post 22 coach Rob Woodward said. “We woke up a sleeping dog tonight and they took it to us.”
Bedford lost, 12-1, in seven innings to Sweeney Post 2 on Tuesday night. Last weekend, Lebanon beat Bedford, 7-4, thanks to Henry Day’s three-run home run during the eighth inning. Post 22’s Chase Hussey said that contest became heated because Bedford’s catcher became physically entangled with a Lebanon batter after a pitch in the dirt.
“The ball rolled under (our player) and the catcher just laid him out,” said Hussey, who was pitching later in the game when the Bedford backstop’s turn in the batting order arrived. “I was going to hit him (with a pitch) but I couldn’t, because they had a guy on base. As much as I would have liked to do it, we have to do what’s good for the team.
“Tonight, there was a lot of back and forth, but our chirping definitely woke them up. When it comes down to the end of the season, however, I think we’re a much stronger team.”
Bedford (5-2) took the lead with a four-run sixth inning during which it managed only two hits but enjoyed four walks and 10 at-bats. That frame ended with the hosts leading, 6-4, and they added another run in the seventh inning. Lebanon (5-3) used a single and three consecutive walks to create its fifth tally. Both teams are chasing Milford (6-1) in the state’s District A standings.
Lebanon led, 1-0, after an inning and 2-0 after four frames. Starting pitcher Andrew Houde lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing six runs, five of them earned. He surrendered no hits through three innings but struggled as the humidity rose and gave up four hits and all his runs during the final 2 innings. Houde struck out six batters and walked seven, four of the free passes coming during the sixth inning.
“We’ve got beachfront property in that kid’s head!” a Bedford player shouted as Houde labored on the hill. Earlier, Post 22 had mocked the Post 54 catcher for his choice of shin guard accessories and its first baseman for dropping a foul pop up in front of the visiting dugout.
Poor fielding, however, became Lebanon’s problem when first baseman Evan Spaulding and second baseman Coby Hussey each fumbled a slow roller hit their way, extending Bedford at bats and leading to runs.
“Two outs and two guys on base and we drop it,” a frustrated Woodward said. “Just flip it to first and we’re out of the inning. That cost us two runs and if they hadn’t had them, we’d still be playing.”
Lebanon had the bases loaded with no outs during the seventh inning but Day, Trey Parker and Nate Perkins struck out. The trio managed only one piece of contact, a foul tip off the plate umpire’s head.
“We made a couple mental mistakes and our heads got down,” Hussey said. “After that, we started thinking about it and we made physical errors in the field and couldn’t come up with clutch hits.
“Guys get overeager and want to get four bags with one swing, instead of just trying to get a fly ball out there to score a run.”
Woodward, who normally gathers his players in the outfield and addresses them after games, instead shouted for them to grab their gear and exit the field with haste. He then noted that his team is, on average, stranding more than 10 runners in scoring position per game.
“We’re really putting a lot of pressure on ourselves but that’s the way it is,” the coach said. “We’re swinging at bad pitches and putting ourselves bad in the count for no reason.
“It only gets harder from here. When you go down to the state tournament and you can’t execute, you’re not going to last.”
The visitors cleared out quickly, leaving behind only a pair of broken bats alongside their dugout.
Lebanon and Bedford are not scheduled to meet again during the regular season, which ends July 16. However, Hussey is anticipating a potential rubber match in the state tournament.
“That would be interesting for sure,” he said.
Notes: Day is a rising senior at the Holderness School in Plymouth, N.H., where he will board for the upcoming school year. His father, Christopher, was recently named head of Canaan’s Cardigan Mountain School. Henry Day is nicknamed “Night Time” by his Legion teammates. … Jim Broughton, father of Post 22 shortstop and Lebanon High rising senior Caleb Broughton, attended the game. The longtime head coach at Colby-Sawyer College said his son will attend a college recruiting showcase in Long Island, N.Y., at summer’s end. That particular event is for high school players who are also high academic performers. … Bedford’s Riley Field is located next to a busy intersection. One Lebanon player, about to venture on to the pavement to retrieve a foul ball, received a warning from Post 22 assistant Carlos Fleming. “Look both ways and watch for the crossing guard!” Fleming shouted. … Woodward slipped and fell in a mud puddle during the game, but maintained his sense of humor. “These stains should come out sometime next year,” he said with a laugh, staring down at his soiled uniform pants.